Page 67

‘I’ll drive you!’ Delilah offers a little too enthusiastically. I eye her with suspicion. She flicks her eyes towards where Lavender has started swaying to no music and blows her a kiss. I bite my lip. Stars forbid I laugh and break the tentative truce that’s formed between myself and Delilah.

I should have known.

As soon as I step out of the minivan, Delilah screeches off the curb. The door slams shut when she swerves to miss a head-on collision with another car.

She didn’t even wave.

I huff and step inside the corner store. Hot Face is seated behind the counter. Errant strands of chestnut-brown hair peek from beneath his backwards cap. Twin lines crease between his brows as he frowns in concentration. He’s moving his thumb quickly back and forth over the page as he smudges charcoal over a sketch. The pace, quite a talent. I bet he wouldn’t complain of a hand cramp two minutes into⁠—

‘Miller.’

I jolt to attention, like I’ve just been caught watching porn in public. I mean… ‘Er. Yes.’

‘What are you doing here?’

Thinking about what that thumb do?

‘I came for grog,’ I explain, heading to the alcohol section.

His eyes crinkle at the corners, like he’s smiling with just the top half of his hot face. He tracks me as I grab the chocolate liqueur Lav is so fond of and come to the front of the till.

‘What? What’s so funny?’ I touch my face, feeling for the source of his humour. It’d be just like those two assholes to let me walk in here with shit on my face.

‘Nothing.’ He laughs.

‘Obviously there’s⁠—’

He sighs and shakes his head. ‘The shop closed an hour ago.’

‘What? No way? Why isn’t there a sign⁠—’

Ah. Yes. There it is. Hung in all its glory.

‘I don’t suppose you could just put this through?’

He tsks. ‘I’ve settled the till.’

Shit. Looks like there’ll be no enabling Lavender tonight. She’ll be very put-out.

‘Drinks on me,’ he says, giving me a wink and standing. Damn son. That shirt hugs in all the right places. Is it objectification if I don’t say it out loud? ‘I’ll put it through tomorrow when I open.’ He taps the counter twice and shoots me the most straight-toothed grin I’ve ever seen. I think of Walker’s limited range of emotion and wonder what a smile from him would look like. Not that it’s a contest, but if it were… I don’t let myself finish that thought.

‘You don’t have to do that!’ I start the obligatory dance. No, don’t pay! I’m an independent woman, I can afford all the things…

‘I insist.’ He circles the counter and bags the bottle for me, carrying it to the entrance. I look out the threshold of the door and the darkness stares back in. There’s a few lit streetlamps, but I know for a fact I’ll be walking part of the way in darkness. I grit my teeth and frown.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘What do you mean what’s wrong?’ I ask, still pulling the face.

He laughs and motions. ‘Why are you doing that with your face?’

‘No reason.’

Hot Face’s tongue pokes the inside of his cheek.

‘Come on.’ He nods and opens the door for me. ‘I’ll walk you home.’

‘I—’ I begin the dance again.