Page 22 of Hooked
“Are you willing to help me or not? I need to get down to wooing quickly if I’m going to convince Tayla to stay in Metlin.”
“You think you can woo that woman into staying in this town instead of moving to San Francisco?”
“I can try.”
Gus nodded slowly, a smile curving the corner of his mouth. “You get your confidence from me. It’s good you asked.”
Jeremy felt a kernel of dread. “You know what? I can do this. I’m just going to ask her out and see what happens. I mean, what’s the worst—?”
“You gonna leave this to chance? Not for this girl, Jeremy Allen. We’re gonna make you a plan.”
Plans were good but… “Why do I feel like I’m going to regret this?”
“Probably the same reason I feel you’re gonna mess it all up,” Pop muttered. “Now finish your dinner and I’ll teach you how to woo.”
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Chapter Five
The buzzof Ox’s tattoo needle hummed in the background, Emmie was helping an older customer find a new mystery series, and Tayla sipped a latte while she sat on a barstool and messed with the accounts.
She and Emmie had made up because of course they had. They’d been best friends for years. Emmie apologized for not taking the news about Tayla moving well and promised not to sabotage her interviews.
But Tayla could tell her best friend was still displeased about the idea of Tayla moving.
She was totaling end-of-month merchandise sales in the computer when Jeremy walked through the door.
She looked up and gave him a smile. “Hey!”
“Hi.” The corner of his mouth was curled up and his beard was freshly trimmed. He wore a pair of dark jeans, purple canvas Vans, and a blackCitizen of WakandaT-shirt under a grey vest.
Damn, the man was hot. Just… hot. Mouthwateringly, infuriatingly attractive on every level.
He leaned over the counter and grabbed her cup of coffee. “Latte?”
“Yes.” She narrowed her eyes when he took a drink.
“Mmm.” He licked his lips and set her cup down. “Nice.”
“Did you come over here just to steal my coffee?” It was presumptuous and… also kind of hot. “Or did you need to talk to Em?”
“What are you doing this weekend?”
“Farmers’ market on Saturday and movie marathon on Sunday with Ethan, Emmie, and Ox. Want to join us?”
“I have Sunday dinner in the mountains with my parents, but how about we go out Saturday afternoon after the market?”
“Yeah, that sounds fun.” The email notice binged on her computer, and Tayla looked at the screen. “Who all’s coming?”
“Just you and me.” He grabbed a hard candy from the bowl by the register. “Pick you up at four?”
Tayla looked away from her computer. “Wait, what?”
“Four works for me.” He popped a yellow hard candy in his mouth. “Does four work for you?”
“When?”
“On Saturday?”
