Taunting Callum - Kristen Proby Page 0,26
projects.”
“Hmm.” I brew myself a cup of lemon tea.
“He’s super hot,” Gretchen continues. “And he’s totally obsessed with me. I mean, I just met him last Saturday, but we’ve spent every night together since. He texts me all the time and gets really concerned if I don’t reply right away. Like he’s worried or something.”
Red flags are waving all over the place. “Gretchen, that isn’t normal. This is Tuesday. You met him four days ago. There is such a thing as someone being too into you.”
“I’m needy,” she admits with a sigh. I already knew that. “I want a guy who thinks about me nonstop. I want him to miss me when we aren’t together. I love that he checks in on me and wants to be with me.”
I blink at her, watching as a goofy smile spreads over her pretty face.
“He’s just so… sweet. Like he won’t let me make breakfast in the morning. He wants to take me out. Well, I pay, but still, at least he’s thinking of me and doesn’t want me to overdo it.”
“Putting a bagel in the toaster is overdoing it?”
“It’s nice not to have to make my own breakfast,” she insists and looks down, avoiding my gaze. “It’s not expensive.”
“Okay, I’m going to say this right here, right now. I don’t like this. He sounds like a mooch, and he’s glommed onto you, and tells you what you want to hear so he can take advantage of you.”
Gretchen clams up and purses her lips. “Or, he really likes me.”
“Gretch—”
“Just give me this, okay?” She turns and stares at me with pleading eyes. “Let me have a little fun with a sexy guy. It probably won’t go anywhere, but I’m enjoying it for right now.”
“Okay.” I hold up my hands in surrender. “It’s really none of my business anyway.”
Just then, the bell over the door chimes, and we get a group of customers, saving me from any more talk about creepy, clingy men. I worry about Gretchen. She so desperately wants to fall in love, and she always tries it with the worst guys possible.
But for the next few hours, there’s no time to think about my assistant manager’s love life because we’re busy with the lunch crowd, and those wanting one more coffee for the afternoon. At one point, all of my tables are full, and we have a line of people waiting for their drinks to go.
I’m grateful Gretchen stayed to help. Working alone this afternoon would have sucked.
“That’s the last of them,” Gretchen says after the last customers leave. She lets out a gusty sigh. “I’m glad I stayed.”
“Me, too. Thanks again.”
The bell over the door rings once more, and I half-expect to see Callum since coming at closing time seems to be his modus operandi. Plus, I haven’t heard from him in a couple of days. Not that I’m counting. Instead, it’s a guy I’ve never seen before. He grins at Gretchen.
“Hey, sugar,” he says.
“Miles!” Gretchen screeches and runs from behind the counter to fling herself into his arms as if she hasn’t seen him in years. The kiss that ensues is not just uncomfortable, it’s also completely ridiculous.
“You’re still on the clock, Gretch.”
This does nothing to dissuade them.
“You’re fired, Gretch.”
Nothing.
“FIRE!”
They jump apart in surprise, and then Gretchen flushes as Miles drapes his arm around her shoulders and tugs her tightly against him.
“I just thought I’d surprise my girlfriend when she got off work.”
“She’s not off work yet,” I reply coolly, watching him with hard eyes.
“But we’re done,” Gretchen says. “It’s only ten minutes early, and I worked an extra shift.”
“Yeah,” Miles says. “She did you a solid. So we’ll be going.”
“Hold up.” I walk slowly around the counter so I don’t slap this piece of crap across his arrogant little face. “This is my business, Miles. I call the shots here, not you. From now on, if you’re going to meet Gretchen after work, you can either wait in here like a gentleman or stay outside. This little display of…whatever this was won’t happen again. Do you understand?”
“So, you work for a bitch, babe,” he says, never breaking eye contact with me. “She probably hasn’t gotten laid in a while.”
“Well, you just made my mind up for me. You can definitely wait outside. Thanks for making it easy. And as for my love life, that’s none of your damn business. Gretchen—”
“Miles,” Gretchen says, clearly embarrassed. “Aspen’s awesome.”
“Right. Let’s go.”
She sends me an apologetic smile and follows the dirtbag out