“Is that it? Just, Spencer?” His pursed lips are hiding a small smile as he shakes his head. “Three hours we drove around this town looking for you. We looked everywhere. Where did you go?” There’s a little concern in his brown eyes and his brows are scrunched together now.
“You didn’t lookeverywhereor you would have found me.” I bat my lashes and sip my fresh latte.
“Not if you weren’t where we looked when we looked there.” He folds his arms across his chest and glances over my shoulder. “The usual please, Nero.”
“Why have you gotta throw logic in there? Who’swe, anyway?”
“Me, Grinder, and Sledge.”
My heart stops for a fraction of a second at both of those names. One, my brother was looking for me. Forme. Two, Grinder was looking for me too…
But was that just because Sledge couldn’t be alone or…
“Are you and Grinder officially a thing?”
He looks surprised by my question and takes his time in answering. “No?”
I don’t know why he took his time…
“Are you asking me? Because thatnosounded very much like a‘not yet, but I’d like us to be’.”
Reading people, their actions, their subtle emotional changes; they’re all things I excel in—when it relates to other people. When it comes to myself, I pretty much think everyone hates me at some point.
“You still have a lot of questions.” He sighs and concentrates really hard on Nero making his coffee order.
“And you’re avoiding answering.”
“I should take you back to the compound or, knowing that club, Grinder will start tearing the town apart to find you.”
“That club? Aren’t you a member?”Mmm, this latte is delicious.
“No. I’m a paramedic.”
“See, that was a real no.”
“You, Miss Parker, are going to be a pain in my ass, aren’t you?” Spencer takes his coffee from Nero and nods in thanks.
“Probably. But not as much as Grinder because I get the impression vagina isn’t for you and I have no intention of using a strap on.” I smile sweetly, enjoying the look of pure shock on his face until he shakes his head, yet again.
I have a feeling he spends a lot of time doing that.
“You’re gonna fit right in. Come on.” Without waiting to see if I’m following, he pays and heads toward the door.
“Hold your fucking horses, Spencer. I’m trying to get a job here.”
He turns, slowly, looks me up and down, then huffs a laugh. “Of course you are. I’ll be in the car just outside. No running.” He points a finger at me like a stern parent and I give him the girl guide three-fingered salute in return.
Turning back toward Nero, I grin. “Can I give you my number to pass along to the salon owner?”
“Of course. Pop your number in there.” She passes me her cell and I do as she asked before handing it back.
A few seconds later, my phone is ringing before it cuts out just as abruptly.
“That was me. Now you have my number too if you need a friend. Teagan, the owner, starts later on Fridays, so I’ll pass it on to her when she comes in for her coffee.”
“I appreciate it. Thank you.” I resist running around the counter to give her a giant hug to show exactly how grateful I am, and instead bow my head like I’m in some K-drama and head out the door.
True to his word, there sits Spencer in his little red car, the engine idling as he waits for me.