Page 36 of Unlikely to Stay
“Hi,” he said softly, his hands tucked into the pockets of his shorts.
“What are you doing here?”she asked.“I’m closed.And I figured you’d be off planning your date with Karen.”
Brant’s brow furrowed in surprise.“How do you know Karen won the bet?I thought you weren’t going to watch the auction.Annie and Breckin said you had no interest in it.”
Damn it to hell.Why couldn’t she keep her mouth shut?
“There was a lull in patrons,” she said quickly.“I just went outside to get some air.”
He raised one eyebrow like he didn’t believe her.“Night air?”
CC nodded dumbly.“Night air.”
“Are you a vampire?”
“What?No!Why would you say that?”
To her dismay, Brant sat down on her purple couch and crossed his left ankle over his right knee, making himself right at home.“I was trying to make a joke.”
“Well, it wasn’t funny.”
“Ouch.Are you always this nice to people who come into your shop?”
CC sighed.She was being a bitch.Again.“I’m sorry.I’m just tired.Founding Day always wears me out.”
Brant’s face softened.“What have I done to make you upset, Colleen?Tell me and I’ll try to fix it.Because I’ve been wracking my brain and I can’t come up with one thing I might have done that would’ve pissed you off.”
CC stared at him blankly.What in the hell could she say to him?Well, the problem is I have a huge crush on you and know you’re so out of my league that it is pointless for me to ever tell you?That I was so worried about you finding out that I made myself look like a royal bitch just to avoid you at all costs?Nope.Couldn’t tell him that.
“I’m afraid of doctors,” she said quickly before groaning internally.She wasn’t going down that road with him.Not even her friends knew that story.
Brant just smiled, his eyes twinkling with humor.“Good thing I’m not a doctor then.I just went to nursing school.”
“Well, you’re in the medical profession.And all people in the medical profession scare me.”
“And why is that, exactly?Bad experience with a mean doctor?I once had to go to a pediatrician’s office when I was about ten that had clown pictures everywhere.I wouldn’t turn my bedroom light off for a month after that visit.I had nightmares for days.”
CC shuddered.“Clowns freak me out, too.I can’t believe they remadeIt.”
“Then if it wasn’t a scary clown waiting room, then what is it?Bad hospital stay?”
CC shook her head.
“Bad stitches from a bike wreck as a kid?”
She shook her head again.
“Well, I’m officially out of ideas.”
“I hate needles.”The words slipped from her lips.What a dumb excuse.
“What if I promise to never give you a shot?Would you still hate me?”
CC smiled.“I don’t hate you.”
“Then I guess you have to say hello to me next time we’re on the street.”
“I guess so.”