Page 36 of Wild Fixation
“Hi, I’d love a vanilla bean with mochi balls,” I say. I glance over my shoulder, where Seth looms. “Make that two.”
Seth scowls but doesn’t argue, not that I give him much choice. I turn back to the befuddled employee, who’s struggling to punch in the order on a tablet before turning it toward me so I can pay. She manages to make the ice creams, but her hands tremble as she passes two cups to me.
“Hey, are you…”
“Yup. Thanks!”
I whirl before she can investigate further. There’s no use denying it, but I’m also not going to stand around and go through the motions with her. With any luck, she won’t sneak a picture onto social media, not right away at least. Seth and I might get a few minutes of peace before this slides away from me.
Booths line the street, covered picnic tables that border the road itself. They’re enclosed, so when I choose a bench and sit, it’s almost like Seth and I are somewhere more private than the middle of a busy pedestrian area. Seth stubbornly remains standing, even as I slide one ice cream across the table.
“Will you please sit?” I say. “You look ridiculous.”
“I look like a bodyguard. Your bodyguard.”
“Are bodyguards forbidden from eating ice cream?”
His eyes flicker to the cup of vanilla and mochi sitting in front of an empty bench. “When we’re working, yes.”
I roll my eyes. “Just sit and eat the damn ice cream. You’re drawing more attention this way.”
That argument finally seems to reach him. His scowl creases his mouth, but he enters the booth after a glance and sits awkwardly on the bench.
I wave at his ice cream. “It’s melting.”
“It’s not melting,” he grumbles, but he takes the plastic spoon and eats anyway.
“It’s good, right? Make sure you get some mochi. This is the only place in the city that does it like this. It’s my favorite.”
He hums assent around a mouthful of ice cream. I stick my spoon in my mouth to keep from grinning as Seth goes back for more. For just a moment, we’re two people having ice cream, nothing more. Then the girl who rang up my order shyly approaches the table.
“I’m so sorry,” she says, and my stomach drops.
Seth’s eyes sharpen. She flinches back from the look he gives her.
“You’re Jacob, right? From Baptism Emperor?” At my nod, she grins. “Oh my God. I can’t believe this is happening. Would you mind?”
She holds out a pen and a napkin for me. I muster the best smile I can as I accept them from her.
“Sorry, it’s all I have here,” she says.
“It’s no problem,” I say, quickly signing the napkin and handing it back to her.
She hugs the napkin against her chest like it’s made of gold. “Oh my God, oh my God. Thank you so much. I’m sorry. Thank you.”
She stammers more apologies and thanks as she stumbles away.
“Sorry,” Seth says when she’s gone. “I should have seen that coming.”
“It’s okay.” I wave away the whole incident. “It’s just the girl working the register.”
“Yeah, but if she…”
He starts to rise, apparently meaning to go patrol the place or something similarly intimidating and bodyguard-like. I lunge across the table and grab his wrist before he can go. His eyes dart to my hand, but he doesn’t yank himself free.
“You haven’t even finished your ice cream,” I say.
“People know you’re here. I have to make sure you’re safe.”
