"See you around, Falon." Smug. Sure of himself, always.
He turns and walks the other direction. I don't watch him go.
I pick up my bag, cross the street, and head into the diner for the lunch pickup. Mae has the bags waiting at the counter. Two burgers, extra fries, large Dr. Peppers, and a smile. She slides them across with a smile.
"You doing okay, honey?"
"Fine." I smile back. "Just a long morning."
She leans on the counter, not quite letting me go yet. "Tell Bo I said hey. And that the chocolate shake's on special today, in case he swings by."
I blink. "How does everyone already know he's with me?"
Mae just smiles and straightens up. "Honey, this is Everwood. We knew before you did."
The bell above the door jingles as I step back outside, and Bo is leaning against the truck, receipt from the hardware store in one hand, expression set to something that looks dangerously close to amused.
"You're late," he says.
"I know."
"Lunch is going to be cold."
"I know."
He looks at me for a beat. "Kevin Bennett make you late?"
"How did you?—"
"Saw him at the hardware store. Figured he'd find you." He says it simply, with no edge. "Hard to miss the button-down."
I pull out my keys. "He just wanted to talk."
"Hm." Bo takes the diner bags from me without asking and sets them in the cab. Unhurried. "You two have a good chat?"
"Not particularly."
"That's too bad." He doesn't sound like it's too bad. He sounds very careful to sound neutral. "He asked you out?"
"Bo."
"I'm just asking."
"You'rejust asking."
"Seems like relevant information." He leans against the truck, arms crossed, face completely open and guileless. "You dating him?"
I turn and look at him full on. "No."
"No, you're not dating him, or no, you don't want to talk about it?"
"No, I am not dating Kevin Bennett, Bo."
"Okay." He nods once. Looks out at the street. Looks back at me. "You sure?"
"I am absolutely certain I am not dating Kevin Bennett."
Something moves through his eyes, fast and quiet, there and gone. But I catch it. I see it before he looks away.
