Page 99 of Soul Mates: Hercules Valentine and I

Hercules puts his hand on my back after he joins me on the sidewalk. My cells are acutely aware that he’s touching me again.What took him so long?

My heart is beating at a mile a minute as I spot a short and husky middle-aged man waving at us while manning his hot dog cart. “Herc! You almost missed me!” His voice echoes between the walls.

Hercules raises a hand. “Then, Benny, this is divine intervention.”

Benny readjusts the navy-blue beanie on top of his head as he observes us with keen eyes. “You want the same?” Now he’s watching me. I feel as though I’ve been pinned to a dissection plate and Benny is examining all of my parts but mostly my face.

“Yeah, and—” Hercules starts.

“Is this your girl?” Benny asks.

My head is spinning so fast that I feel like I’m going to pass out.Do we resemble an actual couple?Hercules is the sort of man who turns heads and inspires double takes. Up until two nights ago, I considered myself a socially starved nerd. And truth be told, even though Max has been keeping me locked up like Rapunzel in the castle tower, I never fought as hard for my freedom as I could have. I didn’t have to allow myself to be so easily convinced to neglect Eden and Jillian until our friendships fizzled out. I am clueless about why I ultimately complied with Max’s demands. I was miserable until I started at VTI. I haven't been this happy since before I graduated from college.

“Benny, come on. You’re going to scare her off,” Hercules retorts, his accent almost matching Benny’s.

That’s impossible.

“She’s wearing your coat. What the hell am I supposed to think? You’re beautiful, though,” he says to me. “He’d be damn lucky to have you.”

My face grows warm.

“She’s my employee,” Hercules says.

He said that as if our professional roles are the deciding factor in why we can never be boyfriend and girlfriend. And I'm not even sure how I feel about him reducing me to only being his employee. He could at least consider me a colleague.

“Ah… I see,” Benny says, nodding like he understands the whole reason Hercules and I are buying hot dogs. “You’re fraternizing.”

Hercules explodes with nervous laughter.

“Your brother, I see it. But you, no way. You wouldn’t be out buying the best hot dogs in the city for a beauty like her if you didn’t want to marry her. Huh?”

Hercules throws his hands up. “Marry? Come on.”

“Whatever,” Benny says with a shrug. “What do you want, honey?”

I'm still reeling from what he said. I imagine Lark married to Hercules. It would be easy. I bet her parents would accept him with open arms. I bet Hercules would be a stellar husband and father. Lark and Hercules would live happily ever after.

“Does she talk?” Benny asks as he piles relish, tomatoes, and cheese on top of a hot dog in a bun. Apparently, he does it so much he doesn't have to look at what he's doing.

“What kind question is that?” Hercules asks.

Benny points a hand at me. “She hasn’t said anything yet.”

“That’s because you shocked her.”

“How did I shock her, huh?”

“You said I wanted to marry her!”

Benny yanks his head back. “I did?”

“Yeah, you did.”

“I’ll have what he’s having,” I quickly say. I don’t want to hear anything else about Lark marrying Hercules. It’s making me jealous of the nonexistent woman who’s getting further with him than I ever have.

Benny hands me the hot dog he made for Hercules. “Smart choice.”

It smells and looks so good, especially after bacon bits have been sprinkled on top, that I take a bite. “Mm,” I moan, widening my eyes with enjoyment as the flavors spread through my mouth.