I push away from the counter and cross my arms. “For once in your life would it hurt you to be as neurotic as I am?”
“I’m sorry, you’re right. He doesn’t want to work with you anymore. He’s probably figured out you’re still hopelessly in love with him and he wants to see you to let you down gently. He’ll tell you he’s moving to the other side of the world to get away from the crazy girl who he sees as nothing more than an annoying little sister.”
I pick up the coffee filter and point it at her. “I hate you.”
“Say hi to Roman for me,” she calls as I head to the front door.
I give her the finger.
Her cackle follows me out of the shop and onto the street.
Henry is up on the ladder, painting the panel above the shop window, his shirt tucked into his pocket because it’s twenty-six degrees out.
He grabs his water bottle off the top step of the ladder and pours it over his head. The droplets run down his chest and over his abs. From an objective standpoint Henry is very attractive but I think Skyler might be right about me still being in love with Roman because seeing Henry unintentionally put on a show fit for aBaywatchepisode does very little for me.
I can tell myself working with Roman will be fine so long as I keep things professional but if I keep having to see him, if he keeps turning up when I’m falling apart and putting me back together… I’m halfway in love with Roman already, I’m not sure I’ll survive falling all the way and still not having him notice me.
If I had any sense, I’d message Roman back and say I can’t come over but maybe I’m still as reckless as everyone thinks I am because my desire to see him wins out.
“Hey Henry,” I call, “if I buy you lunch, will you give me a lift over to the orchard?”
Henry balances the paint brush on top of the can and climbs down the ladder. “Sure thing, boss. Thanks.” He uses his T-shirt to dry off before slipping it over his head then nods at the front of the shop. “This is the last coat by the way, then it will be ready to go.”
“That’s great,” I say but my smile is strained as I look at the pale blue panel running along the top.
Henry follows my gaze and shifts on his feet. “Any luck with the sign?”
I close my eyes as they water and tilt my head back a little. Crying in front of your contractor really doesn’t give strong, capable businesswoman vibes. “They’ll send a new piece of driftwood, even offered me a discount, but it won’t get here for another month which is two weeks too late.”
“Ah.” Henry grimaces. “That’s not so good.” He squeezes the back of his neck and shifts his weight again.
Henry’s awkwardness is endearing, and I decide to put him out of his misery. “So, the orchard?”
“Right, yeah.” He grabs his keys from the pocket of his shorts. We hop into his van and a few minutes later we’re pulling up outside the orchard.
Roman walks up the drive as we approach, his face shadowed under his cowboy hat as he glares at Henry through the windshield.
Henry grips the steering wheel and leans over to me. “Do I lose macho points if I admit he intimidates me a little?”
I tip my head back and laugh. “You’re good Henry. Pretty sure your fiancée loves you just how you are.”
He grins, warmth lighting up his eyes at just the thought of his wife-to-be. My chest aches.To be that in love.
I jump when my passenger door is yanked open. “Jesus, Roman.”
He stares Henry down for a weighted moment before shifting his scowl to me. “Are you ready? I don’t have all day.”
I screw up my face.Is he mad at me?Roman doesn’t get mad. Not even when I was an annoying little kid who insisted on playing with him and Mase and messing up their games. He’d just sit me next to him on the couch and patiently show me how to kill zombies.
Not quite sure how to deal with an angry Roman, I turn my back on him and smile at Henry. “Thanks for the lift,” I say. “I’ll grab some lunch for us later.”
Henry looks over my shoulder at the scowling grump behind me. “Sure, no problem.” Wariness plays in his eyes. “Uh, what time do you want to be picked up?”
“I’ll drop her back,” Roman snaps.
Henry lifts a brow and checks in with me. “You okay with that?”
I can practically hear Roman’s jaw popping. I roll my eyes and unclip my seatbelt. “It’s fine.”
