I checked the time and grimaced.
“You’re going to be late, aren’t you?”She stood, wrapping both hands around the mug.
I stood with her and reached for the mug.“I am.But it was worth it to share a cup of coffee with you, Reegan.”
She smiled and let me have the mug back.“Thank you for the apology, Josh.”
I smiled, enjoying the way my name sounded on her lips.“I hope you have a good day.”
“You, too.”She ducked her chin, then looked up at me through dark eyelashes.
I smiled, then hurried back to my house.I put the mugs in the dishwasher, then grabbed my keys and wallet, and jogged to my truck.
I didn’t stop smiling all day.
I checkedmy phone as I was leaving work and saw a string of texts from Hannah.I swore as I settled into my truck, wondering how she found out I was flirting with Ashlyn’s friend.
I cranked up the truck and turned the air conditioning on high, then dragged my phone back out to see what Hannah’s latest problem was.
Hannah
I need to talk to you.
Are you at work?
Please answer me.
This is urgent.Meet me at Daily Ritual.I’ll be there at four.
I checked the time.It was four-oh-six.Hannah didn’t love waiting, but I didn’t have my phone at work.She knew that, not that she cared.I pulled out of the lot and headed for the coffee shop, not bothering to text her that I was on my way.
I walked into Daily Ritual five minutes later.Hannah was sitting at a table for two with two mugs and two plates in front of her.She looked up and saw me, smiling like she knew she was going to get her way and was happy to see she could still beckon me and I would come.
I fucking hated that it was true.
She tipped her chin up for me to kiss her cheek.I obliged, the habit stronger than my desire to put space between us.
“What’s so urgent?”I asked as I took a seat.My knees hit hers under the table that was way too damn small for two people who weren’t sharing a moment.I tried to shift, but there was nowhere for my legs to go that didn’t rub against hers.
She did it for a reason.I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of asking to move.
“We need to talk about Evie’s graduation party,” Hannah said.She leaned in, like we were sharing a secret.
“What about it?”The party was set for two weeks after graduation.At Hannah’s house, because she insisted on it.Her house was bigger, she said, and nicer.More people could come, and Evie’s friends would have more to do.The adults would, too.
All Hannah’s words.And as always, I didn’t argue with her.She wasn’t wrong, but it still rubbed me wrong.
“I need you to host it.”
“What?All the invitations have gone out.Everyone is coming to your house.You insisted on it.”I reached for the coffee instead of using my hands to speak to her.Or strangle her.Not that I would, but the urge was there at times.
Like when she fucked with our kid’s life.
“Brian has an event that weekend, and we can’t host two things.Since his is for work, we can’t move it somewhere else.”
“But you can just decide you’re going to move Evie’s party to my house?”
“You wanted to host it anyway.What’s the problem?”
