“Probably.”
One corner of his mouth lifts.
I take another sip of tea, watching him over the rim of the mug.“You do that a lot,” I share.
“What?”
“Just show up.”
He shrugs.“When it matters I’m where I need to be.”
“And how do you decide what matters?”
His eyes hold mine for a second longer than necessary.“I know it when I see it.”
Something about the way he says that makes my stomach flutter slightly.I ignore it.
“You barely know me.”I challenge taking another sip of tea.
“Instincts tell me everything I need to know.”
I think on his words for a brief moment, then reply honestly.“That’s not comforting.”
“It’s not supposed to be.”
I huff out a small laugh and shake my head.“You’re very intense, you know that?”
“So I’ve been told.”He answers, but doesn’t give much else away.
“I’m guessing the Mellow thing is an oxymoron with a story behind it.”
“Very much so.”
I smile into my mug.And then, before I can stop myself, I start talking.It just happens.Maybe it’s the tea.Maybe it’s the adrenaline finally wearing off.Maybe it’s the way he’s sitting there, steady, quiet, listening without interrupting.But the words come easy.
“I didn’t always live here,” I explain.“Quinn and I moved back about a year ago.When I was younger, my parents moved us here for a few years, but in the end we didn’t stay.I remembered enjoying it here and thought it might be a good place to settle with Quinn.”
“Where did you live before that?”He inquires genuinely seeming to be interested.
“Birmingham.Before that we were in Memphis, Tennessee.Lived in Mississippi for a bit.”
He nods slightly.“Closer to family staying in the deep south?”
I shake my head.“Not really.My parents passed a while ago.This was just familiar in a way.”
“Safe.”He counters.
I glance at him.How can he read me like a book?“Yeah.”
Safe.That word feels different now.He leans back slightly in the chair, still watching me.
“What do you do besides the diner and the ice cream shop?”
I laugh softly.“Sleep.Sometimes.”
“Sounds busy.Where is the time for Lucy to unwind?”
“I am busy but in the best ways.I enjoy my work and between the two places it provides income for me to live comfortably.I’m not a millionaire, but I have a small savings.”I trace my finger along the rim of the mug.“I like it though.Keeps things predictable.As for unwinding, I do that watching my daughter play in the backyard or sleep easily.”
