“For the record, I like Hank,” he said.
“Um…” I muttered, not knowing where he was leading with this and I stil did not want to know. “I’m glad to hear it.”
“Things don’t work out with you and Hank…” I waited while he paused, my eyes wide, my lips parted, my heart thumping.
“You can erase my day.”
Oh… my… God.
He smiled at me in a way that I didn’t know if he was serious or playing with me. Then, he moved out of my space but lifted his hand and touched his finger to the tip of my nose. I blinked again, shocked at his words, shocked at his touch, shocked that it was gentle and sweet. It didn’t go with his badass attitude.
Then he was gone.
I stumbled out of the bookshelves like a dying man in a desert would stumble into an oasis.
“You okay?” Annette asked from across the room.
“No,” I said.
“Cream your pants?” she asked.
The eyes of the two customers at the espresso counter, both male, came to me in avid curiosity.
“I don’t think so,” I answered.
“Oh, you’d know,” Annette replied.
I bumbled over to the couches and col apsed.
“What’d I tel you about this place?” one customer had turned to the other, they were obviously friends. They were both looking at Annette, Daisy, Jet and me sitting on the couches.
“I don’t even like coffee and I’ve decided I’m a regular,” the other one said.
“I don’t make tea!” Tex boomed threateningly at him and he jumped.
I closed my eyes trying to think positively. At least Monty’s day wasn’t going to be boring. Instead of being mortified, I thought of it as my way of paying back Lee’s boys for al the headaches I’d given them.
“I hope you’re having fun!” I shouted to the room.
In my head, I heard them laughing.
What I didn’t know, in a suite of offices in Lower Downtown Denver, they were laughing.
* * * * *
Daisy went out and got us al bagel sandwiches for lunch. Daisy, Annette and Jason decided to stay the day with me at Fortnum’s so I wouldn’t get bored. We spent the early afternoon helping Jane go through boxes and boxes of books. We spent the late afternoon behind the espresso counter while Uncle Tex taught us how to make coffee drinks. It wasn’t rocket science but Uncle Tex was a dril sergeant and Daisy kept gabbing about everything under the sun and over-frothing the milk.
After we learned how to make coffees, Lee and Indy walked in.
Indy smiled at me but I could tel something was wrong.
My first thought was Hank.
My heart clutched and my eyes flew to Lee. Hank was his brother and they were close. If something had happened to Hank, in the line of duty or because of me, I should be able to tel with one look at Lee.
At least I thought so, but Lee’s face was closed tight.
I felt like someone put their hand to my throat and squeezed.