“Eyes on your own piece, woman.” He smirked at me and then looked down at the little boy sitting next to him who was trying to steal some of his paint. “Hey, paint bandit, you go around stealing paint from anyone you see?”
The boy was probably six and he took one look at West before a wide grin revealed he was missing his two front teeth. “You’re big.”
West scoffed. “You’re little.”
The woman sitting directly next to me leaned over and whispered loudly in my ear. “He’s a hottie, honey, and he’s cute with kids. If you aren’t putting out already, do it soon.”
West choked and the little boy stood in his chair and roughly smacked his back. A few seats down a woman raised what looked like a remote into the air and whistled.
“Charlie, you sit down or I’ll zap you.”
West and I both turned to her with wide eyes.
She threw her head back and cackled. “Relax! It’s the garage door opener.”
West looked back at me and between the garage door opener and little Charlie blatantly stealing more of West’s paint, I lost it.
51
***Weston***
Iwatched Cassidy chew on her bottom lip as she put the finishing touches on her fourth mug. I’d painted my little dog and just watched her while she went crazy. The kids and their tipsy moms eventually left and we were the only two people left in the shop, besides the owner who was sitting at the front desk with a romance novel held inches in front of her face.
“You’re staring.” Cassidy glanced up from her mug and flashed a sexy smile. “You’re bored, aren’t you? I took so long but I wanted to make a mug for all of us.”
I leaned back and winced when the wooden chair creaked. “I’m not bored. I like watching you.”
Her eyes heated. “You know how to give a girl a great date.”
I wasn’t going to admit to her that I’d never bothered planning a date before. Going with someone to a dance or some shit, sure, but planning my own thing? Never. “You deserve it.”
It was telling that her face went blank for a moment as she processed my words. Then her cheeks burned darker and sheintensely focused on her painting. I watched her until she finally looked back up and sighed. “It doesn’t feel like it.”
“It doesn’t feel like you deserve someone putting in effort for you?”
There was a flash of sadness on her face, gone as fast as it appeared. “Ignore me. I think the paint fumes are getting to me.”
The owner, who’d clearly been listening in, called out. “There are no fumes, honey.”
I laughed at the annoyed look on Cassidy’s face. “She’s gotcha there.”
“Shut up.” She put her paintbrush down and grinned at the last mug of her collection. “It’s perfect.”
“Great! Now you can both get out of here. Go make out or something. I’ve got a boyfriend to get home to. He’s a big man, like yourself.” The owner winked at me as she scooped up Cassidy’s last mug and headed towards the back. “They’ll be ready to pick up in a week.”
Cassidy looked like she wanted to go grab her pottery back. “Damn. Maybe I should’ve added a little more orange.”
“Too late now, sweetheart. Come on. Let’s get out of here before she starts going into details about the boyfriend.” I took her hand and pulled her towards the exit. “Our date isn’t over yet.”
Pottery forgotten, Cassidy held my hand with both of hers. “Is it food? Please tell me it’s food.”
Laughing, I nodded. “It’s food.”
“You’re not just saying that, are you? That’d be so cruel.”
I rolled my eyes and hoisted her into the truck. “I’m not just saying it. We’re going to hit up this burger place that has the fucking best onion rings.”
“I love onion rings. I doubt they can touch the onion rings I used to get at this little place in LA that I loved.”
