Don抯 eyebrows lifted. 揙h? Well, go on.?He shifted the bags in his hands.
揥ouldyouliketogetdinnerorsomethingsometime??She said the words in a rush and I nearly burst out laughing there, but held back. She was doing the scary thing, and I wanted to see how she抎 handle this. I didn抰 want to push her so far that she抎 bail on this whole thing. It was just getting interesting.
Don blinked at her. 揑抦 sorry, I didn抰 catch that.?
揇inner. Would you like to get it sometime??She stared at her sneakers, face burning.
Don抯 mouth made an O. 揙h, Hannah. I抦 married.?
揜ight,?she managed. 揗arried.?
Her face burned, and the red flush crept down her neck to her collarbone.
Don shook his head at her with pity. 揙h, honey. You抣l find someone.?He reached into his bag. 揟ake a can of beans.?
She put her hands up. 揘o, that抯 okay棓
揚lease, I insist.?He pushed the can into her hands and shot her another wince. 揑抦 so sorry if I ever gave you the wrong impression about us.?
Hannah made a strangled noise in her throat.
I tilted my chin at him, still smiling. 揝ee you later, Don.?
揕ater, Don.?Hannah抯 voice warbled. When Don was far enough away, she whirled at me and slapped my arm.
I burst out laughing.
揟hat was so embarrassing.?
揑 know. You did great. One down, nine to go.?I peered over her shoulder as Max approached. 揜ound two, let抯 go, before you have time to think about it.?
Max was in his mid-twenties and managed Avery抯 restaurant, The Arbutus. He gave us a wave. 揌ey.?
揗ax, will you go on a date with me??Again, she rushed the words out, like she couldn抰 get rid of them fast enough.
One of his eyebrows rose in disbelief. 揧ou know I抦 gay, right??
Hannah抯 throat worked and she nodded.
Max glanced between us with interested suspicion. 揥hat抯 going on here??
I shrugged. 揇on抰 worry about it.?
His gaze narrowed. 揑抦 not going to go on a date with you, Hannah, but you can come over and watch The Bachelor with Div and I Sunday night. We eat a lot of pizza and make fun of everyone.?He raised an eyebrow at her. 揟his is purely platonic, on account of me still being gay.?
Hannah gave a quick nod. 揝ure. Sunday night. I抣l bring spinach dip.?
He pointed at her. 揘ow, you抮e thinking.?He glanced between us again and gestured between her and I. 揑抦 intrigued. Goodbye.?
Hannah shifted on her feet, twisting her hands. 揃ye.?
Max walked away, casting curious glances over his shoulder at us as I grinned and waved at him.
揋reat. Now he抯 going to tell Avery what a weirdo I抦 being. Standing outside my own bookstore, harassing innocent men.?
揃ookworm, that was amazing. Two rejections, one after the other? When this is over, you抮e going to be bulletproof.?
Her nostrils flared and another spike of happiness rose in my chest. If only she could be this feisty with others.
We抎 get there.
We kept waiting on the sidewalk for people to pass. The next three guys were in relationships but flattered someone as cute as Hannah was paying attention to them. I had gone easy on her and let her skip the ones that were walking with another woman. I didn抰 want to completely mortify her. Just a little.
Div walked by, in a full suit like always. Div worked for my brother Emmett, first at the construction company Emmett and my other brother Holden owned, and now at town hall, where Emmett was mayor.
揌ey, Div,?I called as he passed. 揌annah wants to ask you something.?
Div raised an eyebrow. 揂re you going to ask me out, too??
Hannah nodded, shoulders sinking. 揗ax told you.?
揂nd Don.?He studied her before gesturing. 揥ell, go on.?
揇iv, will you go on a date with me??Her tone was so dreary and dejected that I had to hide my grin behind my hand.
He shook his head, studying her. 揘o, but I抦 going to ask you questions tomorrow night when you come over.?
揟hat抯 reasonable.?She nodded, pressing her lips together.
Div抯 phone rang and he read the name on the screen. 揑 have to take this.?He answered the call and walked away.
揊our to go, bookworm.?I shot her a wink.
She huffed and chewed her lip. At least she wasn抰 mortified anymore. Just irritated.
揥yatt, my dude!?Carter, the twenty-three-year-old who worked at my surf shop, raised his hand for a high five. He shot Hannah a lazy smile. 揥ho抯 the lady friend??
揟his is Hannah.?
Carter抯 dopey smile lingered. It was after eight in the morning so he was probably stoned. I didn抰 care if he was high working at the surf shop, as long as he didn抰 get stoned before teaching any lessons. 揌ey, Hannah. What抯 your story??
揢m. I work at a bookstore.?She gestured behind us. 揟his one.?