Page 23 of Resting Beach Face
Adriana Flores, the owner of The Grocery Spot, sat in a corner with Dustin Higgins, who was about fifteen years too young for her. That was sure to get some tongues wagging.
Mimsy and Pipsy, twins with matching white hair and dirt under their fingernails, waved to me and I shot them my first genuine smile of the day. They ran The Dirty Hoe, and garden talk was one language I could actually speak fluently.
And dead center in the room, around a round barrel table, sat Cash and his friends. Hudson’s young boyfriend, Fisher, was tossing a fry at Cash’s smirking face. There was no sign ofHudson, though, so he must be having dinner with his mother. Otherwise, those two tended to spend all their time together.
Ah well, that made me feel better about leaving my phone behind.
Cash glanced over, his eyes catching mine, and heat crawled over my neck and ears. I didn’t want him to think I was looking for him. I wasn’t. His friend group was right there in the middle of the room. How could I possibly miss them?
Still, I couldn’t seem to drag my eyes from his.
“Can I get you a drink?” Felix asked from his spot behind the bar.
I jerked my head around so fast pain zinged through my neck and I fought a wince. “Yeah, do you still have that dark beer on tap?”
“Buffalo Sweat?”
“That’s the one.”
“You got it.” Felix pulled the taps, efficient as he tilted the mug under the pour.
I drummed my fingers on the bar top, trying to ignore the urge to turn and see if Cash was still watching me.
He always was.
Right on cue, a presence warmed my side a split second before Cash said, “Felix, can we get a pitcher of the cheap stuff?”
“Yup,” Felix said with an easy smile that I envied. “Give me two minutes.”
“I’ll do my best to entertain myself,” Cash said, a playful lilt in his voice.
Felix grinned. “Don’t watch me so hard your eyes cross. I know I’m fine, but we don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
Cash laughed. “I’ll try to restrain myself.”
Felix turned his attention to refilling Ansel’s beer, and Cash still didn’t look at me. I huffed an annoyed breath.
There was a time he’d have stood too close to me. He’d have taken every opportunity to bat those pretty blue eyes my way and tease me about how much I liked it.
Good thing that’s over.
Had been over since I’d refused his kiss.
Now, he wanted to be friends. Which was agoodthing.
I lifted my glass and took a mouthful of the dark, malty beer to hide my scowl.
Cash wasn’t punishing me for not indulging him. He was respecting boundaries I set. It was the mature thing to do. And yet, the new distance he kept nagged at me.
I turned to say something—anything—just as Felix set the pitcher on the bar. “Here you go.”
“Thanks,” Cash said with a smile that made me tense. “I’m good for a tip later.”
“Just a tip?” Felix asked with a wink.
Cash laughed. “You’re spicy tonight.”
“Just kidding,” Felix said. “You know I don’t even swing that way.”
