Page 39 of Reluctantly Rogue

“I know.”

“I haven't had these since I left the U.S..”

“I know.”

“How do you know?”

I think about that, but I shrug. “I'm not sure. I guess I heard you and Torin talk about them. I know that you miss them a lot. Just like you miss your favorite coffee and pizza and your gym, and your friends and family, and bowling.”

He staring at me as if he's never seen me before.

“You know all that?” He says it softly, almost as if he doesn't mean to say it out loud.

I set the cookies down in front of him. “Yeah.”

“And you went to all this trouble.”

“Well, you gave up so much to come here. To help Torin. You gave up almosteverything,” I say.

This has struck me several times in the time I've known him. Yes, when he and Torin have gone back to the states, which does happen periodically when Torin gets restless or frustrated, Jonah is able to see his friends and family, and probably gets the pizza and coffee that he's missed. But he does spend large chunks of time here in Cara, far away from all of the things that he loved and grew up with. “Besides,” I add. “It’s your birthday.”

He's staring at the cookies, but then he lifts his head.

“You are…extraordinary.”

I scoff and dip my head. “Come on. They’re just cookies.”

“They are. But they’re cookies that took you paying attention. And then going to a lot of trouble.”

“You go to a lot of trouble for me all the time.”

“It's my job.”

I lift my head and meet his gaze. “Is it?”

Of course it is. But a little part of me feels almost hurt that he would brush off the things he does for me simply as being something he's paid to do.

But there's a bigger part of me that knows that that's not entirely true. I don't know where that confidence comes from, but I know it. There are little things he does for me all the time that show he's paying attention. That he's taken inventory of things that I like and need. Even without me having to say a word. Do I believe that Jonah Greene is exceptionally good at his job? Yes, of course. But do I think he goes above and beyond for me? Yes.

And has that given me confusing feelings when I let myself think about it too much?

Absolutely.

Which is why I don't think about it often.

But right now, it's staring me in the face.

“You do this for a lot of people,” he finally says.

“What do you mean?”

“Like at the pub,” he says. “You don't just know who Molly and Shannon are, but you actually know things about them, don’t you?”

I frown, confused. “Of course.”

“You probably know several people who go there regularly, too. And you know things about them as well.”

He's not wrong, but I don't say anything. I just watch him.

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