"Your friends could have come up with something a little more original."
"I guess."
I'm annoyed until Stone licks the seasonings from the chicken off of two of his fingers. Like an instant mood lifter, the act is almost pornographic to watch and makes me forget about everything we were just talking about.
The final lick of his thumb makes me twitch a little in my seat.
I hand him a napkin.
"I forgot to ask. Did you make the sale out there?"
"Nah, she was just looking."
"Maybe next time."
He pops a piece of pita and hummus in his mouth. Staring me down as he chews silently. I break the stare and look down at my plate.
"What time did you finally get the car?" he asks.
"It took forever. Not until about three."
"And then you went home and cooked all of this?"
"I like to cook," I say a little too defensively. This conversation reminding me way too much of Bill.
"You should like it." I pop my head back up. Is that a jab at my size?
He stares at my boobs for a second then up to my face.
"You're good at it."
Oh,he's trying to be nice.
"To be fair you'd probably like almost anything home cooked right about now."
His face hardens.
"You need to learn how to take a compliment."
"I was just–"
"Take the compliment."
"Okay," I agree quietly.
Savannah wiggles the knob to the storeroom and pops her head inside.
"Sorry to interrupt this cute little picnic you've got going on in here, but I've got a group of bikers out there and could use a hand. Stone, you coming?"
"Coming."
"Sounds like you could use a hand, Savannah," I say. "Let me just clean up and I'll help answer phones."
I can tell that she'd rather I wouldn't. She's been working here at the shop for the last three years. As far as she's concerned this is her territory and she wants me to leave, but what's she going to say to the owner's daughter? No?
"Suit yourself."
Bitch.
I take one last bite of pita and finish cleaning up our impromptu dinner. When I return to the front, I go behind the counter and work the phones like I used to every summer, before I became a full-time nurse.
Part of the reason I offered to help out tonight is because this is around the time that we get most of our service calls to the shop. People get off of work and want to bring their bikes in or check on what's happening with their repair. The other reason why I'm offering to help is not as gracious. I just don't want to leave Stone alone with Savannah. I know it makes zero sense. He's going to be working here every day and so is she. They will be alone a lot, but I guess a part of me wants to put it off as long as humanly possible.
The question is why.
I don't even like him.
* * *
