Page 16

15

Calista

After

I’d managed to get up, get dressed purely from the clothes that were still sitting in the dryer, walk Jerry, get my ass out of the house, disconnect the battery of Fane’s car as payback for the panties, and be on my merry way to work all before he’d even started to stir.

It felt like an incredible omen to head into what had turned out to be one of the busiest Saturdays we’d ever had.

I was in a good mood. A great mood. When Gus walked in this morning as soon as the door was unlocked, I hugged him. The poor man didn’t know what to do with himself and somehow settled for patting me on the top of my head until I let him go.

He promptly followed it with a bristled, “I’ve been seeing Lorna for about a year now, but I’m flattered.”

What I’m saying is that even being rejected by Gus for a come-on that didn’t exist wasn’t able to sour my mood.

Should I be hugging my customers? Probably not. I hugged Sammy too, and thankfully she didn’t also try to let me down softly. She just hugged me back and gave me one of those soft smiles she wore like a badge of honor. Like she knew she was gentle and continued to be so despite how she grew up.

Sammy had witnessed things no one should ever see or witness, especially as a little girl, and had refused to let it change her. I was in awe of her for that.

We settled into a routine so familiar to us that the morning had turned to afternoon by the time I realized what the actual time was, and then there was a firm knock on the glass of the café.

Mags was sitting in the middle of the café, a little later than her usual weekday routine, reading her paper. That woman deserved an Oscar for the way she meddled and then pretended to know nothing about what she set into motion.

“Oh, look!” She yelled, startling everyone in Sunshine, which was full to the brim. “It’s Calista’s hunky boyfriend!”

My heart rate skyrocketed so fast I had to grip the counter with one hand while I kept steaming milk with my other.

Somewhere along the line I’d convinced myself that watching Fane feed my Great Dane a pair of my panties was a fever dream as penance for not being able to stop Jerry from obtaining a flyaway soccer ball from the under 6’s match we had walked by during our walk this morning.

I apologized profusely and gave them everything I had in my pockets. It seemed that a hair tie, half a stick of chewing gum, and a quarter did not actually help.

“Oh, look.” I plastered the biggest and brightest smile I always used when the alternative was merely bursting into tears and lifted my head. “There he is.”

I started to wave at him, and as soon as all eyes were on him, I presented him with my middle finger. Grin still in place.

Fane was waving back. As soon as everyone looked back to me, he lifted his own middle finger up, and damn him, he looked edible.

I wasn’t proud of that thought, but I was alive, wasn’t I? I had eyes and functioning lady parts. There was no criticism you could hurl at me that I hadn’t already whispered to myself.

His hair was still a little damp from a shower, and he wore a plain black shirt with those same dark blue jeans that fit him like a glove. All worn in and used up and glorious.

What? No, I meant gross. Gross. His jeans were eugh, yuck. Gross.

He had his black work boots on, and right next to him, looking proud as all hell to have Fane’s hand gently scratching the top of his head, was Jerry.

He looked so insanely happy I couldn’t stop the feeling that bloomed in my chest.

Warm and overflowing.

Thinking of how that puppy had looked up at me with lost eyes in the back room of a shelter and this feeling of absolute certainty that he and Fane were meant for one another. Looking at them now, I knew that they would have been as inseparable as they seemed to be right now.

That all came to a crashing halt when I noticed what Jerry had in his mouth. The light-blue cotton pair of panties that I knew had been tucked safely in a drawer in my room was hanging out the side of his mouth.

That’s why he looked so damn happy. And that was also likely why Fane looked like he’d been shitting gold all morning.

“You little—” The ding of the bell above the café door cut me off when the man in question stuck his head just in the door.

“Morning, snookums!”

Sweet lord .

Wide eyes moved from Fane’s jovial expression to my horrified one with coffee cups frozen in midair.

“Sorry I wasn’t here sooner. I had a bit of car trouble. Strangest thing!” he said casually, leaning just far enough into the door to make sure everyone heard him.

“Oh, that’s no worry, honey muffin. My day’s been so busy I didn’t even notice!” I matched his tone and then some. For a solid minute, we just stared at each other across the café, smiling so wide it felt like a contest to see who could look more unhinged.

“Well, pumpkin, when you have a second, I’d love a cappuccino.”

“It would be my pleasure.” It would absolutely not be my pleasure.

“Thanks, pookie bear!” Fane disappeared back outside just as someone in the back corner proceeded to spray their coffee right into the face of the person across from them. I’d never seen either of them before, so I assumed they worked for Fane.

“Dude!” The man now wearing his friend’s coffee looked horrified.

“ He said ‘ pookie bear’! ” the guy still holding his coffee cup whispered back.

My face burned, the smile frozen in place. If I dropped the expression, I would probably storm right outside, and…I don’t know. Take my dog back for starters.

I could feel Fane’s eyes on me the whole time I made his coffee. Could feel his grin of satisfaction at thinking he’d gotten the upper hand.

“Hey, Sammy, can you take this out to Fane?” I asked sweetly, keeping my sights set on the man in question, who was looking right back, arms crossed and legs wide, with my dog still by his side. Still wagging his tail. Still with my panties in his mouth.

Sammy handed the cup to Fane, and the smile on my face was borderline insane as I watched him take a big sip of his drink and the moment that followed where he realized I made him a chai latte.

For those unaware, Fane did the cinnamon challenge after he lost a bet to Ash and has never been able to stomach cinnamon since. Just the look on his face as he sprayed the entire mouthful on the window of my café was worth it.

* * *

I was glad for the distraction of work today because it was also the first day of Fane’s Darling tours, and my stomach had been twisted in knots since I woke up.

I had a list, of course, which removed about forty percent of my nerves, but the other sixty were all thanks to being near the man himself and the reality that this plan of mine could flop and I’d fail.

The café closed at two thirty p.m. on Saturdays, which was perfect, and with both me and Sammy cleaning up, I managed to get home not thirty minutes later.

The seven-minute drive home was all the time I had to let myself deflate. To relax enough that I could finally take a deep breath without feeling the weight of an elephant sitting on my chest. The moment I turned onto my street and saw Fane’s truck parked in the driveway, I hoisted all my walls back up and prepared myself for battle.

The soft conversation of a show on TV trickled out onto the front porch, and I stepped inside to find Fane sitting on the couch with my dog’s big head on his lap and one of his broad, tattooed hands absentmindedly scratching Jerry’s stomach.

“Traitor,” I murmured, keeping my eyes strictly on my dog and strictly off Fane. My plan was about to begin, and I wanted to throw up.

But, like any battle-seasoned soldier, I didn’t let it show. Instead, I walked out of my bedroom in yet another flowy sundress—it was still too hot to wear anything else comfortably—and finally met Fane’s eyes.

I’d felt them on me from the moment I walked into the house. Even through the wall that separated the living room and the bedroom, I felt his eyes on me.

“All right.” I stood before him, hands on my hips and my glare of protection in place. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He stood up after carefully lifting Jerry’s head off his lap. I hadn’t really told Fane we’d be doing this today. Somehow the idea of catching him unaware seemed to translate to, Wow, I hadn’t been expecting this incredible tour. I love your town so much. Allow me to pack up and leave forever .

“You’re not busy?”

“Nope, we have a tour.”

I frowned and crossed my arms, unjustifiably annoyed at him. “How did you even know that?”

“Your list is on the fridge.”

Fuck. My list was on the stupid fridge.

I didn’t realize how close I’d planted myself. Originally, I felt like being toe to toe with him would make me more intimidating. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that was a stupid thing to assume, but I couldn’t very well step back now.

I wasn’t going to retreat, no matter how uncomfortable things got.

I cleared my throat. “Whatever, and don’t call me ma’am.” I turned my glare up to him, craning my neck as far back as I could go, just to see Fane staring down at me with a small smirk already in place. “And you’re driving.”

I turned on my heels and stalked to the front door, urging myself not to react outwardly in the slightest at his reply. Even when the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I could feel my heart galloping in my chest like a wild horse.

“Yes, ma’am.”

This was my last chance. I knew I was entirely on my own. The mayor was a dick that looked like he’d barely graduated from high school, and if what he said was true, then Fane was the be all and end all.

My one and only shot.