Page 11 of Verses

Of course, that was the moment Wolf appeared from the back. “Beggars can’t be choosers, kid,” he said, making his way around the bar with a case of beer.

“Kid?!” And here I’d been lusting over this guy just a day before. I couldn’t help the frown crossing my face, but I didn’t want to look hurt.

“I know you’re not akid, Hayley, but you’re a lot younger than me—and I imagine you get tired of me calling youbird.”

“No way. I’ll never get tired of that.” And I figured we might as well lay it all on the table. “And I can’t bethatmuch younger than you. How oldareyou?”

He cocked his head as if wondering why I was asking. But he started taking bottles out of the box as he answered. “Forty-three.”

So I hadn’t really thought through how old I’d thought he was or what that would even mean—or why it should matter to me. But the truth was he was older than my mom. Not by much…but that meant he was plenty old enough to be my dad.

Still… “That’s not that old.”

“That’s not what I said.” He bent down to put several bottles in a refrigerator unit out of sight. “I said you’re a lot younger than me.”

“Not really.” Why the hell was I challenging him?

“Yeah? Then how old are you?”

“Twenty-four.” I hoped he didn’t remember that my birthday had been the month before.

“Almost twenty years’ difference. You don’t think that’s a big gap?”

“It depends on why you’re asking.” What the hell was wrong with me? But my mouth kept running as if my foot was on the gas. “When I was a kid, just a couple of years made a big difference…but now that I’m an adult, age doesn’t matter as much.”

Without another word, Wolf put the rest of the beer away—and the pause was so long, I figured that was that. End of conversation.

Until he stood and his green eyes seemed to see inside me. “And why are you trying to convince yourself of that?”

I didn’t realize my mouth was watering until I swallowed—and, suddenly, I felt like a frightened rabbit who’d wandered too far from her hole. “I’m not,” I said with a shrug, sliding off the stool and sauntering over to the stage not far from the bar—anything to avert his intense gaze for a few seconds. “I was just curious.”

The wordstagewas generous. Really, it was just a platform not even two feet higher than the rest of the floor. Still, it allowed people a better view than if we’d just been playing music on the floor.

Standing in front of the mike, a place that felt like my home away from home, I pulled it off the stand and examined it as if it were the most interesting thing I’d ever seen.

And then I remembered what I’d wanted to ask Wolf in the first place.

Sliding the microphone back on the stand, I glanced over at Wolf and felt a shiver crawl up my spine—because he was still looking at me.

In a way I couldn’t quite interpret.

I hoped my voice sounded casual and light. “By the way, I wanted to ask you something before the guys got here,” I said,jumping off the stage and heading back to the stool. That was the thing I liked most about The Apothecary—it felt almost like my place.

Ibelonged.

“Shoot,” he said, sliding a glass of water with a lemon across to me.

“Thanks.” So sweet. I hadn’t even had to ask. And already I was questioning myself. Had I imagined that weird chemistry between us?

Probably.

I said, “Promise not to say anything.”

Smiling, he shook his head as if he’d already had enough of me today. “Promise.”

I lowered my voice, even though none of the people there would have cared a bit about what I had to say. “Kyle’s struggling.”

“That’s no secret.”

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