How (Not) to Fall in Love(41)

“Oh my. That’s tough, with a holiday next month. Let me look at my calendar.” I heard the clicking of a keyboard. “My next opening is December fifth.”

Crap. We had to be out by the end of November. “Is there any way you can do it sooner?”

“I’ll put you on my calendar for the weekend of December fifth, but you might want to check with the other companies Charlie recommended. Call me back to let me know either way.”

My little bit of optimism took a hard hit. I’d been sure this was the answer, but I should have realized a good agent would be booked far in advance. I spent the next half hour calling Charlie’s other referrals, trading voicemails, and pacing the kitchen floor, my stomach getting tighter and tighter with anxiety. We were out of luck. No one had openings before the end of the year. Family Solutions was our only option.

I only needed an extra week, or two. Could I persuade the board of directors to give us a break? J.J. hadn’t given us much hope, but if I went to them myself, showed them I was working on the problem…

Toby snored from the middle of the kitchen floor. I sank next to him and rubbed his stomach. “What should I do, Toblerone?”

Persuade the board to give us extra time. Make a speech in front of all of those people who thought my dad was a criminal. Just the idea of it made me sweat.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” I whispered. Toby opened an eye to look at me as if wondering what I was so worried about. He had a lot more confidence in me than I did.

I needed to prepare. To practice. It was going to be like debate class, only a million times worse. “But this is different,” I told Toby. “This time there’s a lot more than a grade at stake. I have to win.”

I arrived at Charlie’s shop an hour before my shift started at Liz’s, grateful to see him behind the counter. I’d brought Toby with me since I sometimes left him with Charlie or Lucas while I worked in the coffee shop.

“How’d it go?” he asked. “Did you find someone to do the estate sale?”

I nodded and grabbed a donut. “Family Solutions. The only problem is she can’t fit us in before we have to move. I don’t know what to do.”

Charlie frowned. “Is there any way you can push back the move date?”

I stared at my lap. “Maybe,” I said quietly, “if we ask the board for more time.”

“Hasn’t your mom asked?” Charlie asked, his voice soft with concern.

I still hadn’t told my uncle about Mom’s drinking, and I didn’t want to now. He already worried enough about me. “I’m sure she will,” I lied, knowing I was the one who had to do it. Even though I was terrified.

He frowned. “What can I do to help you, Darcy?”

I forced a smile. “Keep supplying these donuts.”

He reached across the counter and squeezed my hand. I held his gaze, so grateful to be with him, yet seeing so much of my dad in him that I had to fight back tears.

Toby jumped up and raced for the door. I turned to see Lucas standing outside, laughing with Eddie from Inkheart. If I were a dog, I’d be panting at the door, too. Lucas saluted Eddie then pushed through the door. He bent down to pet Toby, then looked up and grinned. “Hey. What’s up?”

“Not much.” I focused on my donut. He looked exceptionally delicious today, wearing a tight, dark green thermal shirt that outlined his muscles and made his eyes look like sparkling jewels. God, I was pathetic. What was I doing, designing a romance book cover in my head?

He perched next to me on a stool and grabbed a donut. “Put it on my tab,” he told Charlie, who just winked at him.

“Hey!” I pointed accusingly. “The pink ones are mine.”

He raised an eyebrow, watching me intently while he licked the pink icing with his tongue. Holy hell. I turned away and gulped my water. There weren’t enough ice cubes in the city to cool me down right now.

“I’m taking Toby for a walk before my shift starts,” I said, sliding off my stool to avoid looking at his eyes or his mouth…or his tongue, still working on the icing.

Lucas stood up, wrapping his donut in a napkin. “I’ll go with you.” He glanced at Charlie as he slid the donut toward him. “Save this for me. Okay if I take my break before my shift even starts?” He grinned.

Charlie looked back and forth between us. “Go ahead,” he said, a funny little smile on his face.

Toby danced around us as we headed for the door. Lucas held it open and then fell into step next to me as we walked down Broadway. My heart hammered as I tried to think of something to talk about. We always seemed to have lots to talk about in the shops, but we hadn’t done this before, just the two of us.

“Truth, Darcy,” he said. “How’s everything going? For real.”

I stumbled and he put out a hand to steady me, which didn’t help since the sudden warmth of his touch made me even more klutzy.

“I’m okay,” I said, once I’d figured how to walk again.

“You’re lying,” he said conversationally, like he’d asked me about the weather. He tossed his long dark hair out of his eyes and I swallowed, trying to maintain my composure. “You’re worried about something. More than usual, I mean.”

My lips parted in surprise. “How can you tell?”