He didn’t notice me sitting near the windows, and I almost said his name, but hesitated. It occurred to me I’d never seen Julian interacting with anyone else before. It was like the ultimate people-watchingexperience.
“Morning, Jules,” Ash said. “Pumpkinlatte?”
Julian nodded. “Extra pumpkin,please.”
“You know, I don’t think monsoon is the word you mean,” Cal said, tilting his head to one side. “Monsoons are wet.Rainy.”
“Oh.” Julian shrugged. “I was sure it just meant any kind of wind. My bad. A gale, maybe. Either way,freakinwindy.”
Cal laughed, but I frowned. Julian was right. Why didn’t he stick up forhimself?
Ash handed Julian two coffees, and Julian frowned. “Two?”
“One’s for your man over there.” Ash lifted his chin in my direction with a grin and Julian whirled to faceme.
“Oh. Hey!” His cheeks went pink and he gave me a little wave. “I didn’t know you were still here. I mean, I saw you, earlier on the street, but I was with my mom and I figured you’d already be gone, so…ah…”
He looked back at Ash and Cal like he realized we still had an audience. He grabbed the coffees and approached my littletable.
Without thinking, I stood up as he approached. It was just good manners or something, not a conscious decision. But that meant we both stood by the table awkwardly when he reached me. Was I supposed to kiss him? The idea made my breathstutter.
“Um. Here.” He thrust one of the coffees in mydirection.
I smiled because I couldn’t help it. He was so adorable—all competent and put-together in his pea coat, jeans, and button-down shirt, but just a little bit nervous, aswell.
“Thanks,” I said. I leaned forward, telegraphing with my eyes what I was about to do, and gave him a quick peck on thecheek.
That was boyfriendly, right?Casual.
Except he smelled really good—like something dark and spicy. His cheek was just the littlest bit prickly under my lips, like he’d missed a spot shaving. And that close, I found a tiny freckle right at the apex of his cheekbone that I’d never seen before, no matter how many times I’d looked at him. I found my hand tightening on my coffee cup and I didn’t back away immediately, even though I knew Ishould.
In the end, Julian was the one who took a step back, looking flustered and almost fevered, and plunked himself in the chair next to mine. He took off his coat and draped it over the back of hischair.
“At the risk of sounding like Marta,” Ash said. “You guys really are a cutecouple.”
Julian flushed a darkred.
I looked away and took my seat again. Clearly, I sucked at keeping boyfriendly thingscasual.
“So how’ve you been, Jules?” Cal asked, cleaning off the countertop with a rag. “We haven’t seen youmuch.”
“Ah, yeah,” Julian said, taking a sip of his coffee. “I’ve been busy. At theclinic.”
“Uh huh.” Ash came around the counter, a white bakery box clutched in his hand. He set it on the table between Julian and me. “A dozen fresh tartlets. Plenty of pumpkin, since they’reJulian’sfavorite.”
Julian glanced at me and blushed even deeper. It was funny, but it wasn’t. And what seemed like low-level embarrassment at Ash’s teasing, I was pretty sure was actually high-key mortification at the fact that he was lying to everyone. I felt it too, and I barely knew thesepeople.
“Excuse me, Ashley.” Cal folded his arms over his chest and watched his partner steadily. “What were you saying not five minutes ago about O’Learians being abnormally involved in other folks’business?”
Ash gave Cal a wink and walked back around thecounter.
“Anyway, I think you’re doing great at adjusting to O’Leary, Daniel, all things considered,” Cal told me. “Not all of us are super-friendly extroverts who like people besides our own boyfriends, even if we’ve lived here our wholelives.”
Ash laughed out loud. “Well, I don’t care if you’re cranky with the world, boyfriend. At least you admit you likeme.” He grabbed Cal by the hips so they were facing oneanother.
“Like that was ever in doubt.” Cal rested his hands on Ash’schest.
Ash did nothing more than gaze down at his partner with a soft smile—totally G-rated, nothing to see here, folks—and Cal ran a finger over Ash’s chin in a simple gesture that was like sealing a promise. But the look they shared was so unbearably intimate, I felt myself go hot, and I had to turn away for asecond.
