“Sure, cone or cup?”
“Cup.”
She nodded. “What size?”
“So many questions,” I grumbled. “Large is fine.”
“Great. That’ll be?—”
I tossed a fifty onto the counter. “Keep the change and hurry up.”
She opened and closed her mouth like a fish, but as soon as I tapped the counter, she moved into action.
While I waited, I glanced around. People were trying to pretend they weren’t staring at me, but they were. Humans were as subtle as a bomb.
I watched the girl who was making my ice cream. She was also on her cell phone, which was irritating to say the least. She peeked over her shoulder at me and waved.What the hell?
“He’s here, I’m sayin’…get your butt here now.” She was whispering, but with my hearing it was clear as day. Obviously, she was telling someone to come to the shop because I was here…the stranger.
A minute later she handed me the creamy delight. I moved to the far end of the shop. I could bring it home with me, but I didn’t want it to melt. From this vantage point, I was able to see the entire place, and that was why I didn’t miss the man rushing into the shop. Breathing like he’d just ran a marathon.
He was on the skinny side; lithe, maybe about 5’6, with floppy sandy blond hair, bright-blue eyes, and a ridiculous grin on his face. He moved to where the girl was, and they started speaking low enough that the humans couldn’t hear, but I did.
“He’s rude. Hot, though—dude has purple eyes. Think they’re contacts?” she said.
Just then, the man peered at me and his brows rose, the smile never leaving his face. I looked away in favor of my ice cream. The first spoonful hit my tongue, and a tingle of peace drifted through my body.
I was enjoying this moment, wishing this feeling could last forever, when I felt someone approaching. I looked up and into the eyes of the floppy-haired man.
So much for a minute of peace.
CHAPTER FIVE
Sam
I had just leftthe post office when Natalie called my phone and told me Lukas Farren from Lancaster Island was in the ice cream shop and to get my ass there immediately. So, I did what any person would—I raced the three blocks to the shop.
“Is he here?” I could have looked around, but I wanted to be inconspicuous.
“Far booth. He’s rude. Hot, though—dude has purple eyes. Think they’re contacts?”
Purple eyes? That was amazing, I couldn’t resist, and I glanced. Sweet Jesus, he was beautiful. He met my eyes, and his were devoid of emotion—either that, or he was just good at masking it. Like I was an afterthought, he returned to eating his ice cream.
“I’m gonna go say hi.”
“What?” Natalie grabbed my arm. “Why would you do that? He’s not nice; Barnes was right.”
I shrugged. “He’s new. Maybe he hasn’t made any friends, or others have been mean to him and he’s afraid to take a chance.”
Nat snorted. “You are reading too many of Maggie’s love stories.”
“Pfft.I’ll just introduce myself.”
She bit her bottom lip. “Be careful.”
Be careful? What did she think the man was going to do, beat me up in the middle of an ice cream shop?
I took a deep breath and walked over to where Lukas Farren was demolishing his ice cream. I made sure I was smiling and welcoming, and as soon as his amethyst eyes lifted to meet mine, I forgot what words were.
