Page 2 of Titus (Big Hot Alphas 2)

Bailey used to work at the café. We both started working here the same week and quickly became best friends. Then, a few years ago, she met the man of her dreams, and I was both genuinely thrilled for her and a little broken-hearted when she moved away to start her new life with him.

Before she left, we vowed to remain best friends and see each other as much as we could, even if that meant video chats on our phones. I’ll never forget the day she called me to tell me she was pregnant, or the first photo she texted me of her twin girls after they were born. Personally, I don’t plan on ever having kids—I don’t even want to get married—but it still makes my heart fill with love whenever I see Bailey with her family.

I quickly text Bailey back, telling her I’m super excited to see her, and hitsendjust as our chef calls out that an order’s up. I drop my phone back into my apron pocket and hasten over to the window to grab Titus’s order. My heart begins hammering in my chest as I approach his table again.

“Burger, medium rare,” I say, setting the plate down in front of him. “Can I get you anything else?”

He smiles up at me. “You can tell me your name, honey.”

That conflicted feeling flares up inside me again. The way those gorgeous eyes of his are looking at me…it’s like he’s already laid his claim on me. Like I don’t even have a say in the matter.

“Madison,” I tell him reticently.

“Pretty,” he says. “Mine’s Titus.”

Yeah, ofcoursehe would have a name like that.

“Well, enjoy your burger, Titus,” I say, giving him a tight smile. I start to turn away, but he begins to speak again.

“What is there to do around here?” he asks.

I try to ignore his piercing gaze, but it’s unavoidable. “There’s not a whole lot,” I say, shrugging. “A movie theater. A bowling alley. The lake.”

He nods. “The lake. Okay. We’ll go there when your shift ends.”

Is he…tellingme we’re going on a date?

In my peripheral vision, I notice Joe getting up out of his booth with his art supplies in hand. Grateful for the distraction, I turn to smile at him.

“See you tomorrow, Joe?” I say.

“Of course. Goodnight, hon,” he says, lightly touching my shoulder as he heads toward the front door.

Just as he’s about to walk out of the café, though, his sketchbook and pens slip out of his grasp and go crashing to the floor. I instantly rush over to help him pick everything up.

“Such a clumsy old man, huh?” jokes Joe, shaking his head. “Sorry to cause a ruckus.”

“Don’t worry about it, Joe,” I say. I snatch up another few pens and look around to see if any more rolled away.

And that’s when I realize that Titus has come over to help, too. He’s crouched down right next to me, carefully picking up some loose pages that flew out of Joe’s sketchbook.

Huh. Okay. Maybe he’s a different kind of guy than I thought he was.

“Thanks for your help, dear,” says Joe as we stand up and I give him what I’ve picked up. He looks up at Titus. “Thank you, too, son. It’s kind of you.”

“Happy to help,” says Titus. “You got everything?”

“Sure do,” says Joe.

Titus steps forward to open the café door for Joe, a gesture that once again gives me pause. After Joe leaves, Titus’s gaze moves back to me, and when our eyes meet, I get that feeling again—a shimmer of possessiveness that does something funny to my stomach.

“Thanks for helping,” I say.

He nods, then walks over and slides back into his booth.

I go back to my usual tasks, trying to ignore the feelings swelling in my chest. Trying to ignore the persistent desire to look over at Titus. I shouldn’t like him. Right? It was so cocky of him to assume that I’d be interested in going somewhere with him after my shift.

But he was also so sweet with Joe…

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