“Ezra?” she said.
He blinked. “Sorry. Just thinking. Friday, ten o’clock, meet at the red tent.”
“Great. Um…thank you.”
“My pleasure,” he said, and he smiled.
Then he left the café, and almost before the door shut behind him, Molly squealed.
“Don’t,” Willow said.
“I heard that last bit. Friday at the red tent—Ezra Sterling’s taking you to the fair. Ezra Sterling asked you out.”
“No, he didn’t.”
“Well, don’t tell me you asked him out.”
Her blush this time must be close to purple.
Molly gasped, stared. “Whoa. Didn’t know you had it in you.”
“I didn’t. I don’t. We’re both going to the same place. I asked if he wanted to walk next to me instead of walk by himself. That’s not a date.”
“I knew it. I knew you were into him beyond admiration for his biceps.”
“Shut up, Molly.”
The words were harsher than she intended. Molly blinked. “Sorry.”
“No…no. I’m sorry.” Willow covered her face with both hands. “I just asked Ezra Sterling to go with me to the fair. I just did that.”
“And you rocked it, clearly, because he looked stunned and overwhelmed when he walked out of here. With gratitude and happiness, of course.”
“Oh, he did not.” Too much to hope for.
“Girl, I’m telling you.”
Two
Playitcool.Fakethem out and hope his scent didn’t give him away. Just until he figured out what was going on.
Ezra crossed the parking lot to his army-green pickup truck, which sat between the two black pickups of his friends. As if posing for a band photo shoot, Aaron and Cassius leaned against their respective tailgates, arms folded, and watched him approach. Cassius looked curious. Aaron looked amused.
“She’s a decent person,” Ezra said. “I wanted to do her a favor.”
“Then why not find this Keith guy and roar in his face?” Aaron said. “That’s the favor she needs.”
“I told her I wouldn’t make a scene,” Ezra said.
Cassius wrinkled his nose. “Half true.”
“Yeah, go make a scene athisworkplace.” Aaron pushed away from his truck. “Sorry, man, you’re not putting us off that easy.”
Ezra shrugged. “Wasn’t trying to.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Look. Willow’s easy to talk to. Sometimes we chat. Don’t y’all have humans in town you get along with?”
