Page 17

“You.” I meet her eyes. “Not just when you come in for coffee. I want you around when the shop closes and when I have a bad day. I want the boring parts, too.”

Her lips part. For once, she has no quick answer. “That was a lot of words for you.” Kira steps close enough for her jacket to brush my chest.

“Don’t make me regret them.” I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“I want that too.” She presses her cheek against my hand. “The ordinary days. The bad ones. All of it.”

The relief in my chest is so sharp I almost laugh. I bend and kiss her, slowly, until I feel her smile against my mouth.

“Ross?” Kira rests her forehead against mine.

“Yeah?” I keep my arms around her.

“Your sisters are staring.” Her shoulders shake.

“Let them.” I kiss her once more, and behind the counter, someone drops a spoon.

ten

Kira

“You look distracted.” Keanu hooks a thumb toward the unfinished drawing in my hand.

“I’m working.” I turn the sketchbook toward myself.

“You’ve been staring at the same tree for ten minutes.” Keanu pulls up a stool.

“Maybe it’s a complicated tree.” I tap the pencil against the page.

“Maybe you’re thinking about the man across the street.” Keanu raises an eyebrow.

“Maybe you should mind your business.” I try to hide my smile.

“He makes you happy.” Keanu’s voice loses its teasing edge.

I stop tapping the pencil. “He does.”

“Then tell him.”

“It isn’t that easy.” I glance toward the coffee shop again.

“You can tease him about his coffee all morning, but you can’t tell him how you feel?”

“Apparently not.” I set the pencil down.

“You’re both stubborn.” Keanu stands and pushes his stool in.

“That’s rich coming from you.” I throw a clean eraser at him, and he catches it.

“Go talk to him, Kira.” Keanu leaves me with my unfinished drawing and an uncomfortable amount of hope.

***

By evening, an early snowstorm has swept into town. The wind rattles the windows above Temptation Ink, and I am halfway through closing the blinds in my apartment when someone knocks. I open the door to find Ross on the landing, snow melting in his dark hair and his jacket dusted white.

For a second I can only stare. Then I grab his sleeve and pull him inside, shutting the door against the wind.

“What are you doing out in this?” I brush snow from his shoulder.