Chapter 12 #2
“Well, Hello Mrs. The Hair. Should I expect a wedding invitation in the mail soon?” I remark, aiming for a jovial tone but it comes out a little snarkier than I intended.
She huffs a quick laugh as her highbrows raise a little, “I wouldn’t go as far as that Matchmaker, but he’s…” She looks into the air as if deciding which word to pick. “Charismatic,” she lands on.
“Well that’s better than a few other choice words,” I half joke. “But really, if he’s an ass I can tell him to go eat the curb if you’re not into him.” I state more seriously while I finish returning mugs to the shelf behind me, a tiny flame of hope in my gut begging her to ask me just that.
“Nah, he seems harmless enough. I can handle my own, Peggy. I’m a big girl.” Celeste beams at me with a sly smile and an adorable wink that makes my insides melt a little.
“I know you can.” I say, sliding a warmed chocolate croissant towards her from across the bar top.
“If you keep giving me free confectionery handouts, you’ll have to roll me out of here,” she chides but nevertheless begins gobbling down the sweet treat.
I smile as she enjoys the food I’ve given her.
Something warm brightens in my chest while watching Celeste eat something I—well, I only put it on a plate and served it to her but either way—I feel almost as gooey as the inside of that croissant.
The bell above the door chimes and I watch as Jude exits the building.
I swallow the uncomfortable lump that forms in my throat remembering that Celeste was just on a date with another guy.
A guy that I set her up with. A hell of thine own creation.
My own croissant lays beside me untouched, my stomach unable to digest anything yet without peppering her with questions about her and Jude’s conversation.
“So what was the main topic of conversation?” I ask innocently.
She gives me a little nod with her hand over her mouth, trying to finish chewing before answering, her pink tongue darting out to lick a leftover crumb from her full lips.
“Mostly his wealth, but also what his plans are for post grad. Traveling,” she answers, and I notice a small dot of chocolate on the corner of her mouth she missed.
“Did you tell him your plan for medical school?” I ask absentmindedly, offering her a napkin, then tap my own mouth in indication.
She takes the napkin though clearly lost in thought. “No,” she lowers her gaze then gives her head a little shake and wipes at her mouth. She looks up to me again with a smile that doesn’t meet her eyes. “Did I get it?”
A low chuckle escapes me. “No, may I?” I ask without hesitation, stunning us both into a moment of silence.
My question hangs boldly in the air between us.
Her eyes lock onto mine as she dips her chin just a little to indicate a nod.
I reach out gently, my thumb barely making contact with the seam of her lips.
They part for me, just a little. My gaze drops to her lips as my thumb slowly wipes the dot of chocolate from the corner of her mouth.
My feral brain has a passing thought of sliding my thumb between her lips and seeing how she’d react.
But no, that’s inappropriate on so many levels.
Bad, Dominic. 1. She’s not yours. 2. You’re in public and 3. Most importantly, she did not consent to that.
I retract my hands quickly and glance around, remembering where I am and let a low slightly uncomfortable laugh escape my lips before turning and washing my hands in the sink. When I turn back Celeste’s cheeks are flushed the most beautiful shade of pink.
“Do you want a coffee?” I ask to try and distract myself from whatever that was.
“Please,” she answers quickly even though I know she just had one on her date.
Dominic Miller, she just finished a date with another guy and here you are wanting to stick your finger in her mouth, you sick fuck.
I try to regain any resemblance of composure as I fiddle around with the coffee machine, adding milk and sugar the way Celeste likes it.
“So why not tell him about med school? Wouldn’t it be a little weird if you’re dating and suddenly he says he wants to go to Bora Bora but you have a cadaver to work on?”
She only gives me a little shrug in reply as if her future and goals were not worth mentioning to Jude.
“Seriously, Hoot, if he doesn’t see your interests as interesting, he’s not worth your time.”
“I know, I know. Honestly, it just didn’t come up. It’s okay,” she placates. I’m not sure if she’s saying that to reassure me or herself, but I go with it.
“So any other men you want to hit on for me?” she jokes as her smile, a real smile, brightens her face. It’s captivating and infectious, and I just can’t look away.
“Not lately. It’s getting a bit slow around here. I guess people don’t want to spend their limited beautiful summer days in a coffee shop. Weird, right?” I smirk. “Any more plans today? Tutoring Espresso Barbie again?” I ask just to continue our conversation, sipping from my own coffee.
“No,” she glares at me, “and her name is Angelica. Today, I’m as free as a bird.
” Celeste opens her arms wide as if she were about to take off in flight, then folds them back under herself and leans on the counter looking at me, her mouth pulled to one side in contemplation.
“Not a clue as to what I should do though. See, that’s the problem with normally being so busy, once you’re free you have no idea what to do with yourself.
” She huffs and taps her fingers on the countertop, looking around as if there will be something for her to do in here.
I look around too at the empty chairs and stacks full of unread books.
As much as I like it here, it can get dull.
Quite honestly, I’d rather be at home working on a new recipe.
“What about you? What are you doing for the rest of the day?”
“Today, I just so happen to be getting another tattoo,” I say calmly, although I’m positively gleeful inside.
Nadine has been working endlessly on glitter tattoos that have become so popular in the few years.
She has put in the work and I happily agreed to be one of her guinea pigs, once she felt comfortable with the new technique.
That was months ago, and now with her new skill in hand, it’s time to pay the piper.
“No freaking way!” Celeste says excitedly, her pouty lips popping open in surprise.
God damn, what I would do to that mouth.
I give my head a shake and try to refocus on needles. And Pain. “Yeah, my friend is doing it.”
“So what are you getting? I’ve always wanted one, but I’m too chicken shit.”
I bark a laugh. “It’s going to be a glitter shark, right here,” I pull my apron aside and lift my shirt to show the empty space across my ribs between my other sea creature tattoos.
I look over to Celeste and find her sitting perfectly still, rounded eyes unblinkingly focused on my exposed skin, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.
I hold in my laugh and pull my shirt back down before anyone else sees.
“Fuck, sorry. I know I’m ogling you, but damn boy, I think you should be fined because now all my thoughts are indecent about your exposure. Do you have a treadmill back there? How are you so fit?!” Celeste rambles on at breakneck speed as my cheeks begin to pink at her comments.
“No, ha. No treadmill. I like to run sometimes, I guess, hit the gym with my pal, Olly.” I shrug nonchalantly before switching the conversation back to Celeste. “What about you, what do you want to get?”
“I’d love to get my boobs done, but that’s for another lifetime.
” She waves a hand. My eyebrows practically bounce to the ceiling and I try with the might of a freight train not to glance down at her chest. “Oh! You mean tattoos. Right. Well my mom and I wanted to get matching ones but she’s not a huge fan of needles.
I want something special though, kind of about her I guess.
” A sadness flashes across her features, so briefly I almost miss it.
A smile, one of the fake ones she uses to mask an unwanted emotion, is slapped back on her face.
I notice a couple students amble in, making their way towards the coffee bar. Celeste must see as well because she begins gathering up her things.
“You have customers, I’ll let you go. Gotta go stretch my wings and all that!
Enjoy my freedom.” She gives me a little salute from her brow and takes off.
I glance down and notice my feet pointed directly at Celeste’s frame, walking away from me.
It only then hits me that, this entire conversation with Celeste, she had been leaning in towards me.
It could mean absolutely nothing but… Something warm and wonderful washes through me and I carry it with me through the rest of my shift, through the pain of my new glitter tattoo, and home with me.