Page 77 of Broken
“Don’t look,” she hisses, her eyes are all crazy as she makes a repetitive jerking head movement, indicating toward the door. “I mean be subtle.”
“You are being the furthest thing from subtle, Ruby.”
“Turn around, slowly, like you’re gonna wipe the counter.”
“What on earth is wrong with you?”
“Oh…” she lifts her head and plasters a smile on her face. “Garrett, fancy seeing you here.”
Garrett? Shit. What is he doing here? It’s been ages since I last saw him. After he drove me home and kissed me senseless on my doorstep, then drove off into the night.
He never comes here. That I’m aware of. And aware of him I am. Now that I know he’s behind me, I recognize his scent. It’s one I’ve been intimately close to. The imperceptible grunt of response is so typically Garrett.
The last thing I want to do right now is let him see how he is affecting me. I got done with lying to myself a few days after our last night together. He’s been on my mind, a lot. Too much in fact.
Play it cool.
“Can I get you something?” Ruby asks, her voice slightly higher pitched than normal. “Coffee?”
She is doing a great job ofnotplaying it cool. When I turn, he isn’t looking at Ruby. He’s looking at me. He moves closer, slow and casual but the look in his eyes says something different. He’s here for me. That enthralls and scares me all at once.
He walked through my door. Again. If anyone is counting.
Or if the pub and coffee shop count asmydoor.
Ruby leans over the counter, putting her elbows on the surface. His lack of response is confusing her. “We’re closing soon.”
“I’m here to see Calli.”
With great effort I resist the urge to glance at my friend. There will be a hundred questions when he leaves. For now, I sincerely hope she keeps her mouth shut. She’ll hate me for this, but I move to the other end of the counter, where customers wait for their orders. Garrett follows without a word, or a look in Ruby’s direction.
Is it hard for him always being so closed off? I resist the urge to fold my arms across my chest. On the one hand it can give off an air of annoyance, but mostly it’s a defensive stance. I may be confused as hell by Garrett. I’m not scared of him.
“What can I do for you today?” I ask with an arched brow.
His slow perusal has my cheeks heating. Ruby’s audible gasp means she saw it too. Why is he doing this? Isn’t he the one who tried to not let anyone know what is going on between us?
I’ve avoided Sin for the last week. As well as dodging her calls, she has been out of town at an event for one of Jericho’s family members. It hasn’t stopped her bombarding me with texts, but I refuse to tell her anything until we’re in person.
Now with Ruby witnessing this, there are going to be more questions to answer. I can already see a girl’s night happening. That thought fills me with warmth. I never had close girlfriends in San Antonio. The business and Jared took up most of my time. We usually hung out with his friends and their wives.
Life is so much different here. So much better, I’m coming to see.
And then there is Garrett. Okay, we’ve been staring at each other in silence for longer than is normal.
“Coffee, black.”
“Don’t go crazy or anything.”
“It’s a coffee house,” he replies.
“I thought you didn’t do caffeine?”
“Don’t push it.”
“One black coffee coming right up,” I hide the smirk.
He moves down the counter as I prepare the drink. Ruby is staring at me.
