“I’m just not built like that I guess.”
“If you brought someone, then no one would try to play matchmaker.”
He smirked. “That would require me bringing someone and since I don’t have anyone to bring, that doesn’t help.”
I laughed. “Poor Cyrus.”
“You have no idea.” His lips smiled as he joked with me. “Are you going? Who are you bringing?”
I let out a groan. “You’re not the only one trying to hide from the matchmaker. Jude and April were telling me about all the eligible bachelors.”
Cyrus’ eyes went hard for a second, and then he took a bite of his cupcake.
“What is it about people getting married that they try to get everyone else together?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Don’t know.”
I sighed. “I suppose they just want us to be happy.” I wondered why Jude and April didn’t mention that Cyrus would be there when they listed the eligible bachelors coming to their party. I didn’t ask if he was coming because I didn’t want to give away my interest in him. It could put them in a weird position if they knew I liked him but he didn’t like me.
“I’m happy. Enough,” he said.
I studied him. “Enough?”
He shrugged.
“You don’t want more? Incandescent happiness.”
He let out a loud laugh. I always felt like I won the lottery when he laughed at something I said, even if I didn’t mean it to be funny. He was always so serious, so seeing him laugh, seeing those dark eyes light up, was like a gift.
“I love your attitude, Petal. You’re like sunshin
e.”
My insides went all warm, but not from the lust that he usually sent coursing through me. No, this was because of something sweet he said.
I had a thought and wondered if I dared express it. “You know, Cyrus. Since we’re both dating adverse, maybe we could go together. Then there wouldn’t be any awkward introductions for us as they tried to hook us up with others.”
His brows lifted in intrigue. “I like how you think.” He leaned forward and took my hand. Electricity shivered over my skin. I’m sure my hairs were standing up.
“Petal, will you be my date to the Halloween party?”
The fairy tale princess inside of me heard, Petal, will you spend your life with me, because I was just that sort of crazy romantic. But I was able to overwrite the happily ever after scenario and focus on the agreement that we’d be each other’s plus one to avoid being set up by Jude and April.
“Why Cyrus, it would be my pleasure.”
He grinned, and it gave him a boyish aura that I didn’t see in him often. Mostly he looked like he could kill someone with his pinky. But now, with his grin, he looked sweet and soft, and kissable.
The bell over my door chimed and I cursed whoever was walking in to burst my bubble with Cyrus. It was a couple of women that came in several times a week. I had to be good to my regulars.
I stood. “You’ll give me the details?”
He nodded. “Let’s just say I’ll pick you up at seven. Sound good?”
“Sounds perfect.” I went to the counter to help the women, but my eyes were never long off Cyrus as he drank his coffee, ate his cupcake, and checked his phone. When he finished his food, I was helping another group of customers that came in.
He stood to leave, waving at me. I nodded my acknowledgement and then he left. I finished serving the customers and did some quick tidying up around the shop, sighing at another afternoon spent with Cyrus. I was going to go on a date with him. Sort of. I grinned at the idea of it even as I knew it was silly to feel like a schoolgirl. Even if Cyrus and I never became anything more than friends, I was okay with that. I really liked him as a person. I loved how he supported Jude and April when their lives seemed to be going up in smoke. I love how he was here everyday supporting my shop. Yes, if all I ever had of Cyrus was his friendship, I’d still be a very fortunate woman. But, a woman could hope to discover the wild heat that lived just under the surface with him.
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