Page 2 of Just One Moment
“Graham.”Myvoice is stiff, andIimmediately wince, because she knows whoIam.Taketwo. “GrahamSadler.Patrick’sbrother.Accountant.”Onlywhen the words leave my mouth doIhear how robotic and awkwardIsound.Theroom is dim enough, so maybe she won’t catch the reddening of my face.
“Ihope there are just three of youSadlerbrothers.Godhelp the women of this town if there are more.”It’sfair she looks me over, too, and she doesn’t shy away from scanning me from head to toe, lingering on my face the longest.
“Onlythree of us,”Iconfirm.
Sheswipes the back of her hand across her forehead dramatically with aPhew. “You’renothing likePatrickorBooth, which is good, it might be hard to tell the three of you apart.”
I’mdefinitely nothing like my brothers.
I’mjustGrahamorGray.
Likethe color.
“Well,Joalready mentioned that you’re an accountant and it just so happensI’min need of some help.”Hervoice is equal parts nervous and excited. “I’mstill what you’d call a newbie toSuttonBay.Iown the bakery in town,JustBrewIt?Idon’t thinkI’veseen you in there, but you should come in sometime.”
She’svibrating with excitement, eyes wide as she talks animatedly, hands flying left and right.
Fuck,Ican’t believeIalmost missed out on her.IfIhad ignored that annoying voice in the back of my head telling meIneeded to socialize and hang out with my brothers more,Iwouldn’t be standing here and listening to her passionate rant about brioche and muffins.Shewasn’t wrong—she loves to talk andI’ma little lost, but it simply adds to her charm.Icould listen to her all night.
Aftera few more minutes of adorable rambling, she slaps a hand against her forehead and gasps. “Ohmy god, listen to me.Seriously, just tell me to shut up next time.”
Highlyunlikely.
“Anyway,Icame over here to see if you’d like to meet for coffee?”
Igo to respond, to tell herI’mvery much interested and ask if tomorrow works for her—deciding right this second is being overly eager—when a much larger and unwelcome hand claps me on the back.I’vebeen so hypnotized by her, that it’s interfered with my annoying little brother detector.
“Gray!Oneof my chefs had to leave early.Willyou fill his spot in the next game?”Boothsays from behind me.Witha quick glance over my shoulder,Ifind him beaming at me, brown shaggy hair flopping over his head, looking like a happy puppy.
Usually,I’dbe grateful for him butting into conversations and saving me from having to make awkward chitchat, but not this time.Iwish he’d fuck off, because the longer he standshere, the more my nerves start hammering around my body and my voice drifts farther away.
“Goodto see you again,Quinn.Havingfun?” he asks while waiting for my reply.
Ofcourse he knows her.ItappearsI’mthe last person to know she exists, and for whatever reason, that pisses me off.
“Hey,Booth.I’mhaving a great time, thanks for letting me tag along.”
Theytalk back and forth easily, whileIstand there like an intruder.Turnsout she’s good friends withJohanna, who lives in the apartment above the bakery.
Boothturns his attention to me, but my eyes are still onQuinn.Ihaven’t looked at anything or anyone else since she skipped over to me. “Areyou playing then?”
“Nah.”
“Don’tbe like that.Quinn, you’ll play, won’t you?”Boothasks.
“I’mas hopeless asJohanna, soI’llstick to the sidelines.”Shelaughs.
“Ugh, you two suck.”Helocks eyes withLennyand heads toward him. “Lenny, my fine man, you down for a game of pool?”
We’realone again, andIstill have no idea what to say.You’repretty, seems too forward.Hesitationand unease have sucked up all my vocabulary.Shedoesn’t make me feel awkward, it’s just howIam, especially when the silence is begging to be filled.
Whatsurprises me, though, isQuinn’scalm tolerance toward this entire encounter.Shestands there, rocking on the balls of her feet, smiling up at me like she’s happy to be here.
Clearingmy throat and pulling at the neck of my sweater,Iswallow my nerves and stick to safe territory. “Howare you liking the town?”
Shesmiles wider at that question, and my chest swells withpride thatIsomehow said something right. “Oh, it’s the cutest.Jotook me out toAnakiwaLookoutthe other week, and, wow, what a view.You’velived here your whole life?”
“Yeah.Well,Imoved toNewYorkfor college.You?Imean, not here, you’re clearly not from here.Fuck, not that you look like you don’t belong here.”Myskin reaches dangerous temperatures, and the moreIfumble over my words, the worse it gets.Myeyes fall, becauseIdon’t want to see what no doubt is a weirded-out expression on her face.Agrown man who can’t hold a conversation.Howappealing.