Page 33 of Forever Finds Us
The Monday lunch crowd was small but boisterous and loud when we walked in. José himself greeted us at the counter. I hadn’t seen him in a long time. I’d heard he’d gotten married a few years back, but he looked the same as he had when I was a teenager and he made my brothers, sister, and me milkshakes on the weekends.
I asked him about catering a dinner for the Manning family, explaining who they were, and he shook my hand and said, “It’s on the house, kid. Don’t you even dare pull out your credit card.”
He’d heard about Natalie already, of course. The news of her ordeal had probably circulated through town like a stiff wind over the weekend, and José seemed glad for the opportunity to pitch in and help. Since he had dinner covered, I put another reminder in my phone to talk to Bax and Rye about offering the Mannings an all-expenses-paid stay at the cabins next summer and guided Teton tours, and then added another reminder to call Carey’s wife, Frannie, over at the bakery to see if she had time to make dessert for the family.
I told José I’d call him later with a firmer time once I’d talked to Bax, and as Tab and I turned to leave, I got the glimpse of Roxanne I’d been craving like air.
She sat facing the door across a booth from Rye’s girlfriend, Aubrey, and my mouth watered when I pictured the gun most likely strapped to Roxanne’s thigh below the table.
The two women had their heads together over their table, whispering to each other as Roxanne looked at me. Had they been talking about me? I couldn’t help my smile, and I lifted my hand in a discreet wave.
Roxanne blushed. I would’ve seen it a mile away, her cheeks pinking like a sunset, and she smiled back. Aubrey turned in her seat, and as she looked me up and down, her smirk seemed way too knowing.
They had been talking about me! What had Roxanne told her friend? I hoped it was all good things, but a sudden rush of uncertainty pulsed through me. Had Roxanne enjoyed our time together as much as I had?
I decided I wanted to know the answer to that question, so when I pulled open the door for Tab and she walked through, I lifted my hand to my ear like a phone and mouthed to Roxanne, “Call me.”
She nodded and I found myself blushing now, too, and a new rush of anticipation burned through me as I followed Tab back to her car.
Chapter Thirteen
Roxanne
“You gonna call him?” Aubrey asked as Brand and his office manager left the diner.
Watching him through the window, my eyes were glued to his ass in his jeans as he walked to Tabitha’s electric-blue Nissan. They spoke for a minute over the roof, then got in.
“Roxi?” Aubrey said, waving her hand over the table in front of my face.
“Huh?” I shook my head to clear it of lust and focused on her.
“Oh my God. You’ve got it bad for that man, don’t you?”
“What? No! Shh. Keep your voice down,” I whispered, glancing around the restaurant, but no one seemed bothered. When I looked at Aubrey again, the smirk on her face was so smug. I wanted to smack her hard on her back and make the silly grin stick there forever. Leaning closer, I said, “It’s just his ass… I was rememberin’ clutchin’ it and my fingernails diggin’ into that firm?—”
Aubrey cut me off. “Thanks very much for that visual.”
Tabitha backed slowly out of their parking spot in front of José’s, like she was afraid of some imaginary rush of traffic, and for a brief second, Brand’s eyes met mine through the windshield.
I lifted my phone high enough so he could see me typing, but instead of calling, I texted him:
12:37 PM
417 Tacoma Ave
9pm
If he showed, that would be enough time after my shift to hydrate, shower and shave my legs, and do something with my hair.
Brand’s phone must have alerted him that he had a new message. A hint of a smile showed on his lips, and he looked down.
I could see Tabitha’s mouth moving as she said something to Brand and put her car in Drive, but his eyes lifted to mine after he read my text, and right before she hit her gas pedal and drove off, he nodded once through the passenger window, then turned his head and looked away.
And I shivered from head to toe.
How could one tight movement of some guy’s head be so sexy?
At 9:10 when Brand knocked on my door and I opened it breathlessly, I said, “You’re late.”
