Page 19 of Blindsided
“Brother,” Mac says crisply, reaching out to shake Javier’s hand. “I’m her brother.”
You’d have to be blind to miss Javier’s confused look over Mac’s Scottish accent as he replies, “Pleasure to meet you.”
“We’ll take a black coffee and a large iced coffee with extra milk, thanks,” Mac says in a clipped tone and then turns to me. “You pay, sis. I’ll go grab a table.”
Mac winks a ridiculous wink at me and retreats towards a small counter by the window. I turn a stiff look back at Javier.
Come now, Freya, you’re beautiful, smart, and clever. You can do this!
“How…was your weekend?” I ask and mentally pat myself on the back for stringing together a coherent sentence.
“It was excellent,” Javier replies with a smile as he sets about pouring our two cups of coffee. “I made cheese.”
My brows lift from his unexpected response. “You…made cheese?”
He purses his lips and nods. “Do you like the cheese?”
“Who doesn’t like the cheese?” I bark out an unattractive laugh and then turn a mortified face to Mac, who gives me a way-too-eager thumbs up.
Javier snaps a lid on the first cup. “I could show you the cheese.”
“Sorry?” I ask and begin nervously tugging on my ear.
“If you wanted to come to my cheese hut.”
“You have a cheese hut?” I ask flatly, so confused by the bizarre topic of cheese and the thought of a human being actually having a facility to make his own cheese.
“Yes. Cheese and homemade wine. If you want to partake sometime.”
He pushes the prepared cups of coffee towards me, and I open my mouth to reply, but I suddenly feel like all the spit has been sucked out of my mouth. What used to be saliva is now kitty litter. Dry kitty litter that makes it impossible for me to respond.
Out of nowhere, Mac appears beside me. “Just to be clear, are you asking my dear sister out on a date?”
Javier turns a confused look at Mac and nods nervously. “I am.”
“She’d love to go,” Mac rushes out and drops a tenner on the counter while grabbing the two cups of coffee. “How’s tomorrow night?”
Javier smiles at me. “Tomorrow night is good for me if it is good for you.”
“Great, she’ll text you tonight,” Mac replies and then shoulder pushes me away from the counter. “Let’s go, sis.”
I smile and wave uncomfortably at Javier. Then, before I can stop myself, I dip my head into a bow before turning and following Mac out the door.
When we’re finally out of sight from the windows, I grab my ears in agony. “Oh, good God, I just bowed to Javier.”
Mac’s nose scrunches. “I saw that.”
“Why the fuck did I bow? Why couldn’t I have at least curtsied like a lady? Given an ounce of a sign that I’m a delicate female? But no, not Freya Cook. She decides to bow like a proper bloke. I’m doomed!” I run my hands through my hair and squeeze the roots in agony.
“You’re not doomed,” Mac replies, rolling his eyes.
“And you’re my brother now?” I say with a cringe. “Where the bleddy hell did that come from?”
Mac shrugs. “What? We’re both redheads. It’s not that big of a stretch.”
“The thought of you and I coming from the same gene pool is a very big stretch.” I fan my ears as Mac eyes me harshly.
“We’re both wee stunners, Cook.”
