“I’ll try not to, I promise. I might need you to remind me, though.”
“Oh?” I give him what I hope is a flirtatious smile.
His mouth twitches in a smile before he puts a serious face on and nods, “Definitely. Sometimes I just don’t know how good I am. You might have to remind me. Maybe over dinner or drinks.”
Grinning now, I bite my lip before responding, “That does sound nice. I don’t really date, though.”
“We could call it a confidence-boosting seminar.” His smile is full of mischief.
I chuckle, “Not sure I’m qualified for such a prestigious event. Perhaps we’ll have to try and see if I can live up to the reputation you’ve given me.”
“Definitely.”
He moves slowly, giving me a chance to pull away, but I’m curious about what he’s planning to do. Slowly, his fingers reach out to brush my hair back, not touching my skin at all. My scent must be strong right now, because I see his nostrils flare as he leans close to breathe me in. A small purr rumbles through me, startling me out of the moment. I can’t remember the last time I purred; it’s normally associated with touch, so it’s not something I’m used to doing.
I step back from Henry, and he respectfully leans back and takes his own space, silently giving me what I need. A grateful smile comes to my face, and now I’m looking forward to moretime with him. His instincts are spot on, and I really appreciate that. Although I’m grateful for his instinctual need to give me space, I’m still supremely embarrassed by my response to his closeness.
“Sorry, um, I didn’t mean to…”
Henry holds up one hand, palm toward me. “Hey, no need for explanation. I want to respect your space, and if you need more of it, then you need more of it.”
“Just like that?” My voice is small as I ask.
He nods. “Just like that.”
Unsure of what motivates me, I blurt out a thought to him. “I didn’t get much touch as a kid. Um, it’s why I started Touch Helpers.”
Henry’s face is a mix of sorrow and pride. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, but I’m grateful you started this business as a result. Something about you draws me in, and I hope that’s not too forward of me.”
“Thank you,” I reply, unsure of what else to say.
Placing his hands in his pockets, Henry takes another step back before speaking again. “See you next time?”
I open the door and give him a smirk. “Not if I see you first.”
His chuckle follows me out the door, and I find myself very pleased that I made him laugh.
seven
SIMON
Nerves are riding me hard as I make the final touches on the cafe. I’m pretty sure I’ve adjusted this fake plant twenty times, and I’m still not satisfied with it. Letting myself make one more adjustment, I abandon it to check in with my new staff. It looks like the two baristas are ready to go, the manager is here doing final checks, and the bakery case is fully stocked. I managed to get a deal with a local baker as a way to draw people in. This cafe is my first satellite location, and I want to make sure it has this city’s presence in it. The bakery is a local favorite, so it was a no-brainer for me.
“Everything looks good, boss,” my Beta manager, Tyler, tells me.
I take a deep breath, “I don’t know if we’ll get slammed or not today, but I did note down two customers who get a free drink if they stop in. Did you see that?”
He chuckles at me, “I did. Like I said, everything looks good. We’re ready to go.”
“Let’s do this.”
My feet carry me to the door of the shop, and I’m not surprised to see Victor standing there, a large grin on his face.I pull the chain on our neon “open” sign and unlock the door. Pulling it open, I can’t help but laugh at Vic’s excited smile.
“Fancy seeing you here,” I tell him.
“Hey, it’s basically required for me to be your first customer. I couldn’t resist!”
Waving him in, I direct him to where the ordering counter is. A few people follow behind him while I hold the door, and I make a point to greet all of them. When the last customer comes in, I let the door fall closed and go behind the counter to make sure things are running smoothly. My manager is taking orders while the baristas fill the first orders.
