Page 49 of A Labor of Hate
He shrugged, not the least bit chastised as he deposited the treats on the kitchen island.
Joseph appeared from the hallway, shaking mine and Colt’s hands in greeting.Like the last time I saw him, he mostly kept to himself and let Colleen do the talking, with occasional input from Liam until we began eating.
“How are you folks settling in?”Colleen asked.Honestly, I was surprised she’d asked such a normal question.It wasn’t very “knock on the neighbor’s door at seven-thirty in the morning with a pound cake” of her.
“Really well, thanks.”I smiled.“We even tried out a new restaurant in town yesterday.”
Where I’d saved Colt’s sorry butt, in case he’d forgotten.
“Oh?Which one?”
“Lovers Only,” Colt answered.
Colleen’s eyes twinkled.“Ah, a fitting name for you two if ever I’ve heard one.”
Aaaand there it was.
Liam coughed on his water, successfully drawing Colleen’s attention away from our nonexistent love.
“I, uh,” he sputtered when he’d finally sorted out his windpipe, “I hear it’s really good.A burger place, right?”
“Yep.Really charming, actually.”I speared a piece of broccoli with my fork.“Do you have any restaurant recommendations for around here?I mean” —I met Liam’s piercing eyes, forcing myself to think about folding laundry to keep from reacting to his looks— “I know you don’t live around here, but I’m sure you know all the good haunts for when you visit.”
Liam smiled, sending my heart racing.“For sure.I grew up here, so I used to go out with my friends all the time.”He spared Colt a look to include him in the conversation before he returned his eyes to mine.Take that, afterthought.“One of our favorites was HopCat.Their fries are seriously addictive.”
“I’m afraid that’s out for me, then,” Colt muttered, barely audible if I hadn’t been sitting next to him.
I sent him a loaded glance, barely concealing my curiosity.What was wrong with fries?He ate the ones at lunch yesterday just fine.He’d even eaten one ofmyfries.I’d offered it to him, dang it.What a waste of a perfectly good milkshake-dipped French fry.
Apparently Liam had heard Colt, too.“Ah, health-conscious, I take it?”
Colt smiled, though it looked almost shark-like for the split second it lasted.“Something like that.”
“He’s allergic to happiness,” I explained.This earned me a delicious scowl from Colt.
Score.
“Better stay away from those cupcakes, then,” Colleen interjected with a laugh.
“Planning on it,” Colt mumbled.He flashed a smile to show he was joking, but I wasn’t fooled.“She probably laced them with something.”
I leaned into him, speaking low enough that only he could hear me.“Only yours, buddy.”
This close, it took a disturbing amount of self-control not to breathe him in.His scent was intoxicating.Almost enough to make me forget that we were miffed with each other.
Almost.
“What would she lace them with?”Liam asked, bright eyes sparkling as an amused smile played on his mouth.“You know, so I can plan my evening accordingly.”
“Judging by the way she was whispering to her man, I’d guess an aphrodisiac,” Colleen offered.
This time it was Colt’s turn to cough on his water.I did the much more graceful action of choking on my bite of chicken.
Anaphrodisiac?That couldn’t be further from what I wanted.
Thankfully, I managed to dislodge the chicken with minimal sputtering and coughing.I only resembled a clogged sprinkler rather than a backed up fire hydrant, so I’d consider it a win.The epitome of grace, that’s me.
When I could finally speak again, I avoided Colt’s amused gaze like it could give me rabies.If rabies were spread via antiseptic and condescension, maybe it could’ve after all.“It’s just laced with copious amounts of sugar, sorry.No drugs.”
