“Give them to folks who like to put them on their gardens. Take some home for the flower beds.”
“That’s— Oh.” Jo’s face flashed pink, and her gaze skittered away, landing somewhere on the wall behind me.
“He’s not that charming,” I said.
“I like mine black?” Sunshine said.
That snapped her back into gear. “Who said I’m bringing you coffee?”
“No one. But I can hope?” The smile he gave her was bright as sunshine. Sunshine that pushed the clouds away and spun across the blue sky like the first fresh breath of spring promising long, warm summer nights.
Jo bit the side of her lip and narrowed her eyes, considering.
“Or not,” he said, that smile still not wavering. “But Lu likes it with sugar, no cream.”
Jo raised an eyebrow at Lu.
“And hot,” Lu said. “Biggest cup you have.”
“I’ll be right back.” With a quick look at Lorde, who had decided she’d done enough standing and was lying down now, Jo left the office.
“What are you doing?” Lu rounded on Sunshine, her finger jabbing the air between them.
“Uh… Getting you some coffee?” He glanced out the door Jo had just exited. “Why? Do you want something else?”
“I want to know why you and Jo are fighting.”
He scowled, all the sunshine disappearing behind the shadow of frown lines.
“She has some kind of idea of me in her head, and I’m tired of trying to prove that idea isn’t right.”
“So you’re yelling at her?”
“Who said I was yelling at her?”
“I did. I could hear you on the way over here.”
“She can do that,” I said. “Her hearing is amazingly sharp.”
“So?” he asked.
“So that is not the way to tell someone you like them.”
“Who says I like her?” His volume rose, loud enough that Ray, who had just returned with the water looked a little startled. Then a sly smile crossed his bearded face.
“Sure, boss,” Ray said. “You like her. We can all see it.”
“You… I don’t.” Sunshine rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “Just put the water down before I fire you.”
“Then who’s gonna rebuild your carburetors?” Ray asked as he put the water beside Lorde and gently patted her head. “Good girl. Don’t listen to Calvin. He’s so in love he’s snarling at everything that moves.”
“You’re fired,” Sunshine said, with no heat.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m gonna get back to work, unless you want to deal with Mrs. Dutton today?”
Sunshine glared at him while Ray paused there at the door, hand on the latch.
“Tell Mrs. Dutton I said hello,” Sunshine said.
