Page 67 of The Overdue Kiss

“No.” It’s an easy answer. I’ve never been interested or even tempted to be in a relationship until I met the woman sitting across from me. “I’m only interested in girls that flag me down with flares.”

Maya blushes, ducking her head away. “You will never let that go, will you?”

“Nope.” My thumb brushes over her skin again as I keep the rest of my sentence bottled inside.

Nor do I want to let you go either.

Chapter Fifteen

My pen scratches noisily as I cross off another completed project on my to-do list. Each checkmark slightly eases the weight in my stomach. I press back in the driver’s seat and sigh, thankful to finally be making some progress.

Now that we have the historical society’s approval, it’s all on me to implement the new changes as fast as possible. It’s tricky, like juggling balls, to keep everything in motion and not let them collide or drop them in the process.

Thanks to Reese, the library has finally been updated to the modern era and has its own high-speed internet installed. She plans to stop by this afternoon to clean up her demo work and install the guest Wi-Fi. So, hopefully I’ll have another checkbox after that’s complete.

Tristen should be there too, having arrived early this morning to set up the new computers and tablets before the bar opens. I’m worried if he can teach Mr. Sherman how to use them. Based on his old-school flip phone, it’s going to be one crazy learning curve.

Once my bookmobile shift is over, I’ll start the new layout for a children’s corner. I check the time on the bus’s dashboard and suck in a breath at the late afternoon hour. It’s been a full day at the school. Fridays are the most popular with the elementary teachers, as they like to bring their students in after a long week, which filled my entire day.

Now that I’ve cleaned up from that, I take a few pictures for the library’s website to help promote my bookmobile project and email those to Ms. Anderson.

I check another box off my list.

Students pour out of the school, their ginormous backpacks stuffed to the brim as they start their trek home. It boggles my mind that they all live close enough that transportation isn’t provided.

A few teenagers wave as they cross in front of me, some of them Des’s students. I wave back, enjoying the friendly atmosphere. I’ll miss this when I return to Golden.

My throat clenches, and I brush the thought away. I promised myself I wouldn’t think about it and instead focus my energy on the renovation.

Then I see him, the sunbeams reflecting off his leather jacket and winking at me. His blond curls bounce with each step, his eyes downcast on his phone. Probably trying to schedule his next ride with his friends.

I lean forward with a dreamy sigh, resting my chin on the steering wheel to keep him in my line of sight.

Beeep!I jerk back from the horn, having accidentally hit it with my clipboard.

In a panic, I scan the parking lot, hoping nobody noticed. But Des makes eye contact with me just as I sink down bonelessly in my seat. What are the chances he doesn’t realize I was staring at him this whole time?

Just when I think the coast is clear, he knocks on the bus’s door, startling a yelp from me. I force a smile before swinging the door open.

“Hey.” His lips wiggle as he fights to hold in a smile. “You honked for me? You know you can just text.”

“It was an accident.”

He takes one step in.

“And here I thought you were going to ask me to meet you at the cafe before we head to the library?”

“That would be pretty forward of me.”

“I have it on good authority that I’d say yes if you did.”

He takes another step, waiting.

“I’m actually still working. I have a few more things to check off the list before I can go.”

“Oh.” His swagger slips.

“But I’ll think on what you said.”

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