Page 15 of Space Daddy and a Boy Called Twink

“I’m sure he’ll give you a tour of something all right,” Eric chimed in, but Daddy didn’t seem to hear him or didn’t care because his expression didn’t change.

“Uh…okay, yes, I could do that.”

“I have to procure some tools today, but tomorrow perhaps?”

Procure some tools? Some of the things this guy says…

“I work until three,” I explained, “but that’d be good for me. Maybe now we could exchange numbers.” I retrieved my phone.

The way he’d acted earlier at my place hadn’t made any sense—the list was only getting longer—but I was starting to realize that maybe he was nervous. He had a strange personality and was difficult to read. But here he was, and he wanted to see me again, which had butterflies fluttering in my belly.

As I was about to pass him my phone, I noticed he had that expression he’d made with that asshole customer, as though he was about to tear my phone from my hand and toss it across the shop.There must be a reason my phone scares him so much…And that poked at something Eric said earlier. “Quick question: do you happen to have a boyfriend?”

“I have many friends,” he replied, not taking his eyes off my phone.

“No, like a boyfriend. A partner.”

“A mate?”

In my periphery, Eric’s brow creased.

“Sure, that.”

“No, I don’t have a mate or…boyfriend.”

“Then why do you keep acting weird about me trying to get your number?”

“I…I’m not sure I should say,” Daddy hedged, in a way that got the adrenaline kicking through me real fast.

“Okay, this is my cue to head on.” Eric searched around uneasily, this awkwardness evidently beyond his tolerance. Pushing up from his stool, he stepped behind Daddy and shook his head, mouthing, “No,” before heading on his way.

Once he was gone, Daddy leaned closer, whispering, “Is she listening?”

“She? Who?”

“Chelsea.”

“Chelsea? Who the—”

“What can I help you with?” Chelsea’s voice came from my phone, which made Daddy’s eyes go wide, as if he’d just seen something terrifying.

“I shouldn’t have said anything,” he spit out.

“What? Is this about my phone? Huh?”

“I would feel better discussing this in private,” he said, and even with him just having mentioned Chelsea, it took me a moment to realize what he was saying. “Oh, you mean…”

I headed to the back room and set my phone on the shelf. A part of me felt like when I headed back, he was gonna tell me he didn’t understand why I’d done that, that I was being ridiculous, but I could tell he was relieved.

“Do they put anything on you that links you to her?”

“Like a Bluetooth?”

He made a face. “It doesn’t matter. It’s possible you might not even be aware.”

“Are you one of those off-the-grid guys?” This all seemed to be leading to conspiracy-theory territory, but he was hot enough that I could overlook a few quirks…maybe even more than a few.

“I’m not ‘on the grid’ as long as theKaylogisn’t working.”