Predestined (Existence Trilogy #2)(40)
“What ya want?” I asked reaching for my wallet.
“I don’t know, just get me whatever you’re ordering,” she said with a wave of her hand and walked over to find a table.
I couldn’t order her what I was getting. I always ordered a caramel latte with whipped cream and so did Wyatt. I moved out of the way so the people behind me could order and I studied the menu up on the board behind the counter. It had been years since I’d had anything other than a caramel latte. I wasn’t even sure if I knew something else to order.
“I hear the hot chocolate is incredible,” Leif whispered in my ear. I knew he was actually here instead of just talking in my ear from the warmth of his chest behind me. He was also in human form because my arms weren’t covered in goose bumps.
“I’m a big girl. I prefer coffee,” I snapped without looking back at him.
He laughed softly, “Yes I know. Caramel latte with whipped cream.”
Tensing I glanced over to where Miranda was sitting. She was watching us with an amused yet sad look in her face. I knew seeing me with Leif reminded her of Wyatt. Yet another reason to stay the heck away from him. If he’d only take the hint and leave me alone. I would never agree to give him my soul. Screw the stupid restitution or whatever it was.
“Nope,” I replied and stepped up to the counter to order and put space between the two of us.
The girl at the counter was ogling Leif and not paying me one iota of attention. She actually began twirling a strand of her brown hair around her finger and batting her eyelashes. If the foolish girl only knew. He wasn’t Mr. All-American.
I cleared my throat to get her attention and when that didn’t work I literally had to slap my palm down on the counter in front of her, “Hello, excuse me, but it’s my turn.”
She finally tore her intense ‘come and get me’ stare off Leif and glared at me. Great, now she was going to spit in my coffee.
“I know that. I was waiting on you to order,” the girl’s tone was snarly.
“Well, I didn’t realize that. You seemed preoccupied.”
Her cheeks reddened and I was ready for her to unleash some snappy retort when Leif coughed loudly. He sounded suspiciously like he was covering up a laugh.
“I believe we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot,” Leif’s voice had gone smooth and deep. Just as he’d intended the girl’s expression went all dreamy. Females really were weak when it came to attractive males. “We just need to order, I need a tall hot chocolate and you need a...” he was staring down at me as if we were here together. I started to open my mouth to correct this assumption when I decided I’d better go with it if I didn’t want the girl’s saliva in my latte.
“Oh, um, two tall... uh.... two tall.... um...” I could feel the impatient annoyed glare from the girl but I didn’t let that deter me. I was trying to find something on the menu I knew would be safe for us to order.
“She’d like two tall mocha lattes with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkled on the top, please,” Leif informed the girl.
What the heck? I hadn’t given him permission to order for me. Even if what he ordered sounded really good. He stepped around me and began paying the girl while flirting with her; I crossed my arms and waited until he was done.
When he turned around to smile at me I snarled.
“What? You couldn’t decide. I helped you out. You love chocolate. You’ll like the mocha latte.”
“I don’t recall asking for your help. I can order for myself just fine,” I hissed.
Leif shrugged and reached for my arm to pull me over to the side so the people I hadn’t noticed behind us could order. I went with him then jerked my arm away from him once we were out of the way.
“Why are you insistent on being so angry with me all the time?”
He did not just ask me that. I opened my mouth to tell him exactly how I felt about his claim on my soul when Miranda stood up and ran toward the door of the coffee shop out into the mall.
I pushed past Leif and took off after her.
She had turned left and was headed for the back entrance we’d come in. I picked up my pace and dodged people who were all stopping to watch as I chased Miranda. My first concern was Miranda had flipped her lid with all this trauma. My second concern was that a cop was going to arrest me for trying to harm her. And then there was the concern I would accidentally mow someone down in my pursuit.
Thankfully, she stopped at the doors leading out into the parking lot where I’d parked. Her shoulders were heaving as she held onto the handle trying to catch her breath. Both of my bags she’d been holding were at her feet.
“Miranda, what’s wrong?” I asked breathlessly as I finally caught up with her.
Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she stared outside. Devastation was so deeply etched in her face I wondered if the pain would ever go away. The girl I’d known my whole life had changed that day on the football field while we watched Wyatt’s lifeless body lay there unresponsively.
“I can’t,” she sobbed shaking her head, “I just can’t.”
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her against my side. She crumpled beside me sobbing pitifully. I’d pushed her too far today. She hadn’t been ready for this. Guilt ate at me. I should have made this a shorter outing. Started her out a little at a time. Me and my big ideas.