Page 29 of Dash of Bryce
"Not really." She looked toward her coffee truck. "And I should probably get back to work."
I glanced in the same direction. "Yeah, that line of customers is getting pretty rowdy." Therewasno line, as she damn well knew.
Ignoring my comment, she looked back to me and asked, "So, how much were the skates?"
I shrugged. "A few bucks."
"Oh come on," she said. "It was more than a few. I can find out on my own, you know."
"But whywouldyou?" I asked.
"Because I’m going to pay you for them, obviously."
The hell she was."Thatwasn'tthe deal."
"What deal?"
"That I'd get the skates, andyou'dcome skating."
"Yeah, but getting the skates andpayingfor the skates are two totally different things."
"Not the wayIsee it." Again, I glanced toward her coffee truck. "And I still owe you for the mochas."
"What mochas?"
"The dozen I ordered."
Her forehead creased. "But you were just joking."
I smiled. "That's whatyouthink."
"Oh, get real," she said. "I’m not gonna let you buy a dozen mochas."
"Why not?"
"Well, for one thing, because there's only one of you."
"No," I corrected. "There's two ofus."
The corners of her mouth quirked upward. "Thanks, but that still leaves you with ten extra mochas. What are you gonna do? Put them in the fridge for later?" Her chin lifted. "Because I'm here to tell you, you can't just pay for them and not take them – notthistime."
The girl had integrity.
Andshe was stubborn as hell.
The more I got to know her, the more I found to admire. And if she thought I was giving up now, she didn't know who she was dealing with.
I could be stubborn, too."So deliver them later," I said. "How does tomorrow work?"
She gave me a skeptical look. "Oh, so you're gonna drink eleven mochastomorrow?"
"Ten," I corrected. "Assuming we drink two now." I smiled. "I heard they're the best in town."
She squinted up at me. "Now you're just being crafty."
I grinned. "Gotthatright."
Finally, her lips curved into a reluctant smile. "Okay, but it's got to be decaf, well, for me, anyway. I've got to get up at six to be at the courthouse."
