I grounded myself in the firm, warm hold of his hand in mine and his familiar scent that I wanted all over me by the end of the night.
The rest of the walk, Hudson finally loosened up, finding common ground with Wes in music and film, just as I knew he would.
By the time we reached Third House, Wes had gotten Hudson to laugh. Hudson didn’t seem entirely pleased about it, but it was a major win.
“I get it,” Hudson said to me with a sigh when Wes had been stopped by yet another neighbor in the street. He glanced at Wes and then back to me.
I smiled. “I knew you would.”
“But he’s still a man, so be careful.”
I saluted him.
“This is Nova,” Wes said as I stepped toward him and away from Hudson. He introduced me to a fabulously dressed man in his fifties carrying a Pomeranian.
And that was the first of many introductions. What I expected to be a quaint celebration in a cute neighborhood coffee shop was actually more of a block party. Celebrants poured out of the coffee shop and into the street, some chatting on neighboring stoops or in limited outdoor seating. The door to the shop was propped open, and a DJ spun records just inside for dancing patrons.
“Come on,” Wes said. “Into the chaos we must go.”
Hudson and Delilah had already found themselves in a group of people in their twenties loudly debating which astrological placements were the biggest red flags. I caught a glimpse of Hudson tipping his head back with laughter and clutching a man’s arm. Maybe he would be havingtwodates this weekend. Delilah shared a cigarette with a goth woman in all black.
I focused back on Wes as he led me through the crowd and into the coffee shop. We had to squeeze through packed bodies to work our way to the bar.
“Oh my God, they’re playingSubstance,” I squealed at Wes over the music and chatter, recognizing the New Order album immediately.
He glanced back at me with a smile. “You are so fucking sexy.”
“Wes!” a woman called.
The faces of everyone gathered behind and around the bar lit up when they saw us. It was the most delightful mix of ages and personal styles, giving me the distinct feeling there was no one in the world whodidn’tbelong here.
“This is Nova,” Wes said.
A few of the women’s faces sparked in recognition, and one of them stepped out from around the bar.
“Oh my God, we’ve heard so much about you. Are you a hugger?” she asked, already lifting her arms.
“Sure,” I said. I was neutral on hugs from strangers at best, but she’d passed the vibe check.
“I’m Ruby, the owner,” she said.
Her purple dress was accented by a black corset, matching the artful purple eyeshadow that glittered on her tan skin. Her black hair was impressively long and shiny.
Wes introduced me to the rest of the group. My stomach flooded with warmth at the understanding that Wes truly had told all of them about me. He kept a hand on me at all times, staying close, speaking so highly of me that my heart fucking melted.
“She’s brilliant,” he said to Ruby and the women closest to her, who I learned were the baristas. “I can’t wait to read what she’s working on now.”
My heart skipped a beat. I was terrified for Wes to read my next book, for him to understand how much my inner world had shifted since we’d met.
Ruby put a hand on her hip. “I told you to send me the book titles.”
“I didn’t need you all cyberstalking her before you’d met,” Wes said with a shake of his head. “Nova can decide for herself what she’d like to share.”
“They’re cozy romances,” I explained with a small shrug.
“Ooh, I love those,” Sienna, one of the baristas, said. She was striking, with a curly pixie cut and a tall, model-like frame.
I gave them the titles.
