“I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you’ve read the series,” I muttered, studying him. “I thought you Red Snake men were all work and no play.”
The hacker looked me dead in the eye then, pinning me in place. “Oh, trust me, we like to play.”
My cheeks heated, knowing exactly what Hayes liked to do when he was playing, as Cardinal rolled her eyes. “That’s such a lie. You four are always working on something.”
Jake looked at her and smiled. “The work never ends, but I still make time to read Frank’s series.”
Her mouth flattened to a thin line. “Whatever.”
“Carrie, darling!” Rossy yelled from the back of the store as more customers came in, the wind howling outside. The cold front was moving faster than I expected. My mind drifted back to my car and how long it took to warm up every morning before class. This meant I would have to start getting up earlier.
“What is it?” she asked as Rossy appeared on my left. His tweed coat was gone, leaving him in just a hunter green button-up and brown vest. His sleeves were also rolled up to his elbows, and there was a small navy ink stain on his pants. His hair was disheveled, as if he’d been running his hand through it, and there were bags underneath his eyes.
I folded my arms over my chest and scolded, “Did you pull an all-nighter again, boss man?”
He glanced at me and pursed his lips as he pondered for a moment. Then he lied. “No, I did not.”
“You’re full of shit,” I accused as two customers approached the counter.
Rossy looked to the ceiling. “God, help me,” he muttered, his accent thick with impatience. “Must you cuss all the time, Margo?”
I ignored him and took their orders. As I banged around the espresso machine, my coworkers disappeared, leaving me alone with Jake as the customers browsed the new release section by the window. Just as I poured the frothed milk into the second mug, Jake’s voice filled my ears.
“So how are you doing?”
My eyes flicked over to him, my stomach dropping. His laptop was closed, his notebook on top, pen in the coil, and he was leaning back in the stool, studying me.
Shit.
Shit.
Damn.
Fuck.
“Uh. Good?” I answered, clearing my throat at the end.
Fuck. Did he know about Hayes and me?Did that stupid hot ex-pilot blab?
I finished the drink, grabbed the other, and carried them to the pickup space. “Honey latte for Gabe and pumpkin spice for Jessica,” I called.
The couple turned around and smiled. The woman got there first. “Can we drink these anywhere?” she asked.
Tourists.
I nodded. “Yup, and if you could, please bring your mugs to the bin over there,” I said, pointing to the shelf on the other side of Jake, who was still looking at me.
Gabe muttered a “thank you” and grabbed his drink, moving away. Ashley didn’t. Instead, she leaned over the counter and whispered, “No offense, but the way your boyfriend is looking at you is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”
I stiffened, an earth-shattering chill sliding down my spine. I blinked, and all I saw was Hayes’ eyes, green and fierce, consuming me. Shaking my head, I huffed out a fake laugh. “No, no. He’s not my boyfriend. He’s just an intense man who doesn’t know how to mind his business.”
My tongue shot to the roof of my mouth, not letting me say anything else.
The woman gave a smile, and just as she was about to say something that would have the guilt manifesting inside me eating me alive, her partner called for her. He poked his head out of the murder mystery section. “Isn’t this the book you’ve been looking for?”
“Oh yeah,” she breathed, grabbing her coffee and leaving me in my misery.
I stared at her back until she turned down the aisle. Then I faced Jake. “You need another before you go?” I asked, pointing to his cup.