“I just … I just wish that I was there for her. That she’d let me be there for her.”
“That will take time too.” She reached up to cup my face and smiled tenderly. “But she won’t be able to resist you for long. Who could, my sweet boy?”
I chuckled as I took one of her hands to press a kiss to her palm. “Only you could get away with still calling me that.”
Her smile widened and she stepped back to gesture toward the door. “Go stop in and see how Callie is. And maybe grab me a pastry if there’s anything left.”
I never made it to the bakery.
I’d been walking toward it after parking behind Castle Street when I heard someone calling my name and saw Carianne waving across the street from Flora’s Café.
When she waved me over to her, I cast an impatient glance toward the bakery. The manners my parents had instilled in me, however, forced me across the street once there was a break in the busy traffic. The tourists had already started to descend for the summer season.
“Come have a coffee with me in Flora’s,” Carianne said without preamble. “I’ve got a table. C’mon.” She was heading inside before I could say no.
With another wistful look at Callie’s Wee Cakery, I followed Carianne into Flora’s.
“Lewis!” Flora waved past her crowd of customers at the farthest end of the small café. “Look at you! How are you?”
Everyone stared at me, only half of them locals, and I grimaced at being the center of attention. “Good, Flora. You?”
“All the better for seeing you, son. Have a seat. I’ll have Effie bring you a coffee. What do you want?”
The customers waiting to be served glowered. I smiled apologetically. “Cappuccino, Flora, thanks.”
“Coming right up.”
Carianne grinned from ear to ear as I took the seat at the small bistro table. I bumped it with my knees because my legs were too long for the furniture. Carianne reached out to stop her coffee from spilling. “Preferential treatment from Flora, huh?”
I shrugged. Flora had always been nice to me. Trying not to come off as impatient, I shot the bakery another look through the window.
“They’re closed.”
I looked back at Carianne. “What?”
She gestured to the bakery. “They sold out ten minutes ago.”
“Already?”
She nodded. “Tourists are loving Callie’s new pastries.”
“That’s impressive.” Though disappointing for me.
“I’m glad I saw you, Lewis, because I wanted to ask you something.”
“Here you go.” A young girl I didn’t recognize placed a cappuccino in front of me.
“Thanks.”
Her cheeks bloomed bright red when I smiled at her, and she muttered something under her breath before practically skittering away.
Carianne snorted. “My god, how does it feel to make women turn to mush around you?”
I stared at her, bemused. “Excuse me?”
She laughed. “I think your cluelessness makes you even hotter.”
Last Sunday, I hadn’t known what to do with Carianne’s flirting. I thought she was joking around, but maybe I was wrong.
