“Sounds good to me.”
“Good thing because I wasn’t asking,” Isaac said but then leaned into my shoulder. “Just messing with you. I get so used to matching energy with Jack I forget to turn it off.”
“I get it.” But I didn’t really. I usually tried to keep things on the mellow side while he and Jack were always poking at each other hoping for a big reaction.
“Good, then I don’t have to explain it,” he said, going right back to his snippy self.
“Nope, no need to explain,” I said. “So, when did you start at the dryer?”
“Today. I thought I was going for an interview, but the manager decided I needed to work there and offered me the job. I’ve had way worse jobs around here.”
“Oh god. I remember in high school taking a few jobs that I never want to do again.”
“Yeah? What did you do?” He turned to look at me then and there it was, that curious look that was exactly what drew me to him.
“Well, I tried scraping the bottom of boats in the lake.”
“What grows on the bottom of them?” Isaac asked.
I shrugged and pulled his arm up with mine. “No clue. I only lasted a day. It was as hot as Satan’s ass, and they paid by the boat which wasn’t all that much.”
“I worked at one of the farms cleaning stalls,” Isaac said. “It was nasty. I lasted two days. The animals were cute but the shit, not so much.”
“I wasn’t here that long, so I didn’t get to try out too many horrible jobs. I’ve heard the fields are tough. Did you ever do that?”
“No. And it is tough plus you gotta be fast. I didn’t think I could handle being out in the sun all day either.” He led us to the front of the café and inside. The waitress acknowledged us before Isaac walked over to a table and we sat down. I tried not to stare at Isaac, but he had the kind of face that made it hard to look away. Dark blonde hair, beautiful green eyes, and a smile that was full of mischief.
I shook my head and forced my eyes on the café instead. “I haven’t eaten here since I left.” It all looked similar but updated. I thought they’d kept it in the family, but I wasn’t sure I knew who was running it now.
“It’s always good. I don’t like eating here alone though so I usually get it to go or sometimes Jack will have lunch with me if he can get away from the hardware store. You’d think it was hisstore the way he’s always there and always so concerned about it.”
“I thought they both owned it?”
“Yeah, I think they do. If they don’t then Hudson got lucky with Jack. Hell, he got lucky any way you look at it.” His eyes tightened but just then the waitress came over and gave us our menus.
“Just flag me down when you’re ready to order,” she said and walked over to the table next to us.
“What do you mean?”
“Huh?” Isaac asked and looked up from his menu.
“What did you mean Hudson got lucky?”
“Oh that.” His lips drew together in a tight line, and he focused a little too hard on the menu.
“Yeah that,” I said and put my hand over the menu. “What do you mean?”
He blew out a breath and glanced around us before leaning close. “Jack and I were messing around before Hudson moved to town and I miss it,” he said and clearly meant it.
“I thought you were just friends?”
“We are, and we were. We weren’t in love or anything, but he definitely scratched an itch, and I just miss that we could fuck and still be friends. There were no strings attached. I guess that’s why I came on kinda strong to you. I’m sorry about that by the way.”
My mind wandered back to that night in December. We’d gone together to Jack’s Christmas party and after we left there we’d ended up at Isaac’s house. We barely knew each other, but I knew there was more to him than what he showed everyone else. As soon as we walked in, he’d jumped into my arms and kissed me. I’d wanted him so bad, my mind was clouded with lust. But then our eyes met. And I knew, I could love this man.
“Tig?”
“Sorry, I was a million miles away,” I said and picked up the menu.
