Page 35 of May 11

"We dropped Skye off at the pool. I'm going back to watch her while Maverick deals with the club." Brooke leaned against the counter. "Could I get a Fizz?"

"Sure." She got the juice out of the fridge. "Is it getting hot out there?"

Brooke groaned. "Ninety-five degrees. I'll probably die at the pool without something cold to drink."

She handed over the order when Dania walked in with her daughter.

Cora waved. "Hi, Mariah."

"Mom said I can have a pop." Mariah pointed behind the counter. "Orange, please."

The phone rang. She handed the owner's daughter the drink and answered the call.

"Whale's Tail Coffee Shop. How can I help you?" she said.

"Babe."

The stiffness in her spine melted away, and she ducked her chin. "Hey, you."

Her stomach fluttered. Wire had never called her on the shop's phone. Even though she would be off work in twenty minutes, she was excited to hear his voice.

"I'm running late. I don't want you to—"

The call disconnected.

She set the phone down and looked at the others, but Brooke and Maverick were walking out of the shop, and Dania headed toward the back room. Having the shop to herself, she shook off the weirdness of the phone call.

Wire was somewhere with bad cell connection.

If he weren't at the shop when she got off work, she'd drive the van to his house and wait until he got home. The luxury of having a mini home on wheels was she could park anywhere and be safe.

Dania walked over to the register with the cash bag. "Is it hot in here?"

"I'm not hot." She looked at the ceiling. "The AC is blowing."

"I hate going out in the heat." Dania stuck her lower lip out and blew her bangs off her forehead. "It takes me forever to cool off again."

"Aren't you going to the pool?"

"I am. Though I wasn't planning on swimming." Dania raised her brows. "But I have my suit in the car. Do you want to go to rec swim with us? Brooke will be there."

"Thanks for the invite, but I'll just head to Wire's house."

Dania grinned. "I never pictured you two together."

"I'm not sure that's what you call it." She laughed. "We're enjoying each other. But he knows I'm leaving at the end of summer."

Dania threw up her hands and waved them in the air, "Don't talk about leaving. I haven't faced the truth that you're only here for the summer. I'm still trying to find a way to convince you to move here permanently."

Five minutes to four, Dania told Cora to go ahead and leave. No one would come in right before the coffee shop closed.

As she walked out the back door, the air hit her. She flapped the hem of her shirt, wishing she had a tank and shorts on. Unable to get into the van and start the AC fast enough, she was at the door before she was aware of someone rounding the bumper.

Startled, she pressed her hand to her chest, recognizing the leather vest but not the man. "You scared me."

"Name's Dio." He raised his arms out to the sides of him. "Wire sent me over to escort you to his place."

"Oh." She slid the van door open and stepped back from the humid air escaping the vehicle. "You don't have to do that. I'll stay in the van until Wire gets home. He called me, but he got disconnected, so I know he's going to be late."

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