Page 4 of Strawberry Cake

“Ah, so you’re not some crazy stalker.”

Hope crooked a brow and gave him a wink and a smile. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

He pulled up to the window and ordered them a coffee each, making a mental note that Hope liked extra milk in hers.

“So where to?” he asked, unable to hide his grin as he watched her. She sipped at her coffee, happily wiggling in her seat. He’d only heard of the happy dance some did when eating but had never seen it, let alone for nothing more than a coffee.

“I usually get lucky in the store on Long Point.” He looked at her quizzically, waiting for further instruction. “The crossing of Long Point and Bingle,” she added.

“Gotcha.”

“Unless you want something closer to here?”

“I don’t mind the drive. Maybe the rain will let us be by the time we get there.”

“Good point.”

“I’ve never seen you around here before.”

“One of my friends just moved here and we helped her get settled. We were spoiling ourselves after a hard day’s work. Do you come here often?”

Hope was so bubbly, that Decan hoped she would just keep talking. “I usually treat myself after a trip to the bookstore.”

“But you still ended up reading a book you already owned.”

“Yeah. I bought the last book in the series, but don’t wantto read it before I reread the others.”

“You start series that aren’t finished? Very brave.”

“It often happens against my will.”

“I have a whole list of series I’m waiting to read until they’re finished. I learned from my fanfiction mistakes. I hated WIPs,” she laughed, rolling her coffee cup between her palms. “Are you from here?”

“I live in the Galleria Area. And you?”

“Spring Branch.”

“Have you always lived in Houston?”

“I grew up in the Woodlands. You?”

“Born and raised.”

That conjured a grin to her lips. “So proud.”

With it being Saturday morning, it didn’t take them long to arrive at Hope’s chosen thrift store. She stepped out, grabbing their empty coffee cups before rounding to the driver’s side. As they’d hoped, the rain had stopped, but the clouds still bathed them in an ominous grey cast. Decan too got out and for the first time in a long while, he felt as if getting to the trunk and into his wheelchair wasn’t the accomplishment he’d always thought.

Hope didn’t pay him much attention, though. Her eyes stayed on her phone as she opened the trunk for him. “We might be lucky and not get wet. The rain should be gone until the afternoon.” When she looked back up her eyes dropped to the sliver of skin exposed by his raised shirt. “You have a lot of tattoos, don’t you?”

“A few.”

“I always wanted one, but I’m too indecisive.” Hope reached for the trunk, but it was already closing. Shefrowned. “It would have opened without me, right?”

“Yeah,” he chuckled.

“And here I thought I was helping.”

“I thought it was really sweet.”