“Pleasant surprise.” I bumped my shoulder into his while my friends chatted with Sage. I felt some of their eyes on me, but I ignored them.
Sam moved over to us and smiled at Amos. “How have you been? It’s been a long time since high school. Mickey said you live in Boston.”
“It has been a long time. The years pass too fast. It’s nice to get a break from the city and visit Maplewood. How about you? So exciting about your ice cream shop.”
I envied Amos’s conversational skills. He seemed to always know what to say to keep people talking and managed to include everyone around him. But what I appreciated most was that he didn’t try and force me to talk. He made eye contact with me, and I felt like a part of the conversation, but he didn’t push me to engage. Just as my friends always did with me.And there I go, falling for Amos even more.
“Your ice cream is delicious. I could eat my weight in the mocha almond fudge.” Amos closed his eyes and hummed.
“He keeps finishing off my pints,” Sage teased.
“Sam and I were just talking about how they’re expanding to serve several flavors of hot chocolate.”
Amos’s eyes widened. “We should add that to the event menu!”
All the music and chatter fell away as I smiled at Amos. “That’s exactly what I said. I told Sam we’d find a time to visit them and talk about it.”
Amos’s enchanting smile made my heart skip a beat.
“Perfect.”
Soon, my friends had roped Amos and Sage into a game of darts. While Alex explained the rules, I kept stealing glances at Amos. It was surreal to have him hanging out with my crew.
“Is this a Red’s versus Sparky’s game? I’ve got ten on Team Red’s.”
I turned toward the unfamiliar voice and saw a guy who came into the diner fairly regularly.
“I’ll put ten on Team Sparky’s,” his friend said.
My group was a mix of diner neutral, Team Red’s, and Team Sparky’s people. I couldn’t care less what their allegiance was. Hell, a Red’s versus Sparky’s dart game might’ve been fun if it hadn’t been suggested by someone else interrupting our time together. It did nothing but remind me that our gathering wasn’t just a guy I liked getting to know my friends, but Amos Flynn of Sparky’s Diner hanging out with the enemy.
As my friends sorted themselves into teams to take the bet, I sought out Amos and found him looking at me. I wasn’t in the mood for a Red’s versus Sparky’s game with random townies making bets, so I jerked my head toward the bar, and he nodded. Wordlessly, we made our escape with no one seemingly the wiser.
Moments later, we slid onto the same stools we’d occupied on Halloween. Had that only been five weeks ago?
“I was talking to a friend the other night and tried explaining the diner rivalry to him and how this town is obsessed with it. He didn’t get it.”
I nodded. “People who’ve never experienced it just don’t.”
After placing an order for another pitcher, Amos leaned close as people chatted loudly around us. It gave me an opportunity to inhale the woodsy scent of his soap. My body physically reacted to the memory of breathing in that scent while feeling his lips pressed against mine and his hand on my dick.
“I was thinking we should hang out. Outside of festival work, I mean.”
Flutters rippled through my chest. “I’ve been thinking the same thing. What do you have going on tomorrow night? I’ve got the night off and can cook us dinner.”
Amos hooked his teeth over his bottom lip and smiled. “If yourcheeseis on the menu, I’ll be there.”
MAPLEWOOD MATTERS BLOG
DECEMBER 6
The Striped Maple was the place to be last night for Sparky’s and Red’s loyalists. Witnesses say there was a dart game of Team Red’s versus Team Sparky’s, but the most interesting part of this report is that Mickey Brewer of Red’s and Amos Flynn of Sparky’s were seen off to the side talking together.
Late-night Christmas Eve Community Dinner planning for the Holiday Hoopla? Bridge-building between diners? Or something else? Maybe they’re putting their differences aside until the next recreational hockey game. Team Sparky’s plays Team Red’s on Tuesday at 7 p.m. See you there!
SEVENTEEN
MICKEY
