Page 47 of Known By You
Highly unanticipated.
“Did you have a good day off?”
The man everyone lovingly referred to as Cookie asked me this casually as he perused a selection of, as it happened, beautiful-looking cookies on the table in the break room. I finished filling my mug full of mid-afternoon coffee and turned to him.
Cookie was a deeply laughable name for this man—Luc fit far better. But so far, I’d rarely heard anyone call him Luc, whereas other people consistently got called by theirreal name. It seemed to vary, and I hadn’t been here long enough to know who preferred what.
Luc looked far more like a dark fairy prince than he did a baked good, though I could recognize not everyone’s nicknames were given based on appearances.
For example, Barbie failed to catch any of Kenny’s ridiculous good looks. Also, was that a L. Leroy watch? I’d had an asset obsessed with watches and he’d droned on about them. I didn’t recall much other than they were a French company and most of their watchesstartedaround fifteen thousand euros.
Again, it wasn’t as though these people were working for scraps, but that was extravagant by any measure. Maybe it’d been handed down?
Anyway…
“Uh, yes. Yeah. I—” The awkwardness of how I’d pushed myself on this man’s friend struck me and if I’d been walking, I might’ve tripped. “Kenny showed me around a bit. Silverton is a cool little town.”
This was likely the lamest way I’d ever described a place, but what else could I say?I loved spending time with your bff and I’m falling for your town, but I also foisted myself upon a man who’s been nothing but friendly and generous to me and I’m pretty sure I flushed all the good feelings between us down the toilet. Oh and, I’m gnawing my cuticles off as I wait for news from my real life and real job so I can get back to it, which makes all the rest of this irrelevant anyway.
No. Of course not.
“It is. I like it far more than I imagined I would.” Cookie smiled, his gaze softening as he finally selected an item from the tray and slipped it onto a napkin.
I wanted to ask him if he’d talked to Kenny—if he knewwhy his friend hadn’t shown up today. But if I did that, it would be obvious I’d been wondering, which was too much attention to draw to myself and how much I’d been thinking about Kenny, so I gave him a polite nod and headed out.
“Did you meet the kitten?”
This halted my steps, and I turned, completely perplexed. “Kitten?”
Cookie dipped his head in this subtle way he had, far more French than any other gesture I’d seen him make thus far. “Kenny found a kitten last night. He took the day off to track down the owner. Turns out it’s an orphan so he’s keeping it.”
This hit me like a water balloon to the chest—impact and then an instant spread of water except in this case it was warmth and delight.
“I didn’t realize. I’d wondered where he was today.” So much for not mentioningthatlittle gem.
“I’m sure he’d love a visitor if you have time after work.” He held up his cookie. “Have a good afternoon.”
“You, too, and thanks.” Not sure what I was thanking him for, exactly. The knowledge Kenny wasn’t avoiding me outright? Maybe.
Although did people really stay home from work when they got a new pet? As a non-pet-owning person, I didn’t know.
I did know, however, that I’d be texting Kenny after work. There’d never been a better excuse to stop by and clear the awkwardness than to see a kitten.
So that’s what I did. Although it’d come not hours later, but minutes, because I’d grown restless and since I wasn’t a full-time employee, I didn’t really have work to do at my desk. Bruce and Wilder had been nice enough to provide me an office, but so far, I’d done every bit of paperworkfrom the Jack McKean mission and we’d had no updates from them. I’d made it clear I’d be happy to assist if they needed in-person help, and I’d hoped Evie or Jack would reach out if they needed anything.
So far, nada.
Also a big fat zero news from my real job, boss, or organization as a whole, which was just super annoying. I should at least be getting updates weekly and I’d had no news. The catch-up I’d be playing for weeks after returning—whenever it happened—would be mind-numbing thanks. Fun.
And therefore, I found myself leaving work at three that afternoon, anxious to see the man I’d kissed and clear the air.
I was not, however, prepared for him to jog up to the housebehindme as I approached his porch.
“Hey,” he called out.
As though struck by lightning, I jolted and turned with a far-too-dramatic gasp.
“Hey.” I blew out a breath. “Crap, that scared me.”
