Page 20 of Interference
Emery and our little bean.
five
Locking up my apartment, I head down the stairs. The last thing I want to do is go to class, but I need to. I can’t afford not to.
“Morning.”
I look up and see Brett standing at the entrance of the building.
“What are you doing here?”
The corner of his mouth kicks up into a smile. “I’m here to see you.”
He holds out a thermos that looks suspiciously familiar.
“Is this mine?” I ask as I take it.
“Yeah, it’s one you let me use once.”
Looking down at the cup, I smile. I know without asking that he got me tea. Something he’s always been good about doing since we first met. Only this time, I can’t drink it.
“While I’m thankful for the tea, I can’t drink it. I decided to cut out caffeine.” I hold out the cup, but he shakes his head as he puts his hands into his hoodie pocket.
“It’s caffeine free.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “R-really?”
He nods. “Come on, if we don’t start walking now, you’ll be late for class.”
“You’re walking me to class?”
I know I sound silly repeating him, but I can’t help it. I wasn’t expecting this.
“I am. Here, let me take that.” He reaches out and takes my bag from me, slinging it over his own shoulder.
I fall into step next to him as we make our way to campus.
“So the tea. How did you know?” I ask.
“Well, I knew that you could only have limited amounts of caffeine while pregnant, but I know you. I knew that if you were told to limit something, you would cut it out, period, but I know you love tea.”
“I do,” I confirm softly.
“So I went to that tea shop you like that’s downtown. The owner was nice and took the time to help me pick out teas for you that are safe for pregnancy.”
“That…” I shake my head.
Speechless.
I’m speechless.
When I first got hooked on tea, my parents thought it was a phase that would end. They thought it was silly when I bought a kettle, the little infusion balls, and containers to hold the tea. Hell, I don’t think they even know what my favorite type of tea is.
I have a sneaking suspicion that he knows, though.
“Thank you.”
Thanking him feels inadequate, but I don’t know what else to say. Am I thankful? Absolutely, but that doesn’t begin to describe how I feel.
