“Size?” I muttered.
“Large.”
“Good to know,” Nic nudged my arm with a wink. “How about the drink?”
“Hedidmean the drink,” I spoke low through my teeth but heard Troy clear his throat to cover a snicker.
“Coming right up.” Nic turned on her heel and got busy on his drink special.
“Four fifty, please.”
His gaze was intense as he took me in. I wore my hair up in a bun since I didn’t have a chance to wash it this morning. My black apron tied over the same clothes I wore yesterday, which Troy had dried for me just a few hours before, and nothing but tinted moisturizer on my un-made-up olive skin.
He handed me a hundred.
“Nothing smaller?” I asked in my mastered resting bitch face.
“Sorry, no.”
I handed him the change and he slipped it all into the tip jar.
“Oh, extra whip for you, buddy,” Nic called behind me. Man, that girl didn’t miss a thing.
I rolled my eyes and looked behind Troy. “What are you doing here, Troy?”
He slipped his hands in his pocket and I watched his jaw move tightly. “I wanted to say thank you. For yesterday. You didn’t have to—well you could have just let me get arrested or walk the streets embarrassing myself but instead, you helped.”
“You’re welcome.” I glanced behind him again, anxious for more customers—or anyone.
“I’m sorry, did I do something to upset you? I mean besides the obvious?”
“Nope, all good. Please step aside.”
“But I haven’t got my coffee yet.”
“Fine. But you can’t keep dropping by here unannounced.”
His smirk was wide and gorgeous beyond admission. “I think I have a right to since you ended up crashing on my couch last night.”
My teeth clenched as Nic appeared beside me and muttered, “Nothing happened, huh?”
I shot her a glare and she jerked. “What? His version’s way better than yours.” She turned to Troy and lowered her voice. “Tell me more. Was she naked?”
He smirked. “No she wasn’t...”
My eyes met his silently begging him not to finish that sentence.
“Hmm…” Nic turned back to the coffee machine. “You know, Harp, it’s impolite to sleep on someone’s couch in street clothes.”
“Nicole,” I snapped, making her toss me a mischievous smile and turn back to the milk steamer.
He leaned closer over the counter. “She’s right, you know. You could haveaskedto borrow something of mine.”
“Fine, next time I sneak into your apartment in the late hours, I’ll be sure to give you a good shake to ask for your hospitality.”
Our eyes seem to dance in a competitive way as we stared each other down. As if he wondered what his next move should be. He broke first and looked at the menu. “Nice hoop sketch. Yours?”
“Yes. Here’s your coffee. Have a nice day.” I sputtered before Nic offered any more unsolicited comments his way.
