Westin’s lips quirked into a smile. Her hair was up in a bun, the silvery strands looking perfectly messy. “Well, you definitely won’t be disappointed. What can I get you?”
I glanced at the pastry case for the first time. It was a bit empty now that it was the end of the day, but there was still an assortment of cookies, cakes, and tarts. “Is there anything that isn’t, uh… sweet?”
Westin cocked her head, covering her mouth with her hand to cover her smile. “Not a fan of sweets?”
“Not really,” I admitted.
“I’m not sure you’re in the right place,” she teased.
I leaned over the counter, desperate to be nearer to her. Westin leaned towards me, her lips parting slightly. A wave of confidence surged through me when I saw how she reacted to me. It hadn’t all been in my head.
“The thing is, I think I’m exactly in the right place. I wanted to see you again.” My voice was low and even, but I was sure the blush in my cheeks gave away my feelings.
“Oh yeah?” Westin asked, sounding slightly breathless.
“Definitely. And—” I cleared my throat, bracing myself for rejection. “And I was wondering if you’d like to go out with me. On a date.”
The tinkling bell on the door sounded as a group of teenagers stumbled into the shop, laughing and shouting.
Westin glanced at them before turning back to me, biting her lip.
“I’ve got to…” she said, gesturing at the group.
“Of course,” I said, my heart sinking.
She fidgeted with the edge of her apron before a look of determination crossed her face. She grasped a pen and wrote something down on a piece of paper. She held it out to me and I saw she’d written her number.
I wanted to pump my fist in the air as I took it.
“What should I do with this?” I teased.
“You better use it, Mr. Williams,” she said, eyes bright. “I’ll be waiting.”
As she started helping the teens, she gazed over her shoulder at me as if she wanted one more look before I left.
At least, that’s what I was hoping.
I had to stop myself from skipping out of the bakery. The moment I was back in the car, I programmed her number into my contacts. I considered waiting to text her… Would it seem too desperate if I did it now?
I’d had several long-term relationships back in my hometown, but I’d never felt so drawn to any of the women I dated. When I was in law school, I’d sometimes gone weeks without seeing my girlfriend, and it’d never really bothered me. And she hadn’t been bothered either. We’d decided to break up after realizing we’d gone days without speaking and neither of us had minded.
So this sensation, the burning desire to be close to Westin, was completely foreign.
I brought up a new message on my phone and typed a note, sending it before I could second-guess myself.
Henry
At the risk of sounding like a desperate idiot, any chance you’re free tomorrow night for dinner?
I took a deep breath, setting my phone on the passenger seat before starting the car and driving home. I was minutes away from my apartment building when my phone vibrated. My heart raced as I pulled into my parking spot, grabbing the phone with two desperate hands.
Westin
You certainly didn’t keep me waiting
Fuck. Was that good? Bad?
Westin
