We headed out to the front of the coffee shop, where a hot cocoa and a double espresso were waiting on the counter. The place was busier now, with both Rina and Piper serving customers. Piper silently pointed at the stack of paperbacks on the floor by the bookshelves, eyeing her son sternly.
Ollie dragged his feet in that direction. “I’msupposed to clean my mess.” Then he looked at me hopefully. “Want to team up? It’ll be faster.”
I chuckled. “Sure. I’ll help.”
Ollie sat at a nearby table and instructed me on where to put the various books, acting like a foreman on a construction site. So the kid was smart and resourceful, too. He’d put me right to work.
I couldn’t help sending sly grins to Piper, who was clearly watching us.
“My mom likes you,” Ollie said under his breath.
I turned back to him, grabbing the chair beside him and taking a sip of my coffee. “As a friend.”
“But she talks about you a lot. Like all the time.”
Hope spread through my chest. I told myself not to read too much into it. “Was she saying good things?”
He rolled his eyes. “Yeah. I said she likes you, didn’t I? Are you going to be her boyfriend?”
The word hit me with longing. I wouldn’t mind that. Wouldn’t mind it at all.
But reality was a different story.
“I don’t think your mom’s looking for a boyfriend.”
“She seems not as sad when you’re around, though. I mean, she always smiles all the time, but around you, her smiles seem more, I don’t know. Real. Like she doesn’t have to think about them.”
“How do you feel about that?”
He shrugged. “I guess it’s not the worst thing. I think my mom’s right. You’re a good guy. Even if you don’t look like one.”
“What’s a good guy supposed to look like?”
“I don’t know. Not all tattooed and stuff. My dad would say you need a haircut.”
I raised an eyebrow, amused.
“But maybe I don’t care what my dad thinks. As long as you keep making my mom smile.”
He pulled a book from the shelf and started reading,apparently done with our conversation. But man, I was still reeling. And trying not to overthink it, but that wasn’t easy.
When the rush of customers died down, I carried my cup over to the counter where Piper was wiping down the espresso machine. Rina was doing something in the kitchen.
“Thanks for all your help today with Ollie,” Piper said quietly. “Being so patient with him.”
“He’s a great kid. Honest, brave, and adores his mom. And he talked me into unpaid labor. Seems like he’s headed for management.”
She laughed, a beautiful tinkling sound that played every one of my heart strings. “I just want him to be okay.”
“With a mom like you, he’s got everything he needs.”
Something complicated passed across her face. Then she kissed my cheek, her lips soft against my skin.
I stood there like an idiot after she pulled away, the spot on my cheek still tingling.
TWENTY
Grayden
