Page 30 of Bonded By Tea and Tarot

Hayden clenches their jaw, then pulls back with a sigh and runs a hand through their curly brown hair. They take a beat, then snag my chair and right it before shoving me back. I collapse into it, burning with shame as I feel countless eyes glaring at me through the silence of the bakery.

Hayden rounds the table and crouches a couple feet in front of Siobhan, then whispers too quietly for me to hear. Her eyes flick from them to me and back again, then she swallows hard, shakes her head, and cautiously returns to her seat.

“I’m so sorry Siobhan.” I lean forward, earnest in my apology, but she edges away when I do. It’s a shard to my heart, and my brows pinch. I force myself to lean back again, thankful for Hayden’s renewed grip on my thigh grounding me.

“That wasn’t at you. I hadn’t seen your injuries, and the thought of you being hurt…” I close my eyes and force myself to take a deep, slow breath. “It set my instincts off, and I sincerely apologize. It wasn’t directed at you, nor anyone else really, and it won’t happen again.”

When I open my eyes again, she’s softened, relaxing into her seat with a thoughtful nod. There’s still wariness in her gaze, but she isn’t looking frightened anymore.

“Oh,” she says, running her eyes over my face and lightly touching the bruise on her jaw. “Um, thank you for explaining.”

I nod, unsure where to go from here. Slowly, the chatter around us resumes, and the stares turn away.

“Would you like a pastry?” Hayden says, opening the box on the table. “We weren’t sure what you liked, so we got some of everything.”

Her eyes bug out of her head when she takes in the plethora of sweets in front of her.

“Oh my—That’s too much! Honestly, I don’t need all this.”

“It’s our pleasure,” Hayden says with an easy shrug, and I wonder when they got so smooth. Or were they always like this and I never noticed?

Siobhan reaches in and picks up a maple square, setting it on one of the plates we brought to the table. “Mmm,” she hums appreciatively. “This smells delicious.”

Then her eyes dart to us, a quick perusal over our chests and arms before returning to her treat. Does that mean she likes what she sees? Is she pleased by my appearance, at least, if not my idiot instincts?

“Everything is good here,” Hayden says with a grin, “as I’m sure you know. It’s one of my guilty pleasures.”

She swallows, then narrows her eyes the slightest bit as she looks up at them. “I don’t believe in guilty pleasures. Food is food, and pleasure is pleasure.”

I swallow hard at hearing her say ‘pleasure is pleasure’, and Hayden tilts their head.

“Huh,” they say. “You know, I never thought of it that way, but you’re right. No more guilt. Only pleasure.”

Her cheeks heat and a sort of pleased smile graces her lips as she looks back down at her maple bar. It’s a good perspective. That food is food, and we don’t need to feel guilty for enjoying it.

“I like that,” I murmur belatedly, and then my cheeks flush because I’m feeling dumber by the minute.

But she offers me a soft smile, and my discomfort fades a bit. I’ve never been the best at small talk or socializing. It’s not in my nature. But I’m here and I’m trying—for her.

“So, Hayden.” Siobhan glances Hayden, then at me, hesitating for a second, and I frown. I don’t want her to hold back, but she looks away and continues before I can decipher her look or figure out what to say. “You’re a paramedic, obviously. Did you grow up around here?”

“I grew up mostly in Pennsylvania, actually,” they reply, setting their croissant down and wiping their fingers on a napkin. “My parents met there, although I often travelled with my mom back to Puerto Rico to visit family. That’s where she’s from, and most of her extended family lives there still.”

“Oh, that’s so cool. I’ve always wanted to visit the Caribbean, it looks gorgeous.”

“It is. I wish I could go back more often.”

Siobhan leans forward, her eyes intent on Hayden now. “So what brought you to Michigan if your family is mostly in Puerto Rico and Pennsylvania?”

“Ah,” Hayden shrugs. “This is where I could get a job. I got my EMT certification in Puerto Rico, but couldn’t do the required hours there to continue on to AEMT or paramedic licensure. There weren’t any positions open there, but I was able to get a basic EMS job here in Michigan while attending Northern Michigan. And this is where I ended up.”

Her eyes haven’t left Hayden, and mine haven’t left her.

“Are you happy here?” she asks, and I think we’re both surprised by the question. “Or do you hope to go back to Pennsylvania or Puerto Rico someday?”

Hayden turns to me with a soft smile and rubs their thumb along my outer knee, then shifts their focus back to her. “I’m happy here, but I think I could be happy anywhere with the right people.”

She practically melts in her seat, and I pinch my lips together. They’re making a much better impression than I am, and I’m worried I’m going to ruin things for both of us if I don’t figure out how to talk to her. Siobhan finishes off her maple bar, licks a crumb from the corner of her lips, then proceeds to lick each of her fingers.