Unraveling (Second Chances) - By Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,10
finally had my coffee, I pounced on the first empty table I saw.
The guy that vacated it, looked at me like I was insane.
I took the lid off the coffee, and blew slightly at the light brown surface. I watched the steam curl into varying shapes.
“I’m so sorry, I’m late,” Piper slid into the seat across from me. “I wasn’t quite sure where the Starbucks was and no one seemed to want to tell me. They kept looking at me like I was crazy for asking. I wanted to be all, ‘I’m not a coffee sniffing hound,’ you know?”
“No, not really,” I said.
“Oh… well, thanks for doing this,” she blushed. “I know this has been an inconvenience for you,” she said as I slid the stack of papers across the table to her. She grabbed them and got up to leave.
“Wait!” I called after her.
She turned back around.
“This wasn’t an inconvenience. I’m sorry if I sounded rude. I’m not used to having… friends. Or talking to people. Please, stay.”
“Really? You want me to stay?” she brightened.
“Yeah,” I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “I think it’s time I got some friends.”
She dropped the papers back down on the table. “I’m going to grab a coffee. I’ll be right back,” she eyed me like she was afraid I might vanish.
“I’ll be here,” I mumbled.
“Great!” She bounced away.
I was rummaging through my purse for some chapstick when someone slid into the seat across from me. I knew it was too soon for Piper to be back. I was about to tell the person that the seat was taken when they spoke first.
Their chuckle rumbled through me. “I’m really beginning to think you’re stalking me. I’m thinking of getting a restraining order.”
I looked up and met the warm brown eyes of Jared.
My mouth opened and closed. I had no idea what to say to him.
He chuckled and leaned closer to me. His eyes never wavering from mine. “Do you believe in coincidences, Katy?”
“Uh… I don’t know,” I stuttered.
“Well, I don’t,” he peered at me with those captivating brown eyes.
“Okay… what are you getting at?” I asked, leaning back in the chair, half-ready to make a run for it.
“Something keeps making us run into each other. I don’t believe in coincidences, but I do believe in destiny.”
“Um…” What the hell was I supposed to say to that?
“There’s just something about you,” he mused. “You’re so unaware of the affect you have on people. I’m captivated by you, Katy,” he mused. “I want to get to know you.”
“Uh…”
“Go out with me,” he looked at me with pleading eyes.
A part of me wanted to cave but it was impossible. “No,” the word came out sharper than I had intended.
He sat back. “Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever been turned down for a date before,” he rubbed the stubble on his jaw. “This is new.”
“I don’t do dates… with anyone. Not since…”
“Not since what?” He leaned closer to me.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I shut down. I looked out the window of the coffee shop. I was tempted to make a run for it, but it wouldn’t be fair to leave Piper.
I turned back to Jared and found him studying me. His dark brows were drawn together.
“There’s a mystery to you, Katy Spencer, and I plan on solving it.”
With those words, he stood, grabbed his coffee, and was gone.
A few seconds later, Piper slid into the vacant seat. Her mouth formed a perfect O. Shaking her head, she said, “Do you know a model? He has to be a model, right?”
“I don’t know anything about him,” I told her, looking away from her inquisitive gaze.
“But you do know him, right?” Piper looked over her shoulder and out the window where Jared was getting in his Toyota.
“Yeah, I guess,” I gave a small shrug.
“He looked like he was really into you. You should jump on that,” she grinned.
I laughed. “There will be no ‘jumping’ from me.”
“What’s his name?” she asked, as she watched his car leave the parking lot.
“Jared,” I answered with a sigh.
“He’s sexy,” she sighed dreamily. “If you’re not interested, feel free to send him my way,” she winked.
I laughed. “I don’t even really know him… We just seem to keep bumping into each other.”
“Not that I was eavesdropping or anything,” Piper winked and stirred her coffee, “but I think fate, destiny… whatever you want to call it, is definitely playing into effect here.”