Mark: You should call him. You were having fun with him, weren’t you? Two days wasn’t enough.
Cleo: There is going to be party tonight at the bay. Forget him, let’s go.
Between the two of them, Mark has always been the romantic one. He was the only one willing to watch rom-coms with me while Cleo was a hit-it-and-quit-it type of person. Neither of those helped me right now.
“Oh God,” I said as I clicked End so many times I was surprised the phone didn’t fall out of my hand.
I’d tried to call him. Why, Felicity, why? Dear God, the universe, Buddha, or whoever, please make sure that call didn’t go through.
Theo
Stopping on the sidewalk, I placed my hands on my knees, trying to breathe. My morning run helped empty my mind of everything, yet I was still annoyed. What the hell was wrong with me?
“Get it together, Theo,” I whispered. I stretched out the kink in my arm as a couple ran past me, laughing together. I could tell the woman was the runner of the two, and she’d slowed down to match the guy’s pace. But I was sure the only reason he was running so damn slow was because he kept looking at her.
Felicity was pretty fit. Does she run? Then again, she doesn’t really have any muscle to her. Between her job and the fact she didn’t eat much anytime I saw her….
“Fucking Christ.” I ran my hands through my hair. I couldn’t believe it. There was something wrong with me, I was sure of it.
Kicking off again, I took the long way home.
Felicity
Day 3
2:45 p.m.
He usually shows up toward the end of my shift.
“Felicity, table number three for you,” Rosemary said with two plates and a coffee mug in her hand as she headed off in the opposite direction of the diner.
He’d gotten my call.
Four was his table. I felt the urge to fix my hair. Walking around the counter, I tried to not make it look I was rushing toward him.
“God, I missed seeing you.”
Whatever hope or excitement I had in me disappeared at the sound of his voice. It wasn’t Theo. Instead, it was Petty Officer Lucas Jackson and his shipmates. He had come in here months ago, while their ship was docked. He stood at well over six feet with a perfect smile, a short brown buzz cut, and blue eyes. He was also the king of all cheesy lines everywhere. The first time he saw me, he’d said he hadn’t believed it was really the City of Angels until he saw my face. But he was nice and attractive.
“How’s it going, sailors?” I smiled politely at them, and they stared at me.
“These are my friends. I told them I’d found my future wife in a diner, and they didn’t believe me.”
“Really?” I poured them all a cup of coffee. “Well, congratulations! When’s the wedding?”
“Anytime after she finally agrees to go on a date with me.” He winked.
He really was sweet, always laughing and cheerful when he came in, but I didn’t feel anything for him. There was no spark. I didn’t see him and want to melt in his arms. I didn’t dream about kissing down his chest or gripping his ass as he fucked me across his couch. He was just cute Petty Officer Lucas Jackson.
I didn’t want cute. I wanted sinful.
“Felicity?”
“Sorry, boys. What can I get you?” I asked, putting down the pot and taking out a notepad.
“You know.” One of his friends leaned forward. “Our boy Lucas here is on the fast track to becoming chief one day soon. I bet you he could sweep you up off your feet. Would you trade the white sand beaches of California for Hawaii?”
“I’m going to get you boys some pie,” I said cheerfully as I turned back to the counter. Rosemary gave me a look, the do you want me to take over look, but I shook my head. They were harmless.