away and got to work on their drinks before Linden could ask him if he was okay.
“Did you want to eat in or take out?” Ricky asked.
“You’re going to sit there and eat half a dozen cookies?”
“Hell yes. Either here or back at home. Today is cheat day, baby.” Ricky slid his arm over Linden’s shoulders.
Eric used tongs and stuffed six cookies and one muffin into a bag. He neatly folded the top, then rang their purchase up when Brett appeared and set two go-cups on the counter.
“That will be twenty-fifty-four, please.”
Before Linden could pull his wallet out of his pocket, Ricky reached over and tapped his debit card against the machine. It beeped, indicating the purchase had gone through.
“Hey,” Linden pulled a ten from his wallet and shoved it in the tip jar. “You bought last time.”
“And I bought this time.” Ricky grabbed his coffee and the bag of cookies off the counter. “Get used to it.”
“Have a nice day,” Eric said.
Linden turned and was going to say goodbye to Brett, but his back was to them while he made another drink. He didn’t want to feel pathetic. He already felt needy when it came to Brett. He wanted his attention on him all the time. He’d feel stupid calling out a goodbye to the back of Brett’s head.
He said a quiet goodbye to Eric and grabbed the coffee he no longer wanted and left the cafe.
Back in Ricky’s room, Ricky leaned against his headboard. He pulled Linden’s muffin out of the bag and handed it to him. “Now I know why I never stood a chance with you.”
Linden furrowed his brow. “What?”
“I’m so not your type.”
Linden’s face heated. “That’s not entirely true. Like, you’re not unattractive.”
Ricky’s boisterous laugh made Linden flinch. “Thank you. I’m not unattractive.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Stop. It’s fine.” Ricky took a bite of cookie and moaned. “I saw the way you eyed that pretty barista. What’s his name again?”
“Brett.”
“Yeah, him. Personally, I prefer the silver fox behind the cash register, but Brett isn’t unattractive.” Ricky shot Linden a wink, and he relaxed a little. “You should ask him out.”
He plucked the wrapper off his muffin, then tore a bite off and stuffed it in his mouth. Once he’d chewed and swallowed, he thought it time to confess. “We’re already spending time together, but it’s not like that.”
“Study buddies?” Ricky polished off the first cookie and reached for another.
“Not really.” He rubbed at the back of his neck. “I always wanted that, you know? That whole, pretty hair, cute clothes, frilly girly stuff, jewelry and lipstick, look.”
Ricky didn’t miss a beat. “You should go for it.”
“I am. A little. Brett’s helping me.”
“Aww,” Ricky cooed. “He’s your Linden.”
“What?” Linden choked on a laugh and popped another bit of muffin in his mouth.
“You’re helping me with something I want, and he’s helping you with something you want.”
“Okay, but can we not call him my anything? We’re friends.”
Ricky handed Linden a cookie. “Friends are important.”
“Yeah.”
“They introduce you to sexy silver foxes who own cafes.”
Linden rolled his eyes. “Eric is sooooo married.”
“Well, a guy can dream. What do you want to watch?”
“You pick.”
“Twenty seven dresses?”
“Sure.” Linden eased himself into Ricky’s side. “But only if you let me sing along this time.”
“Deal.”
Friends weren’t a bad thing to have, but it didn’t stop Linden from wishing that Brett wanted more from him.
11
Brett
“Well, that was an icy reception.” Eric flung a towel over his shoulder and stared at Brett.
“Not sure I know what you mean.” The lie was thick on his tongue, but he forced it out. anyway. Brett had been happy to see Linden. Sure, he was always happy to see him, but his day had been fucking terrible. The holiday rush was killing him. He’d skipped his first break and had to cut his lunch short to help in the front. Then the part-timer went home sick, and Brett was alone until Eric could show up to help.
Seeing Linden had been a bright spot. Then he noticed the guy Linden came with, and the closeness they kept. Brett tried to tell himself that Linden was clingy with everyone. The attractive guy he was with might be just a friend. There was also a possibility Linden was involved with him.
Brett shouldn’t care. He’d put Linden firmly in the friend category, for reasons that were becoming less and less clear by the day.
“He’s cute.”
Brett scrubbed at the counter. “Are we still on for Christmas?” Brett asked. He used to