“Open it and see.”
Her gaze falls on the bag with ‘Princess’ written on it in my admittedly terrible handwriting, and she rolls her eyes so hard I’m surprised they don’t fall out.“Grow up.”But she’s already reaching for the bag, and I catch the way her fingers pause when she feels the weight of the coffee beans.She pulls them out first, and I swear her entire expression changes.
“Where did you get this?”The suspicion is still there, but underneath it is something that might be excitement.
“Coffee shop on Fifth.You like it?”I’m trying to keep my voice casual, but there’s satisfaction curling in my chest at her reaction.
“This is...”She turns the bag over, examining the label.“This is one of my favorite brands.Like, top three.”The pleasure that shoots through me at those words is ridiculous.Completely ridiculous.I’m a grown man getting excited because I accidentally bought the right coffee beans.
“Good to know,” I say, aiming for nonchalant and probably missing by a mile.
Steven looks up from his computer with interest.“Since when do you get Eve gifts, Caleb?”
“Since I want to get in her good graces.”I play with her hair.
Steven stares at us, and then I see the realization dawn on his face.“Wait.Are you two—?Are you guys seeing each other?”
From Eve’s expression, she’s about to say no, but I quickly squeeze her shoulder.“Yes.Don’t tell anybody, though.We’re trying to keep it low-key.”
Steven smiles.“You can trust me.”
‘No, we can’t,’ Eve mouths at me and my lips twitch.
“I always did think there was something going on between you two.All that hostility was not normal.To think you two just liked each other,” Steven chuckles.“Why can’t kids be honest these days?”
He gets back to work and Eve begins digging through the rest of the bag now, pulling out the pastries and breakfast sandwiches, murmuring as she does.“Seeing each other, my ass.You haven’t taken me out anywhere for Luis to see.”
I grin, pulling her chair towards me.“Aw, do you want to go on a date, Eve?”
She narrows her eyes.“Not if you ask me like that.”
“Then how should I ask you?”
She sighs, before patting my cheek.“If I have to do everything for you, Caleb, then I should just date myself.”
Amused, I see her unwrap the sandwich.“Before you ask,” I say, watching her inspect the inside, “there are no tomatoes.I know you hate them.”
Her eyes widen slightly, and I watch a faint blush creep up her cheeks before she looks away quickly.Something about catching her off guard like that, seeing that moment of surprise—I like it more than I should.
“Are you trying to fatten me up?What’s your endgame here?”
I clutch my chest.“I’m wounded, Lopez.Truly.If you don’t want them?—”
I reach for the bag, but she snatches it away so fast she nearly knocks over her coffee mug.“They’re mine.Back off.”The possessiveness in her voice, the way she’s cradling the bag against her chest like I might steal it back, it makes me want to grin like an idiot.Like I just won something.
“Territorial much?”I tease.
“I skipped breakfast,” she mutters, already unwrapping one of the Danish pastries.“And I had to get up at five-thirty because my upstairs neighbor decided to practice interpretive dance at dawn.”
“Interpretive dance?”
“Either that or she’s being murdered very rhythmically.”Eve takes a bite and closes her eyes briefly.“Okay, this is actually good.Where has this place been hiding?”
I’m about to answer when Joshua walks in, looking alert for this time of morning.His gaze immediately goes to the spread on Eve’s desk, then to me, then back to Eve with that easy smile of his.
“Is that for me, Eve?You’re so considerate.”He reaches for one of the sandwiches, and Eve snaps her teeth.
“Don’t make me bite you.”
