“I didn’t.” My voice was soft and I was afraid to continue this conversation. I wasn’t sure why I suddenly felt clouded by confusion. I had never had issues speaking my mind before, but something was changing between us. Even though I had no idea what it was, it made me copy his stance and I took a step closer. “So, what other secret green projects are you working on that I don’t know about?”
He rolled his lips inward, pausing while he stared down at me, before adding, “You’re something else.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means, I thought we had agreed to have a good time tonight. So, that’s what I did. I had a nice time. I thought you did too, and now we are standing here arguing about business again.”
“What are we supposed to be doing?” My words flew out of my mouth so fast I didn’t even have time to think. A heavy silence fell into the almost-cleared-out room. His eyes widened; whirls of curiosity blazed back at me.
He didn’t waste a beat. “Come with me.”
“Huh?” I turned my head, making an arc as I scanned the room, most of the people had cleared out now, as the event was over, and it was past midnight. I started to pull my phone out to check the time, but he reached forward and took it from me.
“Don’t look at that. Just for a moment, let go of the time, and your charts, and your lists, and live in the moment.”
I had to admit my hand felt empty and craved something to fidget with as I longingly peered at my phone in his hand. “Where do you want to go?”
One corner of his smile rose slightly more than the other, like he was contemplating. “Do you trust me?”
I don’t think it was the words that felt weird to me as much as the look in his eyes. It was a valid question from a boss, but everything about his expression told me this had nothing to do with business. I thought about how I had despised him, but then he went along with even the most obnoxious requests I made of him. He didn’t fire me when I messed up by blocking his number. Then he saved Poppy, and even came to get me in the middle of the storm after I had been so stubborn with him. Here tonight, he didn’t do a thing I had initially wanted to, but something told me it would work out better when we did it his way. “Yeah.” I nodded a little timidly at first, but then gradually added more strength to my nod. “I do trust you.”
“Then I have a surprise for you.” He nudged me forward, and I followed him to the parking lot. “It’s your choice. Do you want to take your car, or my scooter?”
He didn’t even have to ask; I was grinning from ear to ear. “Definitely the scooter.” There was something exciting about two people riding on a vehicle made for one, especially when the man was as handsome as Beau.
twelve
Beau
Cloverstaredwide-eyedatthe cozy—but slightly rustic—all-night diner I had driven us to. “I need to get a couple more tetanus shots to go into this place.”
This girl was really starting to get my goose. On the one hand, she was stuck up higher than a light pole with all her green theory lists. On the other hand, she got all gussied up in that dress, lookin’ finer than a frog’s hair. Then acted all cute and innocent, like she didn’t know what she was doing when she danced with me. Even a dog knows the difference between being stumbled over and being kicked. I wasn’t going to be a game to her, but before I dealt with that, I had to take care of this hankering I had for hashbrowns.
“It’s time,” –I gave her my best I'm-over-this-playing-around-stuff glare—"we both need to get some proper food in our bellies, and don’t you pretend you have no idea what I’m talking about.” She remained quiet when she slid off my scooter, so I filled in the silence, “This is my secret midnight snack place. They have the best brown gravy you’ll ever try.” I held the door open for her, and I tried to pretend I didn’t see her wrinkled nose when she got a whiff of frying grease that infused the air.
“Gravy, huh?” Her eyes swept the old diner-style counter and round bar stools before they looked back at me. “I can’t even remember the last time I had gravy.”
Helping myself to a menu I handed to Clover, I walked forward, saying, “Well, you are in for a treat.” I motioned for her to pick a bar stool. She sat, and I bellied up right next to her.
A waitress, who looked like she was out of every fifties-diner-movie scene, complete with a white apron and beehive hairdo, placed two glasses of water in front of us while looking at me. “Good evening, Sunshine. Haven’t seen you in a while. I barely recognized you with your new haircut and suit.”
“I’ve been busy.”
Her eyes scanned Clover. “Boy, I’d say.”
I jerked my thumb toward the lady while I spoke to Clover. “This is Tammy. She’s my waitress.”
Clover’s eyebrow quirked at a humored angle. “Your waitress?”
I was about to respond with a joke, but Tammy cut in, “I’ve been waiting on this man since he was knee-high.”
“Cute.” Clover smiled at Tammy.
My voice was even when I let her in on some personal stuff, “My mom worked here as a day cook. I used to come after school to wait for her to get off work.” I jerked my head in the direction of the backroom. “They used to have arcade games in the back, and sweet Tammy always donated all her quarters for my entertainment.”
“Ah,” Clover’s voice was soft like she was still absorbing my words. “So, that’s where the addiction to arcade games started.”
Tammy chuckled, adding, “I was his accomplice.”
