Turning abruptly, he grabbed the mug from under the machine. “Noted, I won’t say it again.”
I mumbled a short thanks and twisted my fingers together as I waited for him to bring me my coffee. When he did, I was surprised to see that he’d brought it black. Taking it, I took an immediate sip then blinked up at him. “How’d you know?”
“Know?” He raised an eyebrow.
“How I take my coffee?” I said, ducking behind the cup. “Most people assume I like it sweet.”
“Ah,” he nodded. His gaze did that trickling thing again, lookingat me unashamedly for a long second. He smiled, and I was embarrassed to admit that the pull of his lips made me burn. “I was under the impression that nothing between us was sweet, Boss.”
Coffee sputtered up my nose and I choked on it messily. Grinning, he grabbed a piece of paper towel and brought it over. As he leaned over to set it on the table, he admitted, “We have the same coffee order. I noticed when you brought us Delia’s once.”
“Oh.” I cleared my throat, quickly wiping my face. “Makes sense.”
“Are you finally going to tell me what’s got you so angry?”
I dropped my eyes. “I’m sorry I haven’t been so professional lately. You shouldn’t have to deal with it.”
He shrugged, but his gaze stayed zeroed in on me. “Does it have something to do with the plants again? Cause the HOA agreed to that grass shit you pitched last time, I’m sure they would?—”
I smiled, a laugh escaping my throat as I relaxed into the chair. I was grateful that, at the very least, Harper wasn’t holding a grudge over my crazy actions. I bet anyone else would be appalled at my behavior, but I could admit that it was different with him.
He didn’t expect me to beNice Alta. Sure, he knew that’s how I usually was, but he also didn’t startle when I slipped into something different. Even though it was annoying that he tended to joke around when I wanted to be serious, there was at least that much camaraderie between us. I actually found that I depended on that.
“Now that’s a new one,” he said softly, watching me with an unnerving level of intent.
“What?” I asked.
“You smiling at me,” he said.
I frowned. “That is so not true… Is it?”
He didn’t dignify that with a response, instead just straightening up and saying, “You good then?”
My back straightened in surprise. “You’re leaving?”
“Is there a reason I should stay?” he asked. “You ready to talk or something?”
I shook my head, letting my eyes drop. “Uh, no reason, just curious.”
He hummed, sounding like he didn’t believe me even as he said, “I’ll leave you to it then. I’m out front if you need me.”
“Okay—Hey, Harper?” I said, testing his name again. Pausing, he slipped a look over his shoulder. I gave him a small smile. A real, if not weak one. “Thank you.”
He gave me a real smile in return. Not one of his infuriating teasing ones either. But a soft one. One that felt intimate in a way, just before he turned and started out the door.
“Anytime, Alta.”
An hour later—warmer and in a much better headspace—we were all out front like usual. I’d slinked out of the back room minutes before the rest of the shop got in for their day, keeping my head down to avoid Harper’s gaze.
The scene with him earlier had been embarrassing. That’s the only plausible explanation why my heart was pounding faster now when I looked at him.
Still, I kept a good distance from him for the rest of my hour. And doing so, I actually completed the work I planned for Ink and Mar this week in that time span. I was almost ready to pack up and leave, but as I stared at the board in front of me, something was off.
“Harper?”
“Tattooing, Boss,” his deep voice called from the back of the shop.
I frowned. Since when? Didn’t he usually have this hour free? Ifrowned even deeper. Had he started booking our hour now, even though we decided on this time every week to dedicate toward these appointments?
