Page 9 of Mistletoe Omega
“Coffee?” he asked.
“God, yes.”
He poured me a cup of the fragrant brew, and I added cream from a little pitcher on the table. He dropped four pieces of bacon onto my plate, and he then sat down with a dish of his own piled high with food. He smiled at me from across the table, and my chest tightened. He was different than I’d pictured. At the diner, he’d always kept to himself, but here at home he was warmer and more open.
“How did you sleep?” he asked, pouring syrup over his pancakes.
“Really well.” I’d actually been surprised how deeply I’d slept, considering I was in a stranger’s house. But I’d crashed as soon as I’d closed my eyes last night. I picked up my fork and cut into the fluffy treat before me. The first bite was sweet and delicious, and as soon as I swallowed, I shoveled more food in. I was allowed one free meal during my shift at the diner, and that was usually the only real meal I’d have. Tim had loved fast food, and he’d usually eaten without me because I wasn’t a fan.
Graham cleared his throat. “Last night you said that Tim wasn’t coming back.”
My food stuck in my throat, and I took a sip of coffee to help wash it down. I nodded and kept my eyes focused on my food.
“What exactly does that mean? Are you two broken up?”
I chuffed. “Well, seeing as he lied and ran out on me, yeah. I’d say we’re through.” I drank some more coffee, loving the immediate perk the caffeine gave me. “It wasn’t love.”
He frowned. “Where are you from?”
“Bizburn. It’s just north of Phoenix. It’s tiny. I doubt you’ll have heard of it.”
“Doesn’t ring a bell.” He sat back in his chair, his plate almost empty. “If it wasn’t love, why were you with him?”
Shrugging, I said, “Good question. Maybe it was better than being alone?”
“Obviously not. He stuck you with a motel bill and took the car.”
“It’s his car.”
“But he left you stranded. He had to know that.”
I sighed. “I didn’t expect much better from him. It was a shock to get kicked out of the motel last night, but to be honest, Tim lied all the time. It’s my own damn fault for believing a word that came out of his mouth.”
He frowned. “So this is all your fault?”
I squirmed in my seat. “Why are you asking all these questions?”
“I don’t know.” He pulled his brows together. “You seem intelligent and yet you were with that loser. I guess I’m trying to understand why. I mean, the first time I saw that guy come into the diner, I knew he was trouble.”
I bristled. “Well, I guess you’re smarter than me.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I have enough problems without being lectured on my choice in men.”
He sighed. “Sorry. You’re right. Besides, I’ve hooked up with some real jerks over the years too. I shouldn’t say anything about Tim.”
His comment made me curious about what type of guy attracted him. I studied his angular features, my gaze landing on his full lips. A little flutter went through my gut at the idea of what his mouth would feel like on mine. I glanced away quickly, rattled by those lusty thoughts. He was just being nice to me. I didn’t need to start fantasizing about him.
“I don’t have any real reason for why I was with Tim.” I met his interested gaze. “Maybe it was as simple as he was there. He had a car, and he was a way to get out of Bizburn.”
“At least that’s honest.”
I laughed dryly. “I’m embarrassed I put up with his shit. My only real excuse is I really wanted to go to California.”
He narrowed his eyes. “That’s where you two were headed?”
“Yeah.”
