Page 28 of Unexpecting

″I was coming back.”

“It wasn’t fair to just leave it, like out in the cold, all alone. It needed to be eaten. It was asking to be eaten. And you took a long time saying goodbye to your friend,” I added innocently.

″Gimme your bacon then. It’s getting cold.” Instead of handing it over, I popped the last piece in my mouth.

″Sorry, all gone,” I said with my mouth full.

″You b—”

″I’ll make you both more bacon,” Coop said soothingly. “Geez, the two of you are as bad as children sometimes.”

″Okay, back to what you did yesterday.” Ever tactful, Emma changed the subject.

″Me or her?” J.B. asked with confusion.

″Casey. Who’s the old friend you spent the day with?” she asked me.

″David.” My face broke into a huge smile as I said his name. “I haven’t seen him since university.”

″Is this him? The guy?” Cooper demanded. “The one you’re always mooning about?”

″I don’t moon about anyone!”

″The one she dumped on his ass, and keeps on complaining about why she did it,” J.B. corrected.

″That’s him,” I told them with a smile, not even bothered by their teasing this morning. “I hung out with him yesterday, and we’re going to a movie tonight.”

″A movie tonight,” Emma echoed, sounding excited for me. “Sounds promising.”

″Maybe.”

″Tonight?” J.B. asked. “So no dinner?”

″Can I have a rain check?”

″So how did this come about?” Cooper asked before J.B. could answer.

″He just walked into the store on Thursday,” I told him, happy to be back on the David topic.

″Really?” Emma asked.

″Really?” Coop echoed, but he made it sound like David innocently walking in would be the most unbelievable thing. “And that doesn’t concern you?”

″Why is that so hard to believe? He likes wine. He works with one of the regular customers, and they came in after work. Not that it’s any of your business.”

″Right. He didn’t just wander into the store? Just in the neighbourhood…“J.B. trailed off with a questioning smile.

I clicked to what he was saying and didn’t like it. “I work in a wine store, not a gay bar,” I snapped. “For your information, we have tons of heterosexuals who come in every day. In fact, I seem to recall that you’ve been in there once or twice. Do you hear me questioning your sexuality?”

J.B. shrugged. “Had to be asked.”

″No, I don’t think it did. David is not gay! I would know! For your information, you could say I made him the man he is!” I gave him my best glare.

″Okay, okay.” Cooper waved his arms between us. “J.B., don’t be an ass; Casey, stop jumping down his throat. We’re just trying to make sure everything’s cool with this guy.”

″Everything is cool. Everything is fine, great, terrific,” I growled.

″Fine, great, terrific,” Coop conceded. “Just want to make sure you’re not stalking him or anything.”

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