Page 35 of Leo and His Love Bunny

That’s something else that’s been in the back of my mind. Offering food in addition to cupcakes. Soup and sandwiches, easy stuff that wouldn’t take a whole lot of time, except... It will probably take at least one more employee, unless I start working a lot more hours. Which I don’t want to do. I’ve had people asking here and there, but to get three requests in one morning is a little unusual.

“Breakfast wraps wouldn’t be hard. And it would go well with the coffee you already serve. You should really think about it.” Francine Ryan gathers up two cupcakes in one hand and her coffee in the other.

“I’ll think about it. I am feeling a little overwhelmed at how quickly things are growing. I probably ought to make sure that I don’t drop any balls before I start adding more to them.”

“I’d be in here every morning if you did,” Francine says as she turns and starts walking out the door. It opens from the outside, and she almost stumbles as the door is pulled out from underneath her shoulder.

My heart does a flip in my chest, and my fingers start to tingle as I see Leo standing beside the door holding it for Francine who looks up at him, and for the first time I’ve ever noticed, she becomes speechless.

Her mouth opens and closes about three times before she manages to stutter out, “Thank you,” and blink her eyes. Miss Francine is fifty if she’s a day, and Leo is maybe thirty-five.

I suppose there have been lots of September-May romances, and theirs could be another epic one, but it just seems a little much.

But I suppose that’s the way I look when I look at Leo. He has that effect on pretty much everyone.

But I’m the one who’s working with him. I’m the one who had the paper airplane contest with him. And I also beat him. Which I don’t want to rub it in, because that just doesn’t seem like a kind thing to do. But still, I did.

And I’m the one to whom he is smiling now.

I try not to flutter my eyes and allow my mouth to open and close like a fish on land.

I don’t know if I accomplished it, but I go for casual when I return his good morning.

“I wanted to introduce you to my friend Cal,” he says as he walks up to the counter. There is a break in the morning rush, almost as though the sea has parted for Leo to come in.

I look at the man beside him, realizing that up until that second, I hadn’t even noticed that a second person had come into the shop. So much for casual and unaffected.

“Hey, Cal,” I say, managing to retrieve the name that Leo just mentioned.

“Good to meet you, Nora. I’ve heard you’re a killer at paper airplane contests. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who’s been able to beat Leo. Congratulations,” he says, with his hand offered across the counter.

I shake his hand. Bemused. Leo talked about our paper airplane contest?

I glance at Leo, who is grinning and seems proud of me. Like he discovered me or something. I don’t know what to say, so I just lift my brows and say, “He’ll probably beat me next time.”

“I’ll be practicing until then,” Leo says, and Cal laughs.

“Truer words have not been spoken. Leo doesn’t like to lose.”

I had gotten that impression, although he seemed to take losing to me okay. But maybe he will practice until he can beat me. I’m not competitive, so I kinda shrug my mental shoulders and think that I’ll enjoy having more contests, whether I win or lose.

Cal doesn’t give me time to think about it. Instead he asks, “What do you think about anteaters?”

Before I can think to answer, Leo breaks in. “We’ll both have the banana peanut butter cupcake, and we’ll take two coffees. Black.”

I make a note of that: he drinks his coffee black.

“Anteaters?” I ask, trying to tear my eyes from Leo. I hadn’t even realized I was staring.

Cal’s eyes light up and he nods. “They’re an underrepresented animal group. You can adopt a single anteater or an entire family as a pet.”

“Not a normal pet,” Leo breaks in, and I get the impression he’s protecting me. I’m not sure from what? Anteaters? His friend?

“How so?” I ask as I hand him his coffee, glad that we haven’t had any other customers come in. Although normally that would not be a good thing, for right now, with Leo here, all I want to do is stand and talk to him, and I don’t want to have to deal with any distractions, including customers. Some businesswoman I am.

“You don’t have it in your house. It’s like you’re supporting it the way some people support children in Africa. So, it’s the bestof both worlds. You support your anteater, get pics and videos of it, and it gets to stay in its home environment, doesn’t have to leave its home, but still has all the care and attention it needs because of the money you send.”

“I see.” I wonder if anteaters have issues getting enough ants to eat. Maybe they’d be happier in a different country if the country they’re currently living in is experiencing a shortage. I don’t say this, though.

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