Page 42 of Moon Blind Hearts
Carefully, I nod. “I’ll get dressed. Give me five minutes.”
The bright smile that lights up his face chases away the final fear-induced adrenaline, but it doesn’t disappear completely. It sits in my chest, like a stone weighing on my heart. At any moment, it could crush it.
Cash’s truck is as black as his clothing. Black paint, black leather seats, black rims. The only color is from the red stitching in the seats, and a small red bat on the headrests. We’d put Genie’s baby seat in the back, a feat that had taken Cash ten minutes to achieve before I came in and fixed it properly. He’d watched me so he would know how to do it next time. That detail is what truly sold me on the man.
The city of Steele is as small and cute as he promised, made up of a few main streets and small shops with everything from coffee to saddles. The ice cream shop, called Cowboy Creamery, is just past the bank, waiting for us to find it.
“They make all their own ice cream flavors,” Cash explains as he pulls through the streets. “We supply the milk for them, so clearly, they’re top notch.”
He grins at me after the boast and it makes me smile. There’s just something about a man who takes pride in what he does. It doesn’t matter what it is. If he collected stamps and wanted to show them off to me, I’d sit there and listen to him explain each and every one.
He parks the large truck in one of the diagonal spots and turns to me.
“Wait there,” he instructs before he hops out and runs around to open my door. Once he helps me out, he reaches into the back for Genie and unstraps her.
That’s how I find myself inside a small ice cream shop, a cone of the best Rocky Road I’ve ever tasted in my hands, with a goth cowboy in the most charming town I’ve ever seen. Genie happily makes a mess of the bubblegum cup I got her, turning her face blue. Cash watches her with a grin.
“You’re gonna turn into a Smurf, girl,” he teases her. Genie only giggles and reaches for his pierced eyebrow again, trying to catch the metal. He jerks back and shakes his finger at her. “Oh no, you don’t, missy. I’m onto you.”
Watching him with her, joking, teasing, and generally being a chaotic goblin, does something to me. I was in trouble before. I’m in trouble now, but Cash doesn’t seem to mind.
It kind of seems like he’s in trouble with me.
When he looks up and meets my eyes, it takes everything in me to look away. This is too comfortable, and that’s more dangerous than anything else I’ve done. Especially with the threat of that comment earlier. I have to be on guard, ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
And why the fuck does that thought hurt so fucking badly?
Cash presses his ice cream to his nose and gasps in surprise. Genie giggles so hard, she nearly knocks her ice cream on the ground.
Fuck. What have I done?
Chapter 23
Jules
I find Sawyer in the same place as he always is. Today, we’re supposed to take some photos for the subscribers. While live videos and edited videos are always the best money makers, photos also do well on their own. Those who don’t want to spend on the higher tiers or are still hesitant can see the photos and decide to upgrade or stay with that. There are always a small influx of subs who upgrade their tier after posting some. But I can’t exactly take the photos needed for both of our subscribers without Sawyer. It’s his turn today.
“Hey, cheese boy,” I call as I open the door and find him hunched over a table.
He doesn’t turn around, but he waves over his shoulder. “I’ve been waiting for you to find me.”
“You like me hunting you down?” I tease, moving further into the room.
The floor is clean and sealed concrete in this building. It makes it easier to mop and the place is always spotless. There’s no question if these men take their dairy business serious. But Sawyer? He takes it further. If he’s not in the media room, he’s here. I don’t think I’ve seen him anywhere else.
“Well, considering you can see pretty well, I figured it best to let you find me,” he shoots back and then frowns. “You can see, right?”
“I can,” I reply, smiling as I come around the table. In front of him, there’s a wooden board with a variety of cheeses, meats, and fruit on it. I watch as he places a small bundle of grapes at the corner. “Are you making a charcuterie board?”
“Cheese is best enjoyed with accompaniments,” he nods. “And what better way than a charcuterie board to display it?”
I lean forward. “Okay, but why are you making a charcuterie board?”
He looks up at me, and though his eyes are cloudy and I know he can’t see well, it still feels like he looks into my soul. “For us.”
I pause. “For us?”
“Yeah,” he answers, nonplussed.
