Page 39 of A Boy Is a Gun: Part II
“I know.Things are...easy,” I admitted, surprised how true it felt.
She sipped her latte, her expression soft.“We should hang out.Just us.”
Her voice softened.We’ve both been under a lot of stress due to Cameron and Ethan, so it’s nice for us to just bond outside of them.“I’d like that,” I said quickly.
Jamie hesitated, then said, “Money’s...kinda tight right now.”
I frowned.“I thought—” I stopped myself before I said it.I thought Cameron was still bankrolling you.
She gave a casual shrug.“Some investments Ethan made didn’t pan out.But it’ll work out.It always does.”Her tone was breezy, but it had edges.I didn’t push.
The bell above the door chimed, and there he was—Jiro, in that fitted black shirt that made him look like trouble wrapped in silk.Something hot and sharp flickered through me before I could clamp it down.
The shirt stretched over his chest like it was tailored just to remind women they were still very much alive.His hair was loose again, dark and glossy, brushing his jaw as if it belonged on the cover of some manga I’d pretend not to read.And those arms—ink winding up from his wrists and disappearing beneath cotton that clung to muscle.
My throat went dry.My pulse kicked up.He wasn’t even looking at me yet, and still, it felt like he’d just pulled the floor out from under me.
By the time his eyes finally landed on mine, it was like someone had turned the dimmer up on the whole room.My pulse spiked, shoulders stiffening before I forced them down, tried to play it cool.Tried not to look like I was imagining what it would feel like if he pushed me against the pastry case and kissed me until I forgot my own name.
“Hey, beautiful.”His voice was low, threaded with warmth, like it was meant only for me.For a second, it felt like we were the only two people in the café, though I could hear the hiss of the espresso machine, the clink of cups.
I swallowed back a grin, but it broke through anyway.“Hey.”
He stepped closer, just enough that I could catch the faint clean spice of his cologne, something darker underneath.His gaze held mine, steady, sure.“You free tonight?”
The question hummed through me like electricity.I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear to keep from fidgeting.“I am.”
His smile was quick, almost private, like he already knew the answer.He leaned in, his voice dipping lower, meant for me alone.“Does Mia need a sitter?”
The way he said Mia—gentle, like he wasn’t just asking about logistics, but acknowledging the whole life I carried—made my chest ache.Before I could answer, movement broke the spell.
Jamie slid out from behind the counter, latte in hand, all casual brightness.“I can watch her,” she offered easily.
I blinked, surprised.“You sure?”
Jamie just smiled, but I caught the flick of her gaze—first at me, then at him—and the whole room shifted again, tension reshaping itself.“Of course.”She took a slow sip, eyes sparkling.“It’ll be good practice.”
I paused mid-reach for a pastry bag.“Practice?”
Jamie just smiled like it was an inside joke.“We’re not out of the woods yet, but we’ll make the announcement when it’s safe.”
I didn’t press her.We’d both just silently agreed Cameron would be cautiously happy about how “settled” things looked—and maybe,maybe, that would make him back off.“Oh my God, Jamie!”I hugged her.“Mia’s about to have a cousin!”
“Yeah!”Jamie nodded, trying to contain the excitement.“They’ll be close in age, and hopefully they’ll be best friends.”
“Oh!”I clutched my hands together.I may not agree with just about everything what’s going on with our men, but I’ll always appreciate Jamie for other reasons.“I got it covered,” I told Jiro, finally turning back to him.
“Good.”His grin was slow, deliberate.“I’ll pick you up at seven.Dress like you’re ready for something you won’t forget.”
