Page 77 of Latte Girl
ProveIt
Jordan
“Can we comeoutnow?”
I turn to see Mina and Mel poking their heads out of thekitchen.
“You both came out a long time ago,” laughsHailey.
Mina looks at Mel. “She’s in a good enough mood to make lesbian jokes. Things must havegonewell.”
The two of them come to join us in theseatingarea.
“So, how do things stand?” Mina asks. “Was sacrificing an hour of my potential incomeworthit?”
“I think so,” I venture, glancing atHailey.
“Yes,” she affirms, “it was, although I don’t remember giving you two permission to meddle in my love life. How did this evenhappen?”
Mel chuckles and takes a seat on one of the couches. We allfollowsuit.
“Well,” she begins, “Loverboy here came looking for you at Cuppa Joe and, as many have done before him, ended up spilling his soul to me over a cup of coffee. I heard the whole story and I agreed with what he said at the end: he didn’tdeserveyou.”
“She’s a harsh critic,” Iadmit.
Mel shrugs her shoulders in a ‘guilty as charged gesture’ before continuing her explanation. “But I saw the way you two looked at each other when you were here together, and I know what it’s like to screw things up with the person you care about. I told Jordan the only way he could get another chance with you was to prove he’d changed with actions, not words. I said if he found a way to do that, I’d see what I could do about helpinghimout.”
“I quit my dad’s company that day,” I tell Hailey. “It just took me a few weeks to get everythingsortedout.”
She’s sipping her latte again and smiles at me over the rim of the mug. Just the sight of her sitting next to me after thinking I might never see her again is enough to make me feel like sticks of dynamite are exploding in my chest. I find myself wishing Mel and Mina would just get the hell out of here, because all I want to do is take the mug out of Hailey’s hands, push her back against the couch, and spend the next few days kissing every part ofherbody.
She must be following my train of thought, because she gulps down the rest of her drink over the next two minutes of conversation and then announces that we better getgoing.
“Wouldn’t want to infringe on your income anymore, Mina,” she jokes, getting up from thecouch.
“Who knows?” counters Mina. “Maybe the ‘Hailey’ will end up being a bestseller and this will all have been the best business decision I’veevermade.”
We say our goodbyes before leaving the cafe and head out onto the street. I feel like I’m floating an inch above the pavement, and I glance over at Hailey so often I must look like I have a nervoustwitch.
“I’m still mad at you,” she says, after we’ve been walking in silence for a fewminutes.
“You have every right to be,” Itellher.
“Mostly I’m justfuriousyou didn’t tell me about your mom. Do you know how much of this we could have avoided if you’d just told me? I know what it’s like to make sacrifices for your family. We could have worked this outtogether.”
I swallow the lump in my throat and try to give her an adequate response. “I was so ashamed of how selfish I’d been. I didn’t know how to tell you that I let my momhavea—”
She cuts me off by stopping in the middle of the sidewalk to place a hand on my chest. When she looks up at me her eyes are blazing. “Jordan, you weren’t selfish. You didn’tletyour mom have a stroke. She was sick. It was bound to happen. You’re not responsible for that and your dad is a borderline evil person for making you think you are. Tell me youunderstandthat.”
I stare into the blue pools of her eyes, her gaze unblinking and impossible to hide anything fromanymore.
“I will,” I tell her. “It’ll take me some time, butIwill.”
“Then I’ll help you do it in whatever wayIcan.”
I can’t hold back anymore. I take her face in my hands and bring my lips to hers, needing to give her something that can measure up to what she’s just offered me. At first I kiss her like she’s fragile, something precious that I might just break apart, but then her hands grab at the back of my jacket and her tongue lashes against mine. I tilt her head back and dig my hands into her hair until she whimpers against mymouth.
“I need to get you alone,” Ipant. “Now.”
