Page 25 of Coffee Shop Cupid
Tristan seemed to deflate. “I… I won’t be able to talk about it all, not yet. It’s too much.”
“I understand. I won’t push. You can tell me about your past when you’re comfortable doing so.”
“Thank you.”
I squeezed his hand. “I’m serious about you, and that means respecting your boundaries.”
He blinked rapidly several times, and I realized he was on the verge of tears again.
“I have some key lime cupcakes,” I offered.
He sniffled, then smiled. “Are you always going to try to cure my tears with sweets?”
“It’s worth a shot,” I replied.
“I might get fat. I cry a lot.”
I shrugged. “That just means more of you to love.”
He hiccupped. “You’re ridiculous.”
“So does that mean yes for dinner?”
He smiled. “Yes.”
I stood, and he followed. “I’ll pick you up at seven, if that works for you.”
He nodded.
I rounded my desk and slid an arm around his waist, then took a chance and brushed my lips across his cheek. “Let’s go get you that cupcake.”
“Ok.”
∞∞∞
I stared at the cards in my hand, but the numbers made no sense. All I could see was the hearts in the corners.
“Frankie’s gonna rob you blind if you keep making goo-goo eyes every time you have hearts in your hand,” José warned.
“Huh?”
“Fold,” Lowell said. “He’s obviously got a flush.”
“Agreed,” stated Alan. “I’m out.”
“I’m in,” Frankie declared with a grin, tossing a few chips on the pile.
José stared at his hand for a moment, then set the cards down. “Fold.”
I looked at the pot and matched the bet. “Call.”
“Full house,” Frankie proclaimed, setting his cards on the table.
I sighed and set down my hand. Then José started laughing.
“What?” I asked, lamenting the loss of the hearts.
“Dude, you were so busy staring at the hearts that you didn’t even realize you were sitting on a straight flush.”
