drove into town and parked my jeep next to
Reed’s truck. He was already seated at a table when I walked through the door.
“Hey, how are you?” I ask, walking around the table as he
stands up to greet me. He gives me a hug which I’m not expecting but it isn’t
awkward. And it definitely isn’t anything other than a hug you’d give a friend,
which relieves me. I’m hoping this really is just a lunch between new friends
and not anything more. I’m not interested in anything else with Reed and I
don’t want this to become uncomfortable. He ends our one armed hug with a pat
on my back. Very non-date like.
“I’m good. I ordered you a shrimp salad sub. I hope that’s
okay.” Reed smiles at me as he takes his seat and I take mine. He has the
lightest blondest hair I’ve ever seen, almost white, that falls in his eyes
with a bit of curl.
“Yeah, thanks. That sounds delicious.” I take a sip of the
water he had also ordered for me. “So you were off work today?” Reed had
mentioned a few days ago that he was a laborer for his father’s construction
company.
He nods. “Yeah. Business is kind of slow right now. But it
should pick up soon. We’re usually slammed in the summer time.” Our sandwiches
are placed in front of us and we both take a bite, chewing behind our smiles.
“What town in Georgia are you from again?”
“Fulton. Smallest town in the world.” I swallow my bite and
take a drink. “It’s a military town. The air base is really the only thing in
it besides a Walmart.”
“Have you ever been on the air base? I bet they have some
really cool planes there.”
I shrug. “I’ve only been on it a few times. They’ll show
movies there at the theatre for a dollar, but it’s always like three months
after their original release date.” I take another bite of my sandwich. “I
don’t think given the choice I’d choose to live in Fulton. It’s mainly a lot of
old people that are retired,” I pause and grin slyly. “And Marines.”
He laughs behind his drink. “I could totally live there. I’m
a sucker for girls in uniforms and military planes. My grandfather was a pilot
and used to take me to the air shows when I was younger.” The door to the shop
chimes open and I watch Reed’s eyes react to whoever walks in. “What the hell
are the odds,” he mumbles before fixating his gaze on me.
I turn in my chair and nearly fall out of it. Sweet
mother of all that’s holy. Ben stands frozen just inside the shop door, his
eyes shifting between mine and what I’m going to assume are Reed’s. But I can’t
turn around to be sure. I can’t do anything besides stare at the glorious sight
of him in a cop uniform. He’s a cop? I had no freaking idea. What the hell
else is Tessa keeping from me? My chatterbox best friend seems oddly tight
lipped on everything involving her brother.
“Well look who it is.” I’m broken out of my trance and
glance up to see Luke’s amused grin. “How are you, Mia?”
Movement comes from my left and I turn to see Ben walking
over. Oh, Good God. He’s right next to me. He’s right next to me and he’s
got handcuffs. I swallow heavily and pry my eyes from his to look at Luke.
“I’m good. Great. I’m… I’m good. Or great. Both. I’m both.” And I’ve apparently
forgotten how to hold a conversation. Luke muffles his laugh.
“Hey,” Ben greets me with a smile. I’d usually be able to
react like a normal human being and say something, anything in response, but
considering the fact that he paired that knock me on my ass grin with the
uniform he’s rocking, I’m pooling in my chair and unable to do anything but
continue breathing. He shoots a glare at Reed, one that I wouldn’t ever want
directed toward me. “Reed,” he practically growls and I think Reed says
something in return, but at the moment, my entire body is completely focused on
Ben’s, including my ears. He looks back down at me and grips the back of my
chair. “Are we still on
Reed’s truck. He was already seated at a table when I walked through the door.
“Hey, how are you?” I ask, walking around the table as he
stands up to greet me. He gives me a hug which I’m not expecting but it isn’t
awkward. And it definitely isn’t anything other than a hug you’d give a friend,
which relieves me. I’m hoping this really is just a lunch between new friends
and not anything more. I’m not interested in anything else with Reed and I
don’t want this to become uncomfortable. He ends our one armed hug with a pat
on my back. Very non-date like.
“I’m good. I ordered you a shrimp salad sub. I hope that’s
okay.” Reed smiles at me as he takes his seat and I take mine. He has the
lightest blondest hair I’ve ever seen, almost white, that falls in his eyes
with a bit of curl.
“Yeah, thanks. That sounds delicious.” I take a sip of the
water he had also ordered for me. “So you were off work today?” Reed had
mentioned a few days ago that he was a laborer for his father’s construction
company.
He nods. “Yeah. Business is kind of slow right now. But it
should pick up soon. We’re usually slammed in the summer time.” Our sandwiches
are placed in front of us and we both take a bite, chewing behind our smiles.
“What town in Georgia are you from again?”
“Fulton. Smallest town in the world.” I swallow my bite and
take a drink. “It’s a military town. The air base is really the only thing in
it besides a Walmart.”
“Have you ever been on the air base? I bet they have some
really cool planes there.”
I shrug. “I’ve only been on it a few times. They’ll show
movies there at the theatre for a dollar, but it’s always like three months
after their original release date.” I take another bite of my sandwich. “I
don’t think given the choice I’d choose to live in Fulton. It’s mainly a lot of
old people that are retired,” I pause and grin slyly. “And Marines.”
He laughs behind his drink. “I could totally live there. I’m
a sucker for girls in uniforms and military planes. My grandfather was a pilot
and used to take me to the air shows when I was younger.” The door to the shop
chimes open and I watch Reed’s eyes react to whoever walks in. “What the hell
are the odds,” he mumbles before fixating his gaze on me.
I turn in my chair and nearly fall out of it. Sweet
mother of all that’s holy. Ben stands frozen just inside the shop door, his
eyes shifting between mine and what I’m going to assume are Reed’s. But I can’t
turn around to be sure. I can’t do anything besides stare at the glorious sight
of him in a cop uniform. He’s a cop? I had no freaking idea. What the hell
else is Tessa keeping from me? My chatterbox best friend seems oddly tight
lipped on everything involving her brother.
“Well look who it is.” I’m broken out of my trance and
glance up to see Luke’s amused grin. “How are you, Mia?”
Movement comes from my left and I turn to see Ben walking
over. Oh, Good God. He’s right next to me. He’s right next to me and he’s
got handcuffs. I swallow heavily and pry my eyes from his to look at Luke.
“I’m good. Great. I’m… I’m good. Or great. Both. I’m both.” And I’ve apparently
forgotten how to hold a conversation. Luke muffles his laugh.
“Hey,” Ben greets me with a smile. I’d usually be able to
react like a normal human being and say something, anything in response, but
considering the fact that he paired that knock me on my ass grin with the
uniform he’s rocking, I’m pooling in my chair and unable to do anything but
continue breathing. He shoots a glare at Reed, one that I wouldn’t ever want
directed toward me. “Reed,” he practically growls and I think Reed says
something in return, but at the moment, my entire body is completely focused on
Ben’s, including my ears. He looks back down at me and grips the back of my
chair. “Are we still on
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