Page 96 of Sparktopia
I shrug. He’s not wrong.
“But it’s more than that, isn’t it, up-city Clara Birch.” This time when he says my name like that, it’s not an insult. I can tell the difference now. “I’m all you’ve got.”
I roll my eyes.
“And you think I might leave you here.”
Now I look at him again. Because Iamafraid he’ll leave me here. Surely, he’s got friends, or places to be, or something.
And just as I think this, that phone thing of his starts making a noise. But we’re still looking at each other and he doesn’t let the interruption change this. “I’m not gonna leave you here. Ya know why?”
“Why?”
“Because you’re pretty.”
I laugh out loud unexpectedly.
“So you were right. That’s the real reason I’m curious about you.” He pulls the phone out without breaking eye contact. “I’ve got to take this.” Then he taps it and puts it up to his ear. “Did you get my message?”
There’s a pause while he listens to a faint voice. Then everything about him changes. “Oh, sorry. I forgot. I’ve beenbusy all day. Rain check then, yeah?” He listens for a few seconds. “Sounds good. Talk soon.” He taps the phone again and slips it back into his pocket.
“What was that?”
“Stayn.”
“Did he ask about me?”
“He doesn’t know about you, Clara. I didn’t tell him.”
“Then why was he calling?”
“Because I was supposed to be at his house for dinner tonight and I didn’t show. Forgot. Plus, I got a better offer.” He doesn’t wait for me to smile here, though I do. “The good thing though is that he didn’t ask about it. The vagrant, I mean. The whole thing has been forgotten as far as he’s concerned.”
These words rattle around in my brain for a few moments. It feels like a win, but there’s something dangerous about it too. “I owe you.”
Tyse grins. “Youabsolutelyowe me.”
My laugh comes out as a huff. “Well, that’s not coy.”
“There’s no need to be coy. Isavedyou.” He leans back and stretched his arms out along the top of the booth, still grinning. “Twice? Three times? At any rate, your debts are piling up, Miss Birch.”
I don’t know what to say to that. Is he… flirting with me? Because he’s got a kinda flirty look about him. Those eyes and that smile, in combination with that rugged, handsome face, give off an impression of flirting.
Or is he seriously keeping track of how much I owe him? I don’t know him well enough to tell the difference. And he does come off as rather dangerous. Just because he’s been helpful doesn’t make him nice. And if he is keeping track?—
“Oh, stop, Clara.”
“What?”
“I’m joking. I mean, ya do owe me.” He grins again. “But I’m not expecting much. Not expecting anything, actually.”
“What do you mean by that?”
He shrugs. “Helping people is something you do because you want to. Not because you get something in return. Mostly because people just disappoint ya, so zero expectations is really the way to go.”
“Wow. You really are cynical.”
He doesn’t react. Just stares at me. And after only a few seconds of his full, undivided attention the mood between us becomes heavy and awkward.
