Page 10 of A Vine Mess
He snorted, mirroring my position, and said in a normal tone, “Of course I have, you weirdo. I like to keep to myself, but I still have to eat. I’ve been here with Vic a few times, but mostly I get takeout.”
“So what’s your favorite thing on the menu?” I asked. “And choose wisely. This could make or break our friendship.”
His brows shot up. “We’re friends now, huh?”
“Duh,” I said, flipping my hair over my shoulder. “We bonded over flowers and douchebag delivery drivers.”
Liam sat up straighter, eyes scanning the bar. “Speaking of, where is that little shit?”
I pointed toward the bar and the guy at the end, nursing a dark soda, a plate piled high with onion rings and a burger in front of him.
Before I could protest, Liam was out of his seat, his long legseating up the distance between us and the driver. I experienced a brief pang of guilt right before Liam reached him. After all, the kid couldn’t have been older than his mid-twenties, scrawny, a Western Michigan University ball cap settled backward over his dark hair. I realized with a start that being in his mid-twenties meant he was only a few years younger than me, but…I felt so much older. Especially after the drama of the last few months.
Still, that didn’t give him the right to be lazy.
When Liam reached the kid’s side, he took the back of his bar stool and swung it so they faced each other. Liam began talking, his expression stern, the kid leaning as far away from him as the chair could possibly permit. Liam appeared to have asked a question, glancing quickly at me before returning his attention to the kid. With a look over his shoulder, dark eyes wide in fear, he looked at Liam and nodded.
A moment later, I watched in fascination as Liam stalked back to our table. The kid signaled Tanya for a to-go box, threw a couple bills onto the bartop, and hightailed it out of the restaurant.
When Liam slid back into his side of the booth, I asked, “What exactly did you say to him?”
“Just reminded him that, while you’re perfectly capable of unloading those flowers yourself, the gentlemanly thing to do is help you. I also warned him that if I heard of this happening again, he’d be receiving another visit from me, and I won’t be so friendly next time.”
A giggle slipped free, and I clapped my hand over my mouth. “That poor kid is probably scared shitless,” I said through my fingers. “I probably shouldn’t be laughing at his pain.”
Liam sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. “He’ll befine. Hopefully he doesn’t give you any more trouble.”
Before I could say anything else, Tanya reappeared with our drinks, and I gratefully wrapped my hands around my mug, bringing it to my mouth for a long sip, letting the warmth of the hot chocolate seep into my body from the inside out.
“What can I get you?” Tanya asked.
“My usual,” I told her.
Tanya grinned. “One chicken parm sandwich—extra mushrooms—coming right up. You want onion rings today?”
“Nah,” I said. “Let’s make it sweet potato fries.”
“Sure thing, kiddo.” She turned to Liam. “And for you?”
His eyes never left mine as he said, “I’ll have my favorite…the chicken parm sandwich. Extra mushrooms.Andonion rings.”
I gasped, and Tanya shot me a skeptical look before nodding at Liam and scurrying off.
“That isnotyour favorite meal here,” I said, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “You only ordered that because I did.”
Liam shook his head with a small laugh, reaching for the brim of his ball cap—a deep red, Chateau Delatou branded one, I noted with no small amount of satisfaction; I liked that he was wearing my last name—and flipped it backward.
Fuck.
I couldn’t explain the reaction accurately except to say my insides went molten.
Liam Danvers, with his dark hair, bright blue eyes, thick beard; that big body and long, thick fingered hands; and those fucking tree trunk thighs, was an absolute snack on any given day. Even if I was out of the dating scene right now, I could recognize a good looking man when I saw one.
But Liam with that goddamn hat turned backward, locks of his raven hair flipping over the brim, giving him a boyish charm that only added to his overall attractiveness?
He was downright devastating.
Seemingly oblivious to the mental roadblock he’d conjured with that simple, innocent move, he laughed and said, “As adorable as that would be, it really is my favorite.”
