“‘Fancying’? Who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend?”
He chuckled. “I’ll hang around outside while you finish up.”
I kept stealing glances at him out the window as he stood there. Whistling. With his hands in the pockets of his jeans. Every time he peeked over his shoulder, he winked at me. Like he didn’t have a care in the world. It made me smile, and puzzled me at the same time. What the hell had put him in such a good mood?
“Rae!”
“Yeah?”
“Time for your dinner break. Wrap it up and shut it down. You’ve got thirty minutes.”
I rang up my last customer and turned off my light. I made my way outside and threaded my arm through Clint’s, watching as he smiled down at me. A playful wink, a nod of his head, and away we went. Toward the coffee shop next door that he had practically claimed as his second home.
“Dare I ask what’s got you in such a good mood?”
He chuckled. “Let’s get some coffee first. You hungry?”
I sighed. “Starving.”
“What can I get for you two this afternoon?” the cashier asked.
Clint nodded. “Yes. I’d like two large caramel coffees made with rosewater, two of your ham and cheese sandwiches, two cinnamon rolls, two apples, and two packages of chips.”
The girl behind the counter smiled. “What kind of chips?”
I looked up at Clint. “Doritos for me.”
He nodded. “And salt and vinegar kettle chips for me.”
The cashier rang it all up. “Will that be all for this evening?”
Clint slid his wallet out. “Yes, it is. We’ll be sitting here, too. Thank you.”
We paid and got our stuff, then he escorted me over to a table in the corner. Near the window. Where the sun shone and lit up the table in front of us. He divvied out the food, pampering me in ways I’d never experienced with him. He opened up my chips and handed them to me. Passed me my sandwich, but unwrapped half of it first. I narrowed my eyes at him as he hummed to himself. I’d never seen Clint this happy in all the time I’d known him.
“Okay. Spit it out.”
Clint’s eyes met mine. “What?”
I snickered. “What do you mean, ‘what?’ Spit it out. What’s happened? What do I not know?”
He grinned. “Cecilia’s moving out.”
I blinked. “That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“You’re happy Cecilia’s moving out.”
“I am, yes. She’s found a great place on the other side of the high school. About ten minutes down the road. The front desk manager gave her a great price on the place.”
“And that’s why you’re whistling.”
“What’s wrong with whistling?”
“Other than the fact that I didn’t know you could do it? Nothing. I just figured—”
“I mean, she’s asked me to move with her, but you know. Semantics.”