“Really,” she shoved me back out into the dining area.
I walked back over to the trucker guy and held back a gasp. He’d taken off his hat and I realized he was the same guy I saw days ago in Autumn Wonder.
He was the sexiest man I’d ever seen in my life. Hands down.
His big blue eyes were glistening underneath the bakery’s bright lighting and his silky brown hair was more defined today, more curly, and I saw that he had dimples, something I didn’t notice the other day.
Why is he smiling at me? And why do I feel warm inside?
I set his plate on the table and pulled a few napkins from my apron. I tried to say, “Here is your cobbler, did you want ice cream on the side?” but no words came out.
I couldn’t stop staring at his face, taking in his perfectly sculpted features. I started to wonder how his lips would feel against mine, if he could—
“Did you figure out what the best thing on the menu was?”
I should say something witty right now…Something like, “Me”…No, that’s too bold, makes it seems like I’m trying too hard…Why the hell am I thinking about my next words? I’m not shy!
“Yes?” he interrupted my thoughts and smiled his pearly whites again.
“Um…Cherry bourbon pie?”
“Sounds great. Can I get a whole box of that to go and a cup of your best coffee blend?”
I nodded and bolted for the kitchen.
I didn’t understand what was going on. I never got nervous around men. Ever. Not around Brad Pitt. Not around Channing Tatum. Not around Ian Somerhalder.
I couldn’t believe some random stranger in khakis was affecting me.
I took my time preparing a blend of our house favorite: Heritage. It was the mildest of the coffees, but it had a spicy cinnamon undertone that all my mom’s regulars loved. I boxed up the biggest cherry bourbon pie, took the coffee pot off the brew pad, and braced myself before going back into the dining room.
He’s just a regular guy…a regular sexy guy…keep it together!
He watched me as I approached him, and I had to control every muscle in my body to make sure I didn’t blush.
“This is the heritage blend,” I avoided his eyes as I poured the coffee. “It’s the house favorite, but it’s also extremely hot so make sure you let it cool for a few seconds.”
I heard a familiar laugh outside the window and immediately looked up: Taylor and Jessica were strolling by hand in hand and she looked like she was nine months pregnant. Nine. Months. Pregnant.
I need to go out there and confront them! Right now! How dare they do this to me? How can they still be together? The audacity! The gall! The nerve!
Jessica must’ve called me a million times after I caught her and Taylor going behind my back, but I didn’t pick up once. I couldn’t.
I listened to all her apologetic voicemails, read all her remorseful messages, but I was always too hurt to respond.
I tried not to scream as I watched the two of them walk down the street, as I watched them lean on each other, laughing. I wondered what they were talking about, if they ever discussed how wrong they both were when it came to me.
All of a sudden, I felt a hand tightly squeezing my wrist. I looked down and saw that I’d poured the entire pot of coffee into the sexy stranger’s lap.
“Shit! I mean, oh my god! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” I dropped the steel pot into his lap and watched as his soft blue eyes darkened and flamed with anger.
“Water…Water…Now,” his voice was a breathless whisper, but his eyes were blazing.
“I said I was sorry. It’s not like I tried to pour it on you,” I rolled my eyes. “And I specifically told you it was hot! Why didn’t you listen? You didn’t feel anything until the pot was completely empty? I think you should’ve jumped up a long time ago! I refuse to take the blame for your—”
He tightened his grip on my arm and narrowed his eyes. “Water…Now.”
“Right,” I ran into the kitchen and filled two pitchers with ice. I held them under the tap until they overflowed and rushed back out to the seating area.
I went back to his table and dumped the first pitcher of ice water into his lap, watching him squirm in discomfort. And then, seconds later—although he seemed to be calming down somewhat, I dumped the second one on him.
He groaned and swore under his breath. He balled both of his fists and didn’t look up at me.
Whoa…He must be really mad…He looks even sexier when he’s mad…
“I really am sorry,” I cleared my throat. “I know it wasn’t completely your fault but…you definitely could’ve gotten up before I poured the whole pot on you. You didn’t feel those first few drops at all?”
He shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh. “Un-fucking-believable...”
He grabbed the ledge of the table and slowly stood up. He took a wet twenty out of his pocket and placed it on the table. He grabbed his pink to-go box and finally looked me in my eyes. “Thank you very much.”
I heard the bell over the door ring as he walked out.
Chapter 10