Page 41 of A Box of Wishes
“Ask.”
“You still have no idea what your burglars were after?”
Ryan shook his head. “None. I would have told you if I’d thought of anything.”
“Quite. Ryan… what about the box?”
“What about it?”
“The burglars went through your desk and your filing cabinets. That suggests they were looking for a document. Paper. A note.”
“I know. But we checked everything.”
“Not quite. What happens to the papers people put in the box when they ask for help? Do you shred them, burn them, put them in the bin? What?”
The very idea hit Ryan like a punch to the gut. “I don’t do anything with them.”
“You leave them in the box? All the time? You don’t… clear it out when you put it away?”
“No.”
“Then whatever the burglars searched for could be in the box. Can you check?”
“Not at the moment.”
“Tomorrow, then?”
“No.” Ryan caught Ben’s eye. “I told you how it works, remember? The box sits on the bar between the autumn equinox and Christmas Day. Then I put it away.”
“But that’s your choice, putting the box away? Youcouldopen it if it was needed?”
“Ben…” Coming on top of the anxiety already making him jittery, this wasn’t a conversation Ryan wanted to have. He slid off the bench and crossed the room to the bar where he braced both hands on the counter as if to steady himself. The headache that had been lurking all day pushed to the fore.
“What’s wrong?” Ben’s palms settled on his shoulders, solid and warm.
“Nothing, really. I’m just bushed and I still have to get the pastries prepared for tomorrow morning.”
“Maybe you should stop working for a while and let me take you out to dinner. Not tonight,” he added before Ryan could object. “But how about tomorrow?”
Ryan wanted to say yes. He hoped Ben could see how much. “I can’t. My parents are three staff members short and fully booked for both lunch and dinner. I promised to help.”
Ben said nothing.
“It’s this flu. It’s wreaking havoc, but Rebecca says she can hold the fort here tomorrow morning, so I can go and—” Ryan realised he was babbling and stopped. “It’s a crazy time of year.”
“So you said. I didn’t realise how crazy.”
Ryan followed Ben back to the nook and the teapot, at a loss for words. He shouldn’t have to apologise for doing his job. But neither should Ben have to beg for a date.
The silence between them stretched and grew until the teapot was empty. Ben settled Morris into his carrier and pecked Ryan on the cheek. “Get some sleep,” he said. “Maybe we’re not destined to meet outside of work.”
“Wait.” Ryan opened the fridge and took out a bag. “I made you some food.”
“I prefer you to a care package. You know that, right?”
“Food is all I can offer right now.”
Ben cupped Ryan’s cheek. “It isn’t, and you know it,” he said. “You don’t have to earn my attention, either. Your sandwiches are fabulous, as are your cakes, but that’s not why I keep coming here. I like you, Ryan. As you are.” He dropped his hand and the blue in his aura dimmed with the grey of doubt. “If food is all you want to offer me, then tell me and I’ll back off. Okay?” He brushed his thumb over Ryan’s lips as if he couldn’t help himself. Then he picked up the bag and the cat carrier and left the cafe.
