“I know I don’thaveto. I would be happy to do it. I like hanging out with Maisie.”
She clasped her hands together and aimed her puppy-dog eyes at him. “Please, Daddy?”
I saw the exact moment his resistance fell.
“Okay. That would be great. Thanks.”
“Yay!” Maisie threw her hands in the air.
Ashford walked closer to me. “I can pay you.”
“No need to pay me.”
“Then I’ll owe you.” He said that like it wasn’t a position he enjoyed being in.
“Just keep being nice to me. We’ll be even.”
“I guess I can be nice.”
There was something in the tone of his voice that sent a rush of tingles all the way to my toes.
“Meet us back here in an hour?” Ashford asked.
“Sounds good. I’m going to swing by Silver Linings to see Piper. Want a coffee?”
“Nah. I’d better not go any deeper into debt with you. I’ll be stuck paying it off the rest of the summer.” That time, he’d managed a half-smile. A minor miracle.
That crooked grin also increased his attractiveness by a hundredfold.
Yikes.
Warning bells were already pinging in my head.Nope. Don’t even think about it.
NINE
Emma
Over the lastcouple of weeks, I’d made a habit of visiting Silver Linings Coffee most afternoons. Their wi-fi was much faster than my apartment’s, even when it was actually working. The coffee was great, and the vibes were the perfect level of cozy.
And most importantly, I got to visit with Piper whenever she was around.
“Quite the storm this morning,” she said as she made my vanilla latte.
“Stella was not happy.”
“Oh no. Poor puppy. But at least the sky has cleared up.” She nodded at the front window, which showed pure blue and sunshine. “Welcome to Colorado weather. I’ve seen snow in July.”
“Seriously? I’m not ready for that. I didn’t even bring a raincoat with me.” I made a face. “Which is my fault completely, but I just didn’t think of it when I was packing for a summer trip.”
I’d gotten over that embarrassment. Ashford’s change in mood, combined with the prospect of spending time with Maisie later, made me able to laugh at myself.
“I don’t blame you. I’m happy to loan you anything you might need.”
“I’m set. Ashford loaned me his extra rain jacket.”
Piper almost dropped her jug of milk. “Ashforddid?”
I shrugged. “He saw how wet I got walking to work and took pity on me, I guess.”
