Page 71 of Finding Storm

She’s totally going to grill me about him. And she won’t be shy about asking questions in front of him either. Diplomatic Penny is not.

“So, I’m taking it, the redhead is your friend Penny,” Nick says as we take our seats across from each other at a table close to the back of the shop that he led us to.

I usually like to sit by the window and watch the world go by. But I don’t mind sitting where he wants to.

“Yep,” I answer.

“How long have you been friends?”

“Since kindergarten. Aside from my family—well, Pen is my family too—she’s the best person I know.”

She’s witty, smart, awesome, and she totally gets me.

We’re very similar in traits as well as looks. Same-ish height, except Pen’s got an inch on me. Same build, slim with boobs and an ass. The only difference is, I’m blonde, and Pen is a redhead. I tan, whereas she’s pale. She has freckles on her face and shoulders that she hates, and I’m totally envious of them.

“So, Nick Slater”—I put my elbow on the table and prop my chin in my hand—“do you always wear sunglasses inside?”

Really, I’m just asking because I don’t like not being able to see his eyes. They’re so damn pretty.

He shrugs. “Bad habit, I guess.” He takes them off, putting them on the table.

I notice the first thing he does after removing them is glance around the room, almost self-consciously. Then, he angles his body, giving most of his back to the rest of the room. He also seems really uncomfortable.

Huh?

Not that I’ve known him long, but he seems to be a confident guy, and this seems out of place for a confident person. This is more the action of a less than confident person. Maybe a person who doesn’t like to be in social situations.

Maybe he’s not comfortable in social situations, and he uses the glasses as a crutch.

I feel bad all of a sudden.

“I was just teasing about the sunglasses, you know. You didn’t have to take them off.”

“No. You’re right. Only pricks wear sunglasses indoors.” He smiles, but it’s not his usual smile. It seems a little forced.

“Pricks. And famous people,” I point out.

“Yeah. Those too.”

Pen appears at our table a second later, tray in hand.

“That was quick,” I say to her.

She shrugs. Puts the tray containing our coffees and food down on the table.

Then, she sits down on the chair next to me.

I’m not surprised at all.

Penny hasn’t seen me with a guy … well, since my douche-bag ex.

This is a big deal even if Nick and I are only friends. Not that she currently knows that. Or knows that I would like to climb him like a tree.

“You on your break?” I ask her.

“Nope. But I can spare five minutes to chat. I’ve missed you.”

I’m grinning because I know, even if this place was packed to the rafters and she was rushed off her feet, she’d still be sitting here right now. And miss me, my ass. She saw me yesterday. We had lunch together.