Chapter 7
I felt kind of silly walking into the coffee shop. I was a little overdressed for a normal day of work, but today wasn’t a normal day. Today, I was meeting Stone for coffee, a meeting that had completely consumed my thoughts for the whole thirty-six minutes of my run this morning.
I was usually a slow runner. I could maybe clock an eleven-thirty mile on a good day, but today I’d run four miles in under forty minutes. That was well under ten minutes a mile.
A coffee date with Stone must have had a little crack in it, but I wasn’t complaining. I’d been trying to get faster at running for over six months now, and if the idea of Stone did the trick, then so be it. I had to take my wins wherever I could get them.
“You look nice.”
Stone spoke more to the back of my neck than to me. He’d come up behind me as I stood not even two steps from the door. I hadn’t made up my mind whether I was going to sit down or leave as fast as I had come. That was until I felt his body standing so close to mine.
“You smell nice too,” he added.
Stone came around so that we were standing face-to-face. His eyes were heavily focused on mine, and he smiled as I struggled to hold his gaze. I was a very confident woman until I was in his presence. Then I completely became someone else.
“Thank you.”
“You weren’t thinking about leaving, were you?”
“No, I just made it.”
“Cool. Come on. I got us a booth in the back. I just got up to use the bathroom.”
Stone grabbed my hand and led me toward our seats. My hand felt so tiny inside his. His hand felt so warm against mine. Without thinking, I squeezed it tighter.
Once we made it to the booth, he motioned for me to slide in first before he slid in on the same side. Stone was not a small man, so there wasn’t much space between the two of us. The waitress must’ve seen us sit down because she walked over just as we got settled.
“What can I get you guys this morning?”
“I’ll take a white mocha latte.” I spoke first because I definitely needed a distraction. The feel of his body against mine made my temperature rise. Stone, sliding into the same side of the booth with me, had to be some kind of tactic to throw me off my game, and it was working.
“And for you, sir? Can I get you anything?”
“Nah, I have everything I need.”
Stone looked directly at me instead of the waitress when he answered. He was coming on strong, and I couldn’t say that I minded at all. It had been a long time since any man caught my attention. The fact that the man holding it captive was one I met at Renewed was shocking.
“Do you really?”
“Do I what?”
“Have everything you need?”
“I do. I didn’t know I wanted a kid, but now I have Sakani, and we really click. It’s like he was born to be my son.”
“I’m really happy to hear that. Sakani didn’t know he wanted a dad either, but watching you two the other night told me you were born to be his father.”
“Now, all he needs is a mother.”
Stone flashed me the most devilish smile, like he had it all planned out.
He really thought I wanted to become a ready-made family, when I had no idea if I wanted a family at all.
I’d seen the horrors of so-called family, and I had no desire to be attached to it again. At least I didn’t think I did.
“I hope you find the woman you’re looking for.”
This time, I looked him dead in the eyes. He needed to know I saw every shot he was taking and was dodging them one by one. I had more pressing things to worry about.
It wasn’t long before the waitress was returning with my latte. She set it in front of Stone to keep from reaching over him, and he slid it over to me. I wasted no time taking that first sip because if I didn’t need anything else, I needed my latte every single morning.
“Thank you,” I said as I placed it back on the table in front of me.
“I think I already found her.”
“You think you’re so smooth, don’t you?”
“I’m not trying to be smooth. I’m just telling you what I want.”
“And what about what I want? Does that matter to you?” I checked.
“Yes, I know you want me. You just don’t want to admit it yet. I’m here to help you admit it to yourself so it’s easy when it’s time to tell me.”
“So, how long have you been in town? I know you’re new here.”
“I actually grew up in this town. I graduated from Biloxi High School, joined the army, and only came back to visit. I retired last year and decided to come back home.”
“What made you come back? You have family here?”
“Mama Bea is the closest thing I have to family. She was my mother’s best friend, so they raised me and her son like brothers.”
“And where is your brother now?”
“He passed away not too long ago.”
“I am so sorry I asked.” Asking such an off-the-wall question sent me right back into a fog of awkwardness. “I, um, should get to work. I have a lot to do today.”
“You don’t have to always be nervous around me, Shanet.”
“I’m not nervous,” I lied, then got up to leave as fast as I could. Before I could get out of there, he grabbed my arm. I didn’t know what it was about that man’s touch that made me melt every single time.
“Give me your number before you go.”
It was more of a command than a suggestion. Every digit spilled out of my mouth like they had been waiting to be released. I hadn’t given a man my number in years, but I was happy to give it to Stone.