Another customer walks in and the chiming of the doorbell snaps us out of our trance.
Johnny fishes into his pocket and pulls out a twenty. “For hers, too.” He turns and walks out without saying another word.
I watch him the whole time, completely confused by every single thing he does. He’s so hot and cold, it’s like I’ll never figure him out.
I shake my head and go back to my food. When I glance up, Bram is grinning.
“Don’t even think about it,” I tell him.
He throws up his hands and laughs. “I’ve been known to be a pretty good matchmaker in my day.”
“Nope, not with that one.” I bite off a piece of the bacon.
“Ah, he’s not so terrible, is he?”
“He’s got bad boy written all over him.” Not to mention, he’s treated me mostly like shit since the second our paths crossed. I can’t exactly tell Bram that, considering he thinks Johnny and I just met sixty seconds ago.
"That's a cover up. There's a lot more to him than what meets the eye." Bram seems genuine in his defense of Johnny. "I've known him since he was this tall." He holds his hand somewhere close to the floor where I can't see behind the counter.
Maybe Bram does have a different insight into him than I do, but that still doesn't excuse his behavior toward me. Plus, the whole,we can’t be friendsthing.
“You should give him a chance. Maybe consider it, at the very least.” Bram grabs onto the towel from the counter and slings it over his shoulder. “He could use someone like you in his life.”
His last statement sits with me long after he walks away to tend to the other customers.
What does he mean, someone like me?