Page 45 of Fall Into Me

“Morning, snookums!”

Sweet lord.

Wide eyes moved from Fane’s jovial expression to my horrified one with coffee cups frozen in midair.

“Sorry I wasn’t here sooner. I had a bit of car trouble. Strangest thing!” he said casually, leaning just far enough into the door to make sure everyone heard him.

“Oh, that’s no worry, honey muffin. My day’s been so busy I didn’t even notice!” I matched his tone and then some. For a solid minute, we just stared at each other across the café, smiling so wide it felt like a contest to see who could look more unhinged.

“Well, pumpkin, when you have a second, I’d love a cappuccino.”

“It would be my pleasure.” It would absolutelynotbe my pleasure.

“Thanks, pookie bear!” Fane disappeared back outside just as someone in the back corner proceeded to spray their coffee right into the face of the person across from them. I’d never seen either of them before, so I assumed they worked for Fane.

“Dude!” The man now wearing his friend’s coffee looked horrified.

“He said‘pookie bear’!” the guy still holding his coffee cup whispered back.

My face burned, the smile frozen in place. If I dropped the expression, I would probably storm right outside, and…I don’t know. Take my dog back for starters.

I could feel Fane’s eyes on me the whole time I made his coffee. Could feel his grin of satisfaction at thinking he’d gotten the upper hand.

“Hey, Sammy, can you take this out to Fane?” I asked sweetly, keeping my sights set on the man in question, who was looking right back, arms crossed and legs wide, with my dog stillby his side.Stillwagging his tail. Still with my panties in his mouth.

Sammy handed the cup to Fane, and the smile on my face was borderline insane as I watched him take a big sip of his drink and the moment that followed where he realized I made him a chai latte.

For those unaware, Fane did the cinnamon challenge after he lost a bet to Ash and has never been able to stomach cinnamon since. Just the look on his face as he sprayed the entire mouthful on the window of my café was worth it.

* * *

I was glad for the distraction of work today because it was also the first day of Fane’s Darling tours, and my stomach had been twisted in knots since I woke up.

I had a list, of course, which removed about forty percent of my nerves, but the other sixty were all thanks to being near the man himself and the reality that this plan of mine could flop and I’d fail.

The café closed at two thirty p.m. on Saturdays, which was perfect, and with both me and Sammy cleaning up, I managed to get home not thirty minutes later.

The seven-minute drive home was all the time I had to let myself deflate. To relax enough that I could finally take a deep breath without feeling the weight of an elephant sitting on my chest. The moment I turned onto my street and saw Fane’s truck parked in the driveway, I hoisted all my walls back up and prepared myself for battle.

The soft conversation of a show on TV trickled out onto the front porch, and I stepped inside to find Fane sitting on the couch with my dog’s big head on his lap and one of his broad, tattooed hands absentmindedly scratching Jerry’s stomach.

“Traitor,” I murmured, keeping my eyes strictly on my dog and strictlyoffFane. My plan was about to begin, and I wanted to throw up.

But, like any battle-seasoned soldier, I didn’t let it show. Instead, I walked out of my bedroom in yet another flowy sundress—it was still too hot to wear anything else comfortably—and finally met Fane’s eyes.

I’d felt them on me from the moment I walked into the house. Even through the wall that separated the living room and the bedroom, I felt his eyes on me.

“All right.” I stood before him, hands on my hips and my glare of protection in place. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He stood up after carefully lifting Jerry’s head off his lap. I hadn’t really told Fane we’d be doing this today. Somehow the idea of catching him unaware seemed to translate to,Wow, I hadn’t been expecting this incredible tour. I love your town so much. Allow me to pack up and leave forever.

“You’re not busy?”

“Nope, we have a tour.”

I frowned and crossed my arms, unjustifiably annoyed at him. “How did you even know that?”

“Your list is on the fridge.”

---