Evers & Afters (Dare With Me #2) - J.H. Croix Page 0,9

was chilly, and I found myself wondering if Cammi was cold. Her red baker’s truck had the name Red Truck Coffee painted on it in a whimsical script. You couldn’t miss her truck when you were turning down the road to Otter Cove Harbor.

When we got to the front of the line, Cammi’s blue eyes twinkled as she cast a quick smile between us. “Hey, boys. Good to see you.” Her eyes lingered on me. “How are you doing, Elias? You better be following doctor’s orders. I’m counting on a personal scenic flight from you when you can fly again.”

“I promise I’m following doctor’s orders,” I said, lifting my hand and crossing it over my heart.

Cammi’s smile felt like a ray of sun beaming inside my heart.

Diego chimed in. “He is, but he’s working on getting a medal for being a grump about it.”

“I imagine it’s not fun being laid up,” Cammi replied.

“I’ve got Daphne feeding me, which makes it easier. If I don’t gain fifty pounds before this is over, it’ll be a miracle.”

Diego laughed. “True story. Your coffee is better than Daphne’s though,” Diego said, as if he needed to reassure her.

Cammi laughed. “I know Daphne’s an amazing cook. If her coffee is as good as mine, I won’t take it personally. Will it be the usual for both of you?”

“Yup,” Diego replied quickly, his eyes flicking to mine.

I nodded. “Of course.”

Cammi had our coffees ready in a jiffy. Diego didn’t even give me a chance to pay. I nudged him with my elbow, commenting, “My treat next time.”

I took a swallow and closed my eyes. “Amazing,” I said as I opened them to find Cammi’s pretty eyes waiting.

Her smile unfurled slowly, and my heart gave another kick to my ribs. There was a line behind us, so much as I wanted to linger, we couldn’t. “Come back soon,” she called as we turned away.

“Always,” Diego replied in return as he took my coffee from me.

“I can carry it,” I protested.

Diego stopped, his brows hitching up. “Do you want to spill it? Because I couldn’t carry it if I was trying to walk with crutches. Not worth trying to be a man about that.”

I grumbled something in return before nodding. Because it wasn’t worth spilling my coffee. “One more week,” I said as I eased my legs into Diego’s truck.

After we got my crutches put away, he handed me my coffee and started the engine. “Are you sure about that?”

“That’s what the doctor said. I’m going to hold him to it.”

Diego began driving, heading out to the harbor. He was picking up something for Flynn from Nathan Winters. Nathan Winters and his two brothers ran a fishing charter business. They often routed customers our way, and we did the same in return for them.

I looked out the window, taking in the view. It was only March, and the mountains across the bay were still covered in snow, the peaks jagged and tipped with white against the bright blue sky. The wind was up, ruffling the surface of the water. An eagle was flying nearby, coasting on the gusts of wind. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to seeing eagles as much as I did here. They were massive, majestic birds and mighty fierce. Every time I got a close look at their fierce eyes, all I could think was I would not want to be a field mouse, or a salmon in the water when an eagle came at me with that look.

“So, when you finally gonna crack and ask Cammi out?” Diego asked conversationally.

My head whipped in his direction. “What are you talking about?”

He turned the steering wheel with one hand into the harbor parking lot as he replied, “Dude, you’ve had a crush on her forever. I think she likes you too. Might cheer you up.”

“Shut the fuck up,” I muttered.

Diego simply chuckled. He put his truck in park. “I’m gonna leave it running, so you don’t freeze. Be right back.”

He jogged off, and I shifted my shoulders. I took another swallow of coffee, and immediately thought of Cammi. I liked to think I wasn’t too easy to read. For the most part, I wasn’t. Except for my friends. Diego was right about me having the hots for her, but he didn’t have enough sense to know I wasn’t cut out for a girl like her.

A few hours later

“Be right back,” Diego said as he climbed out of his truck—again.

I was discovering hitching a ride