“What are you doing here? You hate this place.”
“I was at the record store across the street and got hungry. Decided I might as well stop in and say hey. I miss you.” He stood up and gave her the biggest bear hug she had ever had. “I remembered just how much I missed you when I saw you last night.”
“Okay, okay. I can’t breathe,” she said through the laughter, and he tightened his hold. Even when he set her back down, he still didn’t quite let her go. “I’m sorry about last night. Callum Barker is an ass.” She leaned her head against his broad chest.
“Trust me. I know.”
“How?”
“We’ve run into each other a few times. He’s a prick and pretty much fucks anything with legs.”
“Sounds about like him.”
Although, it really didn’t. It didn’t sound like him at all. At least, not the Callumshe’d sat with after her shift. That Callum was a strict contrast to the one who had made himself known the previous night.
“Are you really planning on eating here?” Sam questioned as she looked around and into the other sections.
“Yeah.” Christian furrowed his brows in confusion. Her words came out in a rush. “Then do me a favor and stay over here in the back of my section.”
“Are you embarrassed by me?” Christian’s tone was clipped and full of anger.
“No. No. Absolutely not,” Sam quickly replied, trying to calm him.
“Why are you hiding me?”
“I’m not hiding you.” She groaned, knowing where this was headed. “Well, I kinda am, but only because Callum works here, too.” She wasn’t about to add that he was her boss.
“Callum? Callum Barker works here?”
“Yeah.”
Christian took a deep breath as he looked around. His voice was filled with frustration. “Don’t worry Sam, I promise not to kick his ass where you make your money.”
“How about we just don’t kick any ass whatsoever and go on with our day?” She gave him a cheesy smile, but the previously happy Christian was now in a foul mood.
“Don’t be mad,” she pleaded.
“Why do you think I’m mad?” He crossed his arms as he spoke.
She tilted her head and rolled her eyes. “Because you’re doing the thing.”
“What thing?” he asked.
“Getting all upset and moody and this.” She gestured to his crossed arms and clenched fists.
“I don’t want you working here anymore.”
She threw her hands up in the air. “See, I knew you would get like this.”
“I’m being honest. Quit. Come work with me at Papa Peet’s.”
“Christian, don’t be ridiculous. You barely even get on the schedule. They’re so slow I don’t even know how they stay in business. You say so almost every time you work.” Christian rolled his eyes. “I’ll grab you an application when I go by tonight.”
“I don’t want an application. I’m staying here.”
She didn’t want to admit that she might have been staying there because stupid Callum fucking Barker had made his house smell like her. And, for some reason, that made every nerve ending on her body stand up.
“I’ll drop it off on my way to class tomorrow. You should be able to be on the schedule by the weekend.”