And damned if this man doesn’t blush while he studies his watch.
“That sounds great! Thank you again for taking the time to walk me through all of this. Eve wants a full plan, which I’ve never done before. But this should help me get started.”
“Oh! Like I mentioned at The Cardinal, you’re more than welcome to look at the plan I created for Ezra. Although I’m not sure he ever looked at it. I did all the work before asking. He leafed through the pages and immediately agreed to let me implement. He’s surprising that way sometimes,” Thane says, while booting up his laptop.
“I know he’s your boss and all, but Ezra seems like an … acquired taste.”
Thane looks down at his hands, and the hint of a smile touches his lips.
“I owe Ezra a lot. He helped me when I was at rock bottom and gave me a chance at a new life. I’d do anything for him, but yes, Ezra isdefinitelyan acquired taste. He can be condescending and downright rude. He almost always misses social cues, like he learned them from a book instead of experience. Which is weird, right? For a guy who’s been running a business for so long? And sometimes, when he speaks, it feels like he’s from a completely different era. But he’s a good man who does a lot of good in this town. I’m not even sure he makes a profit off this place after he pays my ridiculous salary and donates to the local charities.”
Maybe I got it wrong?
No. Just because he donates to charities and pays Thane a living wage doesn’t give him the right to touch me.
Plus, the way Ezra spoke to Thane still pisses me off, but it’s not my place to question their relationship. Thane clearly admires Ezra.
The next few hours pass in a blur of books, banter, and business talk. We even lightheartedly argue about whether BookTok is a legitimate marketing strategy—which, obviously, it is.
A little past six, Thane starts checking his watch every few minutes.
“Got a hot date or something?” I ask with a laugh.
What an absolute cutie.
He must be a god in bed to have Eve so twisted up because cuties are not her type.
“I sure do. Eve will be at my place by seven. She doesn’t seem like the type of woman who likes to wait,” Thane responds with a chuckle.
“I would say that’s an accurate statement. You’d better get going. Eve’s been talking about you all day. I’ve never seen her like this.”
I know I’m sticking my nose in their business. But I’m not about to let some fuck-boy destroy my beautiful friend and her budding crush. He’s a great guy, on the surface, but I need to make sure the man isn’t planning to dip out when he’s done with her.
Thane seems to understand what I mean and says, “She’s all I thought about today, too. That woman is something else. I had trouble keeping up last night.”
This lumberjack of a man turns bright pink, then immediately apologizes for his rude comment.
“If you think that was inappropriate, you should have heard the things Eve said about you this morning,” I say with a loud laugh.
While we pack our bags and clean up the papers strewn around the office, I catch Thane smiling happily to himself, which makes my chest feel warm and fuzzy. Clearly, my pixie of a best friend and this giant teddy bear are falling hard for each other.
I can’t wait to tease Eve about it tomorrow.
As Thane throws his bag over his shoulder, our eyes meet, and his smile fades into a flicker of concern.
“Hey, Eve told me she was going to hook you up with this new guy in town. I don’t know him personally, but Eve seems to trusthim and is excited for you. I think she worries about you being alone. Have you talked to him yet?”
Thane’s eyes are kind, but a brief flash of fear passes through them.
It’s just a date with some boring asshole. What’s the worst that could happen?
“I have!”
Girl, dial it back. You’re not that excited.
“He seems nice, and we have a few things in common. I haven’t been on a date in years, so I’m feeling a little silly about the entire process. I hate small talk and the horrible flirting through text messages. I know it’s part of the ‘dating ritual,’ but I suck at it.”
Thane places his hand on my shoulder and smiles at me the way I imagine a big brother smiles at his little sister.
