“Just a friend,” he rumbled.
“Good friends,” I said, feeling the need to egg her on. “We go way back.”
Her eyebrows shot up, but thankfully, she turned to business. “What will you have?”
I gave her my order for a blended ice coffee and Flynn’s water, and then we waited awkwardly while she made the drinks.
“How do you like Maple Grove?” he asked.
“It’s small,” I said. “I thought Riverton was small, but this place….”
He chuckled. “It’s cute. It’s got personality.”
“Kind of yuppy, though.”
His smile turned knowing. “No pool halls for you to get in trouble in?”
I grinned. “Who says I need a pool hall for that?”
“Uh-oh. Do I want to know?”
“Probably not. You’ll be glad to know that no asses were kicked.” I gestured toward my rear, and Flynn’s gaze followed and lingered there.
That’s right.Check me out, dude.
“How did, uh…you avoid an ass-kicking this time?” he asked, dragging his gaze back to my face.
I shrugged. “I made a deal to work on their car instead.”
Flynn laughed at that. “Is that really a punishment for you, though?”
“You know me too well,” I said. “But they don’t know that, so it all worked out.”
The barista set my mug on the counter, and I grabbed it and led the way to a couple of comfy armchairs that were open. They were angled toward each other in a small alcove that gave the illusion of privacy.
Flynn collapsed into one, sighing. “I’m glad you didn’t ask me to sit on one of those tiny metal chairs at the tables.”
I snorted. “They’re not built for giants.”
He hunched in on himself a bit. Whoops. I forgot how sensitive Flynn was about his size.
“That wasn’t an insult,” I said. “I like how big you are.”
The words were out before I could realize how revealing they might be. Flynn shifted a little, averting his eyes. That dusky blush returned to his upper cheeks.
“You’re being careful, right?” he asked.
Being careful? I didn’t know what he meant. Was he talking about sex or?—
At my blank look, he added, “With the pool hustling, I mean. I’ve seen some guys go after you. It’s dangerous without backup.”
I winced. “Oh. That. Yeah, don’t worry. I’ve already burned my bridges here.”
The video of me trouncing Owen had made it all over campus. I couldn’t really pull that again without branching out to some unknown billiards bar. I really would get my ass beat in the wrong setting.
I wasn’t that reckless.
“So how’s school going, then?” Flynn asked. “You like it?”
