“Nonsense,” Scarlet says.“The more the merrier.”
I suddenly need space.A moment to think without his eyes on me.“I’ll grab coffees at the store.”
“I’ll help,” Brant adds.
Of course he will.
I force a smile as we walk off together, side by side but not touching.He’s looking straight ahead, like he’s trying just as hard as I am to keep things casual.
“So…” I glance over at him, smirking.“Didn’t tell your parents who you were mentoring, huh?”
He groans under his breath.“You loved that.”
“So much,” I say sweetly.
He throws me a sidelong look.“You’re evil.”
I shrug.“And you’re cute when you squirm.”
He stops short.“Did you just call me cute?”
Oh God, I just said that out loud.I scramble for something to deflect.“Don’t get a big head now.”We walk in silence toward The Cozy Point, but I can feel him glancing at me, so I take the occasional peek back.
“Of all places to bump into you,” I say.“A park?I’d never guess.But your family is sweet.”
“Yeah,” he says, nodding as we pass the bakery, where the scent of fresh bread is wafting through the air.“My sister’s a detective, and so is her husband.They both work crazy hours, so we all help where we can.”
“That’s…” I pause, the words catching because it’s nice that they share the load.It’s the kind of thing that makes me wish I had a sibling.“I'm happy for you.It’s great that you have an amazing support system in your family.”
But sadness creeps in before I can pull it back.
He looks over, brow furrowing.“You okay?”
“Yeah.Just…” I shrug.“Wish I had that growing up.”
He doesn’t respond right away.Just looks at me for a minute longer than necessary, something unreadable flickering in his eyes.But if I had to guess, I’d say he sees me.Like I really feel seen with him.
Then, as we reach The Cozy Point’s door, he places his hand on my lower back.
And it’s not an accident.
I feel it in every nerve ending.
He pulls the door open, holding it for me like nothing happened.
Like he didn’t just flip my world upside down with a single touch.
But the look he gives me as I pass?
Yeah.He felt it too.
We head back to the park with trays of drinks in our hands.
“Careful with that one.”I nod toward the coffee balancing on his tray.“Scarlet will never forgive us if we show up empty-handed.”
“She’d probably make us go back.”
The silence that falls between us isn’t awkward, it's easy.We wait at the crosswalk, waiting for the light to change.A family with young kids rushes past us, the parents juggling bags and the stroller.
