Page 44 of For You I'd Mend
“You’re welcome by the way,” Lauren called after me as I stormed toward the bathroom in the café. “I’ll have two Poppies ready when your date gets here. Let’s see how he likes it.”
She did, in fact, have two steaming mugs on the table moments after Aries arrived.
“What’s this?” he asked, draping his leather jacket on the back of a chair.
“The drink we named after Poppy,” Lauren said with her best customer-service smile. “Enjoy. I’ll grab you a couple cookies to go with it.”
He pulled out the chair and sat down, spreading out his arms and legs to take up as much space as possible in the crowded cafe. I wasn’t sure if I admired him for it, or if it made him look obnoxious. Theo had several inches on Aries, but I’d seen the way he softened his voice and stooped his shoulders whenever small children seemed afraid of him. He never gave a shit what the adults thought, which I appreciated, but he also didn’t claim as much space as he could.
“Pretty cool you have a drink named after you,” Aries said. When he lifted the mug to his face, he crinkled his nose.
“Smells like air freshener,” I said.
“Glad you said it.” He winked at me, and my stomach gave a promising wiggle. He took a sip and nodded. “Not bad. I’m not used to fancy drinks like this, but it’s nice.”
Lauren set down a plate of snowflake cookies. No doubt in my mind she’d waited to approach the table until she could hear his reaction to the drink. “Poppy decorated these herself,” she said.
I shot her a look to get lost, but she just smiled at me like a psycho.
“How’d you make them so detailed?” he asked, holding one closer to his face.
“A lot of patience and time,” I said.
“Lauren,” Cammie shouted, “the espresso machine is acting up.”
I was starting to like the perky blonde more and more.
“They taste as good as they look,” Aries said around a mouth full of cookie as Lauren headed for the counter.
“My sister, Rowan, is the baker. I do all the decorating. Most of my work is custom cakes.”
“You’re talented.”
My face warmed at the compliment. Aries scooted his chair closer, but kept his knees spread, so his leg brushed mine.
“So, you want to become a tattoo artist?” I asked, trying to decide if I liked his leg touching mine or just tolerated it.
He nodded. “I’ve done a few on my own already, but Max is helping me work toward a license.”
“That’s great,” I said. “Do you paint or sketch?”
“A little,” Aries said, his eyes downcast. “I’m not an artist or anything. Not like Max or Theo. Definitely not like Theo. That guy has sick skills.”
“I bet you’re more talented than you think,” I said, smiling at him despite the ache in my chest. “You should join Theo’s class at the community center. We meet every Thursday.”
Aries shook his head. “Nah, that’s his thing. He sees enough of me as it is.”
Something about the way he said it, like being around him was a burden, made me link my fingers with his. “Trust me, most of the class are grumpy retirees. You’d be a welcomed addition.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that,” he said, rubbing his thumb across the back of my hand. We talked for a while about Peace Falls, his new job, my sculpting, holding hands the entire time. He never mentioned his past, and I didn’t ask any questions I knew would lead there. After we finished our coffee, which was delicious despite smelling like my favorite fabric softener, he leaned toward me.
“This place closes soon,” he said. “But I don’t want our night to end. How’d you like to walk down to Church for a drink?”
“You drink?” I asked.
“You don’t?”
“I do. I just figured—” I didn’t know how to finish that sentence without revealing I knew he was an addict and newly released felon. Do drug addicts drink? Was alcohol a gateway drug or was that pot? I wished I’d paid more attention to those D.A.R.E lessons in middle school.
