“Georgia passed along your message!” I blurted, feeling defensive.
“The message wasto call me back.”
“Yes. Call you back. Not call you back bynoon. Not call you backimmediately.” My hands were balled into fists at my sides. “There was no deadline!”
He stared me down.
My fists curled tighter. “I’ve been a bit busy with the job hunt, okay? I was going to call you once I finished up here.”
That was yet another lie.
And he knew it, given the way his eyes narrowed even further.
“How was I supposed to know you’d be here when I walked in?” I prattled on somewhat nervously. “I mean, what are the odds?”
“I told you last night, this place is more like a small town than a city.”
“Last night?” Gwen whispered, curiosity practically seeping from each syllable. “What were you two doing last night?”
I’d been so caught up in Cade, I’d totally forgotten we had an audience. Jerking my eyes away, I glanced around the circle — which had widened to include the twins and the couple from the bar stools.
Fantastic.
More witnesses to my humiliating exit.
“As fun as this has been…” I hiked the thin leather strap of my backpack more firmly up my shoulder and took a step toward the door. Toward Welles, who was still serving as a human wall. “I need to get going.Now. So, if you don’t mind…”
A strand of chestnut brown hair had escaped from the man-bun. Welles reached up and tucked it behind one ear as he sidestepped out of my path. His hazel-gold eyes were sparkling with good humor as he bent slightly at the waist and ushered me toward the door with a mocking flourish.
“Gee, thanks,” I snapped as I practically bolted past him, yanking the knob before any more of these lunatics could deter me.
“Wait!” Gwen cried out. “We never talked about your hours!”
I was already halfway out the door, but I hesitated on the threshold long enough to shoot her an apologetic look over my shoulder. “Sorry.” I tried to swallow down the rest of my words, but they spilled out anyway. “Your shop seems like an amazing place to work.”
“Then stick around!”
“I can’t. I…” My eyes moved to Graham, who was still glaring at me like I was a criminal mastermind, then returned to Gwen. “It was nice meeting you.”
Tearing my eyes from hers, I stepped out the door and allowed it to swing shut behind me — only, it didn’t. Cade, close on my heels, planted a foot in the jamb to stop its swing. At the same time, his hand shot out and grabbed mine, effectively halting my escape.
What the..?
I froze, momentarily stupefied by the sight of my delicate, lace-covered fingers intertwined with his strong, tanned ones. I was so rattled, it didn’t even occur to me to try and pull away — at least, not for a few seconds. When I did try, it didn’t matter. His grip was like iron. Inescapable.
“Cade!”
He ignored my hiss of protest. He wasn’t even looking at me. He was half-turned to face Gwen. “What time do you open tomorrow?”
“Nine,” Gwen answered, staring wide-eyed at our interlocked hands. I was still yanking intermittently — and getting precisely nowhere with my efforts.
There was a short pause from Cade. Then, “She’ll be here.”
Before I could even object — I so wouldnotbe there! — he removed his foot from the doorjamb, allowing it to swing closed behind us, and used his grip to steer me out onto the brick pedestrian mall.
* * *
“Hank, my man, how’s business?”