Page 2 of Let Me

“See, it’s cool,Autumn,” Riley says, blinking excessively fast as if trying to prove a point.

I leave it be and move on up further as the line moves again.There are a few people in line in front of us paying for their orders.When the girl hands us our ice cream, I use the tap-to-pay option and head toward the double glass doors.Riley pushes it open with her butt and makes it out unscathed.I try to dart out behind her, but I’m not so lucky.As soon as I step out, a woman accidentally bumps into me, or maybe I bumped into her – I’m not really sure.All I know is, two beautiful scoops of dark chocolate are lying on the sidewalk.My poor ice cream that I’ve been dying for all day long is on the ground.Deceased.

“Oh, shoot!Autumn…” Riley says, turning around.

“I’m so sorry,” the woman tells me.She’s very apologetic, even offers to buy me another one, but I turn her down.I’m not going to make this lady buy me ice cream.

“Riley, it’s okay.I’ll just go get another one.”

“We can share, girl.I ordered three scoops.Just go grab a spoon.”

“No need for all of that.Here.You can have mine,” a man says in a deep voice that’s strong enough to slice right through me.What in the baritone…?

I look up to see him, connecting to his light brown eyes that seem to claw right into me.As quickly as I looked up, I turned away, unable to contain the beauty of this man.Good Lord he’s handsome!And he’s offering me his cone.Ice creamcone.

Oddly enough, he too has two scoops of dark chocolate, but there’s no way I’m accepting his dessert, especially when I can easily go back in there and get another one.No way.I’m not so fragile that I can’t handle an ice cream mishap.I’m a grown woman – a grown woman who apparently has difficulty making eye contact with handsome, six-feet-something men.

I say, “You’re so kind.Thank you so much, but it’s fine.”

Yeah, because how would I look eating and licking ice cream he’s already tongued down?

“I insist,” he says.

“Yeah, Autumn, take it,” Riley instigates.“Heinsists.”

Along with encouraging me to take the handsome stranger’s offer, she nudges me out of my trance with the man.I don’t want to, Ireallydon’t want to, but I take his melting ice cream, gripping the cone by the little napkin and say, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he says, satisfaction flickering in his honey-colored gaze before he turns and walks toward the parking lot ice-creamless.

Meanwhile, I’m still standing here stunned with dark chocolate melting down my fingers.I lick it and start eating before I’m left with nothing but cream with no ice.

“Girl, are you kidding me?”Riley hisses.“You better get your butt over there and talk to that man.He’s as cute as a freakin’ button and you didn’t even get his name.Get over there.”

“Riley—”

“Go!”she says, nudging me.“Hurry up before he leaves.”

“Okay, stop pushing me before we be fighting out here.”

She huffs out a laugh.“Yeah—this from the woman who helps worms successfully cross the sidewalk.Girl, bye.All I know is, you better go on over there before he leaves—man done gave you his ice cream.He drove all the way here for nothing, leaving empty-handed and you won’t even go over there and say thank you.”

“I thanked him before he walked off.”

“So.Thank him again.Go!”

“Okay, okay.Jeez.I’m going.”

I speed-walk, licking ice cream on the way to his car and when I get there, I tap on the window.

He rolls down the glass and says, “Hey, I’m not taking that back, by the way.”

“Oh,” I smile sheepishly and say, “I was just coming over here to thank you again.I feel really bad about stealing—I mean, taking your ice cream.”

“Don’t.I’m glad I was in the right place at the right time.”

“I’m glad you were, too.Oh, and I’m Autumn.”

A half-done smile appears on his face.“Autumn—like the season?”

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