Page 45

Story: Tenderfoot

It was?
How?
Why?
Again, how?
“You don’t like me,” I reminded him.
“We’ll talk about it when we get to your place,” Javi declared.
All right.
Enough.
I put my hands on my hips. “I can’t believe I need to remind you that I’ve had a rough couple of days, Javi. First, I’m on a mission you horn in on, meeting up with a conman loser to take him down, then you share your truth, then the conman gets his throat slit?—”
Register guy gurgled unhappily.
I kept ranting.
“—then my girl gang throws down, you rescue me, and although I appreciate the rescue, truly, you made yourself clear last night. I heard you. You don’t have to feel bad about it. It’s said. It’s done. And you are not buying my dinner because we are not on a date because you told me you don’t even like me!”
“I also told you we’ll talk about it when we get to your place,” Javi replied, then looked to register guy. “How much?”
Register guy stared up at him with a pale face then reached across and tapped the screen.
Javi pulled out some cash and gave it to him. Quick as a flash, register guy took it and started making change.
“Oh my God! You just paid!” I snapped irritably.
Javi turned to me. “You can stop bein’ cute, or you can get kissed. Your choice.”
I shut my mouth because really…
What on earth was happening?????
Javi dropped the change in the tip jar then guided me to a table where we could sit and wait for our food to be ready.
“I’m not talking to you,” I announced when I took my seat.
“Good,” Javi retorted when he took his. “Means, by the time I get you home, I can finally get a word or two in and clear this shit up.”
I had something to say to that, something along the lines of, he’d already said too much, but I’d hardly stopped him from speaking since he did. However, due to the fact I’d just proclaimed I wasn’t talking to him, I couldn’t say it.
“Yeah,” Javi said, his rich, deep voice even better than normal because it was now amused, “this is gonna work.”
I huffed.
He smiled.
I looked away because his smile was just that amazing. I couldn’t hack it.
Our number was called.
Javi got up to get our food, and I got up to rush to the door so he wouldn’t do something confusing again, like hold my hand.
When he came my way, I rushed out the door. I then rushed to the truck.

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