Her dogs are yapping and bouncing, demanding more attention, and I give it to them, scratching their fluffy little heads while I try to figure out what to say next.
“I’m glad to see you’re feeling a bit better…more upbeat. You have looked a little down at times. Sometimes you’re a lot down,” Wren says after a moment of awkward silence. I thought I hid my hurt well under a guise of anger and irritation. It would seem that she saw right through me.
Wren looks down the walkway. “Anyway, I’d better get going.”
Shit! Shit! She’s going to leave.
I stand, and she has to crane her neck to maintain eye contact.
“Maybe we could go for a friendly coffee?” I shrug.
Afriendlycoffee?
What the fuck is that?
Wren freezes. Her eyes go wide, and she just stares up at me.
She doesn’t answer. Doesn’t say anything. She just looks at me, her lips parting as she pulls in a breath.
Wren
My heart is racing so fast I’m surprised it doesn’t burst right out of my chest.
Grim just asked me out.
No, he did not.
A friendly coffee is hardly a date. I need to pull my head out of my ass, and right now.
For a few moments, all I can do is stare up at him while Peanut and Butter tug at their leashes.
I want to go with him so badly, but…I can’t. There are several reasons why not.
“I…” I start, then stop.
He’s watching me with those dark eyes, waiting for an answer.
Craaaaap!
I want to say yes so badly, but I force myself to think clearly instead.
He’s being nice. That’s all this is. He’s trying to make friends because of that complaint someone filed. He’s not actually interested in me. Not like that. Not the way I’m interested in him.
Even if I wanted to go, I can’t. I have a ton of files waiting for me at home. I’ve only gotten through one and a half of the boxes. They’re paying me a lot of money for overtime to get them digitized, and I promised I’d have them done by Monday.
“I would love to,” I finally manage to say. “But I can’t. I’m sorry. I have so much work to get through this weekend.”
His expression shifts. Is it disappointment? Or am I just imagining that because it’s what I want to see?
“Work, as in those boxes of files you were carrying yesterday?” he asks.
I nod. “Yeah. I committed to inputting all the old records into the digital system. The Mainland Health Department is paying me really well for the overtime, and I need to get it done, like I promised.” I glance down at my watch and wince. “Actually, I should probably head back now and carry on. This was supposed to be a quick walk for the boys.”
The disappointment I feel is crushing. This was going so well. We were actually having a real conversation, and he seemed…relaxed. Himself, but…nice.
But it’s probably for the best, since I’m attracted to Grim and he doesn’t see me that way. Even if he did, we work together. It would be crossing a line. Breaking my own rule.
Before I can take a step, Grim speaks again. “I could walk you home.” His voice is gruff. “You live somewhere close, right?”
