Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“You think so?” I study the girl and watch the video again. “I could do that.”
“You should do that but do it better.” Tony takes his phone back. “I could show you how to do the dance trends that are happening now so that you get more followers.”
“I don’t think so.” I hold up my hand and shake my head.
“Come on, we could do one, and if you hate it, I won’t mention it ever again.”
“I don’t . . .”
“Where is your phone?” He cuts me off, and I point to where it’s charging near the register.
“Great.” He grabs it, starts to bring it to me, but stops and reads whatever is on the screen. “Who’s Maverick?”
“What?” I snatch it from him, finding that Maverick sent me a message two hours ago.
“Is that your boyfriend?” Katie asks.
“No.” I unlock my phone so that I can read his text, which asks how my first day at my new job is going, and since I haven’t spoken to him since our last strange encounter, I know that he must be talking to Tanner about me again.
“So who is he?” Katie asks, looking over my shoulder at the screen.
“No one.” I exit out of the message and hand my phone to Tony. As he does whatever he’s doing, I go out to the main room and wipe down the small table, where there is milk, cream, sugar, and other coffee supplies. As I clean up, I wonder if Maverick asked Tanner how I’m doing or if Tanner just brought up me getting a job in conversation. My guess is the latter, since Maverick doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would ask something like that, even if he were curious.
“All right, you need a screen name,” Tony calls out, dragging me from my thoughts.
“I don’t know. Make something up.”
“What about Red Books, you know, since your hair is red and you like to read?”
“Oh, I like that.” Katie nods her approval, and I have to admit that is a pretty cool name.
“All right, now I’ll pick a photo for you, and then we’ll make your first video,” Tony says, and I start to shake my head no. “You need content, plus remember this is your first one; you want to see if it’s something you like.”
“Fine.” I give in.
“Do you have a book with you?”
“On my phone.” I shrug.
“That will work.” He goes back to focusing on my phone; then a second later his gaze meets mine. “Done, now let’s get to dancing.”
“Right now?”
“Yes.”
“We’re working,” I point out, and he rolls his eyes.
“Do you see a line I don’t? No one is in here right now. This is our slow time; things will pick back up around five, and we will be done by then.”
“All right.” I give in and follow him to the front of the shop, where there is more room to move around.
“Just follow me.” He starts to break down the dance he wants me to learn in small steps, but I’m a fumbling idiot with two left feet. If Cybil were to see me right now, she would be laughing her ass off.
“I don’t think that dancing is her thing,” Katie says unhelpfully from where she is sitting on the counter facing us.
“Maybe we need some music. Toss me my phone,” he tells her. She sends it flying through the air, and he catches it with ease. After starting up a song I’ve only heard a couple of times on the radio, he begins dancing again. I’m so caught up in trying to follow along with him I don’t hear the door to the shop ding as someone comes in, but I do feel warmth on the side of my face like someone is watching me. Turning to see what’s got my senses up, I find Maverick watching me, with his arms crossed over his chest, and my heart falls into my stomach.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, straightening from the awkward bent position the dance required me to be in, and rub my sweaty hands down the front of my jeans.
“You didn’t text me back, and I was in town, so I figured I’d come to check on you.”
“As you can see, I’m fine.” I push my hair out of my face as Tony shuts off the song that was playing. “Did Tanner tell you I got a job here?”
“No, Cybil did when I went to the house to drop some stuff off.”
“Oh.” I tuck my hands into the back pockets of my jeans, feeling awkward.
“You haven’t messaged since I saw you,” he says quietly.
“Sorry, but in all fairness today is the first time you’ve messaged me.”
“You’re right,” he says, and even though I want to ask him why he hasn’t messaged me, I don’t.
Instead I ask, “Do you want to be my guinea pig and let me make you a coffee? I kind of need the practice.”