I shook my head. “My debt is paid, man. I’ve done more than eighty bucks of work for you, and I’m not going to be some kind of indentured servant.”
“So we’ll pay you, then,” Owen said. “How much?”
I considered. “At least a couple of pizzas. Maybe some beer.”
He grinned. “Hell yeah, now you’re talking.”
I grimaced as I slipped into my car. I should be putting distance between us, not agreeing to more work in the future. But this job kept me sane when I was sitting through dry lectures and straining to wrap my brain around calculus concepts.
I needed this. Needed some connection to who I really was, even as I was trying to become someone else.
Wicked Brew was a ten-minute drive. I was taking a gamble that Flynn and his brother would meet up at the same spot. If they weren’t there, I’d have to call or text.
Luckily, I spotted his Buick parked outside. I swung into the angled spot beside him just as he and his brother came out the door. They lingered on the sidewalk in front of the shop.
I sat in the driver’s seat, watching. Hesitating. Then Aiden turned and walked away.
Flynn started forward, and I popped out of my car. “Hey!”
He startled back, eyes widening. “Bailey. I didn’t even notice your car.”
“Just got here,” I said, heart tripping at the sight of him.
He was so tall, dwarfing even my six-foot frame, and his features gave new meaning to the wordchiseled. The man looked sohard, with a square, jutting jaw and prominentcheekbones above his beard. His biceps and shoulders strained the seams of his flannel. His thighs… I swallowed. Probably best not to focus there.
Flynn looked hard, but he wasn’t really. Not inside. Not where it counted.
And that’s when I realized that I’d lied to myself all the way here. I hadn’t been racing across town to catch Aiden before he left. I didn’t want to confide in him.
It was Flynn.
It would always be Flynn.
“I just met up with my brother,” Flynn said, gesturing in the direction Aiden had gone. “He, uh, had to go, though.”
“You in a hurry to get home?” I asked. “Or maybe…”
“You want to grab a coffee and catch up?”
Relief swamped me.
“That’d be good.”
To my embarrassment, my voice quavered. Flynn’s brows drew together with concern, but he didn’t comment. I hurried toward the door, eager to hide my face. It was just coffee and a chat with a friend.
Sure, I’d crushed on Flynn. Fantasized about him way too much. I’d love to bury my hands in his thick brown hair and pull his lips to mine. But at the heart of it all was friendship. We’d bonded while I trained him in the auto shop. We’d spent hours working closely together. He had to feel some connection too, right? Even if it wasn’t romantic.
He followed me to the front counter.
“Order whatever you want,” I said. “My treat.”
“How about a bottle of water. I’ve had all the caffeine I need, or I’ll be shaky on the drive home.”
“Lightweight,” I teased before turning toward the barista. Her dark hair was pulled into a ponytail, and her gaze ping-ponged between me and Flynn as if trying to make this combo compute.
“Another brother?” she asked him, her tone arch.
Flynn blushed. Actually freaking blushed. That was surprisingly cute on such a rugged face. Who knew?
