She lifts her shoulders. “Well, they’re cute and adorable, and they have those flat noses. Plus, they’re pink, and they snort. And, you know, they say pigs are smarter than dogs.”
I scrunch my lips to the side. “Yeah, I guess all that is true.”
“So that’s why I like pigs. Those are all valid reasons, are they not?”
My brows knit together as I narrow my gaze. “Because of their noses?”
“Among the other things I mentioned.”
“Okay, that’s fair.”
“What’s your favorite animal?” she asks.
I think about it for a minute. While I’m the one who asked the question, I’ve never really stopped to contemplate what my favorite animal is. “Um… I guess a dog.”
Good answer. Who doesn’t like dogs?
She nods. “Do you have a dog?”
“No. I have a cat.”
“You have a cat?”
“Yep. I do. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.” I chuckle.
“Why not?” She grins. “Are you worried I’ll judge you?”
“I’m not a cat person. That definitely brings down the coolness factor a tad, don’t you think?”
“First of all,” she says, “I’m not judging your coolness factor. And second of all, I think cats are cool.”
“Cats are lame,” I say. “Dogs are where it’s at.”
“But you have a cat,” she deadpans.
“Yes. My cat is cool,” I clarify. “All other cats? Not so much.”
“Okay, whatever.” She grins and turns away. Ice rattles into the cup. Coffee follows, then a squirt of vanilla. She stirs it once, snaps on a lid, and slides it across the counter.
I pay, leaving another generous tip that makes her cheeks flush.
“All right, Tessa, whose favorite animal is a pig,” I say, “I will see you tomorrow. As friends.”
She nods, and for the first time since I walked in, her smile looks real. “Friends.”
I grab my coffee and head for the door, but before I step outside, I glance back. She’s still watching me. The second our eyes meet, she looks away fast, busying herself with wiping down the counter.
I push through the door and into the heat, a stupid grin spreading across my face.
Yeah, I’m definitely losing it. But still riding the high of another Tessa encounter, I can’t bring myself to care.
CHAPTER
SEVEN
TESSA
“How’s our favorite girl doing today?” Joyce steps up beside me, slides an arm around my waist, and pulls me into a side hug.
