Page 29 of A Boy Is a Gun: Part II
“You want this to go?”I ask, sliding the drink across.
“I was hoping to drink it here.”He nods toward the window seat.“If that’s cool with you.”
“It’s your coffee.Sit where you want.”
He takes the cup, holds my gaze just a beat too long, then strolls to the window seat like he’s got nowhere else to be.
“Girl,” Hayley hisses the second he’s out of earshot.“He likes you.”
I shrug.“He’s polite.”
“He called you unexpected.That’s Asian man for I’m obsessed with you.”She elbows me.“You like him, too.Don’t front.I saw you checking his arms.”
Was I that obvious?“I wasn’t—”
“Yes, you were, bitch.”Hayley cuts me off.“Bae is built like a romance novel cover but with tech support energy.Dangerous.”
I steal a glance through the espresso steam.Jiro’s sipping slowly, one leg crossed, looking like he belongs here.Like he has time.And for the first time in a while, I wonder what it might feel like to let someone new in — even just a little.
“You’re occupied.”
I blink and turn toward the seasoned voice.“Tesh.”
“Ms.Taylor.”She glances toward Jiro, gives a knowing nod.“Might as well, since Cameron’s acting like a plum fool.”
Hayley covers her mouth.I blow out a breath.“What can I get you?”
“I’ll take the Michelle Obama and a couple of chocolate croissants.”She leans on the counter.“How’ve you been?I miss you and Mia.”
I miss the free babysitting.But mostly, I miss the community at Cameron’s — the birthdays, the holidays, the way everyone looked out for each other.Now, I have a nice condo and none of that.“We’re hanging in there.Just getting used to the routine.”
“Good.”Tesh smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.“He still loves you, you know.”
“I know.But I also know I’m second to the game.”I let out a small sigh.“The game will always be his first love.”
“He realizes that.He’s trying to get you back, but the way he’s going about it...”She exhales.“I’ve warned him.”
If Tesh is warning him, it’s bad.“I’m afraid Mia’s going to grow up not knowing her father.”
“She’ll know.”She reassures, but I still have my doubts.“After he’s done with this, he’ll leave for good.”
“How do you know that?”I press, but I know it’s useless.Tesh is a second mother to Cameron.She was more of a mother to him than Heather.“Ethan’s itching to take him down.Cam is targeting family.”
Tesh grabs her croissants.“It’s not Ethan you should be worried about.”
I catch her tone.“Jamie?Makayla?”
She shakes her head.“Not them, either.”
“Then who?”
Tesh just smiles.“You’ll see.”
I drop off Tesh’s order and grab Jiro’s biscuit.When I set it in front of him, he doesn’t reach for it right away.Instead, his eyes lift to mine, dark and unreadable.“Thanks,” he says, voice low, almost lazy.Then, like it’s the most casual thing in the world: “Any chance I can take you out sometime?”
The question lands like a spark on dry wood.I blink.“Oh, I don’t know—”
“She’ll go with you!”Hayley calls from behind the counter, loud enough to make me want to throw a scone at her.
