Page 22 of Clean Out of Luck

After we’ve ordered, we sit at a table by the window.

“What was that you were going to say?” Wade asks before blowing on the hot tea in his cup.

I clear my throat, trying to calm my temper. The coffee should help with that. “You are someone I consider a friend.”

His eyebrows raise at that. “Oh, gee, thanks. Glad I’m not an enemy.”

I smile sweetly at him. “But if you start acting like my brother, I may have to switch you to a different category. If you know what I mean.”

I keep a smile on my face.

Wade’s eyes dart around my face, searching my expression, and then he chuckles. “Trust me, I’m not trying to be your brother. That’s the last thing I’m trying to be.”

“Good! That means you will not ruin any more of my dates, right?”

“As long as I don’tneedto interrupt any of your dates,” he says with a smirk as he lifts his teacup to take a long sip. I don’t know how he has a tongue left. I can still see the steam rising from the cup. It looks so dainty in his hand, and?—

Wade’s words finally register in my mind and the smile slips from my face. “Nope, nope, nope. You do not get to choose if you interrupt my dates. This isn’t a multiple-choice quiz.”

“I’m getting the impression this is not an apology tea. This is actually a negotiation,” Wade says thoughtfully.

I clutch my large cardboard cup full of delicious coffee. “Not so much negotiation. It’s more of me telling you what’snotgoing to happen. And Iamgoing to go on dates. I’m going to enjoy going on dates and not being interrupted by my brother. I don’t need you filling his shoes. One Phoenix is enough.”

“I guess we’ll just have to see about that, won’t we?” he says as he sets down the cup. It’s already empty.

“I’m serious, Wade. Leave it alone.”

He holds both hands up in the air in surrender. “Listen, Scarlett, I don’t want to butt in on things, but I really do care about you. And I want you to be happy. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you, especially with you living alone and your family out of town. I guess I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

I reach out and pat the back of his hand. “That’s very sweet of you, and I actually appreciate it a lot. But there’s a difference between looking out for someone and being overbearing. I just hope you know the difference. Because my brother sure doesn’t.”

“Oh, please. I know the difference,” he mutters as he liftshis empty teacup, looks down at it in surprise, then sets it back on the table.

“All right. Prove it,” I dare him. “I’m going on a date tonight.”

He raises his eyebrows but otherwise looks at me calmly. “See? I’m not overreacting.”

“You’re doing very well.” I reach forward and squeeze his hand. “I met him through a book club friend.”

“That’s nice,” Wade says smoothly. His smile looks like it might shatter at any moment.

“Wow, you really are holding in all your questions. I’m so proud of you!” I tell him in a cheery tone.

“Yup. You know me. I can mind my own business if I need to.” He smiles tightly at me as I stand up and grab my to-go cup.

I might be teasing him, but I really am kind of surprised he’s not asking a million questions.

I needed to have an open-hearted talk with him. Now that I have, he knows where I stand on these things.

Wade is right behind me as we exit Serendipi-Tea. He reaches past me to unlock my bike for me since I’m still holding on to my coffee.

“Hey, how did you know the combination?” I know I didn’t tell him.

“Like your birth year is any big secret. Really?” He chuckles as he grabs the helmet and sets it on my head. He even reaches under my chin to buckle and tighten the strap. His fingers brush against my neck, and I feel a strange jolt of electricity.How odd.

“Thanks for the coffee,” I say as I climb onto the bike using my free hand.

“Yup! Have a nice date!”

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