{Kayla}

The bells on the diner’s front door clink against the glass and I glance up, smiling to greet two of my favorite people. It’s Emma and Ryan—quite possibly the cutest couple on the planet. They’re even holding hands, and I melt a little. “Hey, guys. Sit wherever you want.”

“Because I want an omelet and the diner is the only place that serves breakfast all day,” Emma says, clearly in the middle of a conversation, and slides into a booth. “Besides, you know me and eggs.”

Ryan slides into the bench across from her. “We have to get you over your aversion to eggs. They aren’t that scary.”

I stop at the table, my order book in hand. “Eggs are scary?”

“Terrifying,” Emma adds with a firm nod.

“She can’t cook them,” Ryan explains. “Can I get a Coke?”

I write the order down and give Emma my attention. “For you?”

“Coffee.” Emma returns her menu to the holder at the end of the table against the wall. “I don’t know why I even bother looking at the menu. I work here. Besides, I always get the same thing.”

This, I know. “Kitchen sink omelet?”

“It’s like you can read my mind.” Snark drips from her comment.

It’s one of our most popular plates due to its size. It’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all for eight bucks. It’s perfect for a student with no money. “You got it. I’ll bring a box so you can take the leftovers home.”

“We can add it to the towering containers of leftovers you bring over to my place and leave until they turn into science experiments.” Ryan shakes his head as he flashes a cute lopsided grin, his attention on Emma. The way his eyes glimmer when he looks at her makes me melt a little more. I want a guy to look at me like that, even in front of his friends. “I’ll get the BU burger and sweet potato fries.”

I take their order and hang the slip for Alfonse. “Order in.”

One of the regulars walks over to the counter and hands me the bill and cash to cover it. “Thanks for the chicken strips, Alfonse. They were just right, as always.”

He salutes with his long metal spatula that seems permanently attached to his right hand. “Anytime, Mr. Liam. I know you like dem strips extra crispy. You won’t be findin no strips like Alfonse’s in Vegas.”

It’s unnerving how well he knows every customer, considering the student body population is close to thirty thousand. If even one tenth of them frequented the diner, that’s still three thousand students, give or take. Alfonse has been here forever. It boggles my mind how he remembers all their names when I can’t even remember whether I left the light on in my bedroom this morning.

Liam nods. “You got that right. That offer stands. Any time you want to come work at my dad’s hotel, the job is yours.”

He laughs deep. “Ain’t no way I be leavin my students. Dey need Alfonse.”

“I’ll see you in the fall.” He leaves. When the bells clank against the door, I jump out of the state of shock the conversation put me in. Thank God Alfonse turned him down. I can’t imagine the diner without him. Hell, I can’t imagine BU without him. He’s an icon at the university.

“Hey, Kayla?” Emma calls out. “I forgot to tell you no onions on the omelet.”

“No onions on Emma’s omelet.” I relay the message to Alfonse.

“I already know dat.”

Of course, he does.

“And turkey instead of beef for Ryan,” he adds. “He be a heathy eater, dat one.”

“Do you want me to double-check that?”

“No. I know my students.”

“He comes in sometimes and eats really crappy food, too.” Why I’m arguing with him over something this dumb is beyond me.

“On dem days he orders onion rings. Today is sweet ’tater fries. Dat be wit a turkey burger.”

I give up. It’s no use arguing with him anyway, not when he’s always right.

The door opens and my stomach flips. Why is Jake here twice in the same week? I’ve only seen him in this diner a dozen times total. My nerves are raw as he approaches the counter. I put on my best waitress smile. “Sit wherever you want.”

He shakes his head. “I’m not here to eat. Do we want a couch?”

I’m thrown off by the question and the way he’s avoiding eye contact. So much for him looking at me the Ryan looks at Emma. Jake is back to acting exactly how he did Monday morning when he came in with his friends. When we’re at the firehouse, he can’t keep his eyes off me. When we’re at the apartment, he can’t keep his hands off me. For some reason, when we’re here, he basically treats me like I’m nobody.

I snap out of my little pity party. “What’s wrong with the one we have?”

“It’s a loveseat, not a couch. Besides, it’s charred on the back and kinda smells. A guy at the station just got a brand new couch and is offering us his old one. It’s nice.”

A real couch would be better than my poor excuse for one. It’s like a Barbie couch, it’s that small. “Are you sure it’s not like one of those we see on the side of the road with a free sign on it?”

“Not even close. You’re going to love it. I know from personal experience it’s comfy, having slept on it a few times.”

“Alone?”

He narrows his gaze. “Very funny.”

That still doesn’t answer the question. Honestly, I don’t want to know what he may or may not have done on the couch I’m about to allow into my home. “Fine.”

“I’ll have him bring it by tomorrow since we’ll be at the park tonight.”

“We will?”

“Yes,” he insists. “We will. Come on, Kayla. You promised.”

“I never promised.” It will be too close to a real date. That crosses the line of this casual thing we’ve got going.

“You’re going. That’s final. If I have to throw you over my shoulder and carry you, you’re going.

“Jake.”

Alfonse slaps the bell, jerking me out of whatever the hell has me frozen. “Emma and Ryan’s order be up, Miss Kayla.”

“Thanks.” I swing my gaze back to Jake in time to catch him walking out. I stand there, stunned he’s so casual. It’s exactly what we agreed to, so I should be happy. Thrilled, even. Yet, as I stare at the door, I’m not sure how I feel about him being able to switch his feelings off like that. My insides are in turmoil.

I grab Emma and Ryan’s orders and carry them over to the table. The omelet is so heavy I rest it on my forearm and curl my fingers around the edge of the plate. “One kitchen sink omelet.” I set the plates down. “And the BU burger with sweet potato fries.”

“Holy sweet Jesus on a picnic,” Emma exclaims and I laugh. “I always forget how ginormous this thing is. You’d think I’d remember, considering it’s like benching my own weight whenever someone orders it. Look what a great girlfriend I am, Ryan. Dinner is on me tonight. No two-for-one coupon needed.”

“And breakfast tomorrow, and maybe even lunch.” He grabs a fry and shoves it into his mouth before lifting the bun and nodding. “I forgot to ask for turkey. I’m glad Alfonse caught that.”

“He catches everything.” They don’t need refills on their drinks, so I give them a nod. “Enjoy your lunch.”

“Hold up,” Emma says and gestures at the counter with her chin. “Why was Jake here?”

I glance over my shoulder to the empty counter. “He got us a couch.”

“A couch? How very domestic. It’s like you’re a real couple.”

I whip around so fast my neck kinks. “We’re not even a fake couple.” I cringe when I realize how that must have sounded. Ryan and Emma started as a fake couple before making it official. It worked for them. It wouldn’t work for Jake and me. At all. Especially since I don’t want to couple with him in any way.

Well, maybe in one way.

“Sorry. That sounded bad.”

Emma waves it off. “It’s not the first time someone’s taken a dig at us. Don’t worry about it. We’re used to it.”

That doesn’t make me feel any better.

“At least he’s hot.”

“I’m right here.” Ryan gives her a look.

“As am I.” She must have done something under the table. Ryan jumps in his seat and then his ears turn beet red. He smiles sheepishly and grabs his burger. Emma returns her attention to me. “You’ve been a bit fuzzy on the details. How exactly did you two end up living together?”

“They were neighbors until they were forced out of their building on account of fire damage.” Ryan talks with his mouth full of turkey burger, completely oblivious to the way I’m eyeing him. When Emma must have kicked him under the table, he jumps. “What?”

She widens her eyes and nods at me, still staring at him. “Seriously?”

“What?” he asks again. At least he’s swallowed this time.

“How’d you know about the details of why we moved in together?” I ask.

“I, uh…” He takes another bite and keeps his attention on the plate. After finishing the food in his mouth, he says, “I know about the boyfriend burning.”

“You do?” I’m mortified. “How? Who else knows?”

“Everyone knows,” Emma points out. “It was in the BUN.”

I close my eyes as heat slaps my cheeks. Damn the Bainbridge University Newspaper. No doubt the boyfriend burning was the headline in the police blotter section. The entire campus must know what I did by now, not only doing something as stupid as a boyfriend burning, but also almost burning down the building in the process. I’m so embarrassed I want to hide in the back with Alfonse. I could totally attempt to cook. Well, not as good as Jake, but let’s not go there. “Does everyone know it was my fault?”

Emma laughs and I open my eyes. She covers her mouth, but I can tell she’s smiling by the way her eyes sparkle. “No way. You’re the burner? I thought you were the burnee. That’s not right, either. What’s the right term for the residents? Well, former residents, now that the building has been condemned. Christ, that sounded really shitty. I’m sorry, Kayla. I didn’t mean… Shit.” She widens her eyes at Ryan, clearly pleading for help to dig her out.

“Emma isn’t exactly articulate when she’s hungry.” He reaches across the table and squeezes her hand. She drops her gaze to her omelet as her cheeks grow red. Now I feel bad and didn’t even say anything. “Are you going to be able to move back?”

“Not until the owner fixes all the violations. Considering he’s in jail for hiding cameras in all the smoke detectors where the batteries were supposed to be, endangering all of our lives, not to mention increasing his creeptastic quotient about a thousand percent, I doubt it.”

“That’s so gross.” Emma shudders. “He was spying on you?”

“Not just me, but all of the tenants. Jake almost ripped out his throat.”

“I would have let him.” She cuts into the center of her omelet and goes mining for all the good stuff in the middle. Once she’s taken her first bite and makes a face like she’s having an orgasm right there, her eyes rolling back as she moans, she finally recovers and looks at me.

“I love your little noises,” Ryan says and pops another fry into his mouth.

“Down, boy. We have shit to do today and that doesn’t include each other.”

And again, these two prove they are the cutest couple on the planet. I can only hope I find someone for me who’s a perfect match like Ryan is for Emma. When my mind drifts to Jake, I immediately shake the idea. He’s the exact opposite of my perfect match, regardless of all the nice things he’s done lately.

“What’s on your agenda?” I ask, trying to distract Emma from grilling me about Jake.

She smiles sweetly. “Nice try. Keep going. How’d you two end up sharing a domicile, boyfriend burning aside?”

“His captain had a two-bedroom apartment right here on campus he’s holding for his son. He offered it to us. Since neither one of us can afford it on our own, we moved in together.”

“For how long?”

I almost say a couple more weeks, but then remember the dream job I may have landed consulting with the BI Fire Department. “Through the end of summer.”

“You’re getting along even though you were thrown together like that?”

“We’re getting along just fine,” I push harder than I mean to. Of course, Emma picks up on it.

She zeroes in as she studies me. “But, you’re pretty.”

I don’t know how to respond to that. “Uh… Thank you?”

Emma shakes her head. Apparently, that’s the wrong response. “It’s a known fact guys can’t be friends with pretty girls, especially ones they’ve already slept with. It goes both ways. Since you’re both hot, you’re doomed. Haven’t you ever heard of no strings attached? Friends with benefits? Eventually, one or both of you are going to develop feelings for the other. Then it’s a big mess. Never try to only be friends with a hot guy. There are a number of movies to prove my point.”

“I’ll take that under advisement.” My stomach flips and I hold my breath until it settles. I refuse to start second-guessing my decision to sleep with him now. It’s a little late for that anyway. Sort of closing the barn door after the horse gets out, or something like that.

“At least he’s not a Delta.” She grins. “They’re all douches.”

“I was a Delta,” Ryan points out.

“You were never a true Delta.” She stares him down. He nods and focuses on his fries.

I laugh. “I’d better let you finish your food.” I hurry away before Emma asks more questions I don’t want to answer.

“What’s got you so down, Miss Kayla?” Alfonse pokes his head out of the little window between the kitchen and counter. He’s got to be just as bored as I am. Once I top off everyone’s coffee, I return the pot to the warmer and wipe my brow with the back of my hand.

“I’m just stressed about my big final.”

“It be your last final in dat class,” he points out with a grin. “You remember dat when you get down. Dis time in a month, you be in your dream job, eh? Dat is if you don’t want to work here forever.”

And, if everything goes according to plan, I’ll have ten thousand dollars at the end of the summer. I smile and let out a sigh. “Sorry, Alfonse. As much as I love this job, I’m going to have to pass.”

He laughs. “Good for you, cher.”

My phone rings and I check the number. It’s Jake. Why’s he calling? He was just here. “What’s up?”

“Does the diner have any leftovers by chance? We’re running low on food over here and the cap says we don’t have the budget to buy any. I’m going to have to cut way back on their rations and they get pretty growly when they don’t get enough to eat.”

“Let me ask.” I hold the phone away and glance through the opening. “Alfonse? Do you have any food back there you don’t plan to serve?”

“I got me a batch of sweet ’tater fries dat are da wrong kind. Dey be too skinny. No one likes dem. My supplier says to throw dem out and he’ll bring da good kind on Monday.”

“Can I have them?”

“It be twenty pounds.”

“Perfect.”

“If dis for dem firefighters, I have a lunch special I give dem at discount.”

Discount. An idea pops into my head. This is perfect. Jake may have a problem with ordering the special, but the guys didn’t hesitate to inhale the food. “Didn’t you mention that if you ordered in greater bulk your suppliers would give you a larger discount?”

“Yep, but we gotta cut back. Business drops to notin’ over da summer.”

“What if I get another business to go in with you on your supplies? Would you be able to get your discount then?”

“Dat would work.” He nods. “But all da other restaurants get their own supplies. No one will go in wit Alfonse.”

“I’ll make it happen.” I return the phone to my ear. “I’m bringing over twenty pounds of sweet potato fries. Is Captain Brantford there? I have an idea I’d like to bounce off him.”

“Is this how we can cut overhead?”

“Yes, and it’s brilliant.” I can’t contain my excitement. I practically hear him smile through the line and it makes me smile in response. “I’ll be over in about ten minutes. My shift change just showed.”

“Sweet. I get to see you in your cute little uniform. You know that’s why I can’t keep my hands off you in the mornings.” He ends the call, leaving me stunned at his comment. I glance down at my less-than-impressive chest hidden beneath my high-collar fifties-style outfit. My uniform may be many things, but cute is not one of them.

I give Velma a smile. She covers the lunch crowd and is almost as old as Alfonse. She moves so slow it drives me crazy, but Alfonse likes her, so I stay out of it. If the customers complain, I never hear about it.

“Slow morning?” Velma nods at the whopping four customers at the counter.

“Yeah.”

“It always is this time of year. The kids are all short on money, on time, and on patience. I can’t wait for school to let out.”

I say nothing. Tips drop to nothing after school is out. I worked last summer instead of going back to Portland and barely made enough for rent.

“Ouch.” Ryan’s voice catches my attention. Emma smacks him with her fork as he tries to dig into her omelet.

“Get your own.”

“One bite.”

“No. This is dinner. We can drop it off at your place before we jump on the Vespa and hit the mall for new running shoes. That will give us enough time to look around before the movie tonight.”

“Or,” he starts and then stops. “I, uh…um…I, uh…”

Emma sets her fork down, her expression still. “Ryan? What is it? Why are you stuttering?”

“I, uh…” he blows out a breath and holds her gaze. “I want you to move in with me.”

She snorts. “Jesus, dude. You scared the shit out of me. You don’t stutter unless something is really wrong. I practically live with you already.”

“That’s not the same thing. You stay at my place. I want us to, you know, live together. Have the same address. I want it to be our place.”

They are everything I want. Friends. Lovers. He’s crazy about her. I can see that every time he looks at her. And she’s just as crazy about him. I’m holding my breath as I wait for her answer. Ryan is doing the same. Emma opens and closes her mouth several times and I find myself mimicking her gesture. It’s not exactly how I want a guy to ask me to move in with him, but it didn’t suck.

“School is out in a few weeks,” Ryan continues. “You’ll have to move out of the dorm anyway. Instead of going back to Seattle for the summer, why not just move your stuff into my place. It would be easier.”

I cringe at his fallback reason. No girl wants to hear because it’s easier. They want emotion. Feeling. They want the guy to put his heart into the reason behind wanting her to be with him. It’s a big step, sharing the same address. Sharing a life.

I can’t help but think of Jake. He knows more about me than any other guy. Not just the things like how I want to be touched or kissed. He knows the things that aren’t nearly as much fun. What brand of razor I like. How I fold my towels. How often I shower. There are no secrets when two people live together.

Emma sits back and flattens her hands on the table. “Wow, Ryan. You really know how to charm a girl.”

Ryan widens his eyes. “Did it work?”

“Of course it didn’t,” Jake whispers in my ear behind me, scaring the shit out of me. How the hell did he sneak into the diner without me hearing him? And get here so fast? My heart is pounding. I blame it on him scaring me. “Women don’t want to be a backup plan. They want to know they’re the center of a guy’s universe.”

I turn and glance into his eyes and melt right there. He’s looking at me like that, like how Ryan looks at Emma. Like I’m the center of his universe. I must be hallucinating. But dear God, I love those dark eyes. I’m lost in them. “How would you do it?”

Jake takes my hand, shocking a reaction out of me that twists in my stomach and coils in my womb. That heated look swirling in his gaze has my mouth dry. I hate how fast I forget we’re just roommates with benefits, no strings attached, when he looks at me like that. “Kayla, you’re more than a friend to me. You always have been. Some people believe women were created from the rib of man. I never believed that until I met you. When we’re apart, I get this ache right here.” He points to his chest. “I realize now that’s my missing rib. I feel you, baby. I want to feel you next to me every night. I want you to be the last person I see before I close my eyes and the first person I see every morning.”

Holy holy shit. I’m ready to say yes to whatever he asks. Move in. Marry him and have a dozen kids. Whatever. I let out a breath as my mouth falls open. I blink several times and finally snap out of the tight web his words have spun, holding me prisoner. “That works.”

“I’ll say.” Emma is standing at the counter, her leftovers in hand. She smiles at Jake. “Been practicing that a while, have you?”

“Just made it up.”

“Sure, you did.”

Ryan joins her and nods at Jake. “Hey.”

“’Sup.”

They stand there in silence. It’s awkward, like their sharing some secret bromance us girls aren’t privy to. Finally, Emma grabs Ryan’s arm. “Wow. You two can talk each other’s ears off. Come on, Romeo. We have things to do.”

Ryan groans as he sets the tab and cash on the counter. “Not the mall. I said I was sorry.”

“If we’re going to get a place together, I want something better than that shoebox you live in. Let’s see if anything is open at the Lynx.”

“Then we’ll be in the same building,” I mention as Ryan opens the door for Emma.

He gives me a nod. “I have a new job that pays twice what I made at the computer center.” He steals a glance at Jake, who nods and even grins.

What the hell is going on between these two?

“Seriously?” Emma grins. “I was just kidding, but if you think we can swing it, I’m all for it. I love that building.”

He kisses her cheek. “Only the best for you, baby.”

She giggles and they walk out. I can’t stop smiling. Ryan and Emma are going to move in together. As if they couldn’t get any more perfect.

“Where’re the fries?” Jake’s question pops me out of my trance.

I clear my throat and try to sound annoyed. I haven’t forgotten the way he talked to me earlier about the couch. “I said I’d bring them over.”

“I’m not about to make you carry twenty pounds of frozen food across campus.”

“Make dat thirty,” Alfonse cuts in. “I found another bag in da back. You want a ham? It be frozen, but it won’t last da summer. I give it to you at what I paid for it.”

“How about you donate it?” I bring up my hand when Jake starts to protest, stopping him. “You get a tax deduction for the donation since it’s the fire department. That’s better than throwing it out.”

Alfonse nods and grins, showing off his teeth, at least the ones he still has. “Dat makes a lot of sense, Miss Kayla. I have to clean out my freezer when school ends.”

“How about I help you?” Jake offers. “We can work together on what you want to donate and what we should just toss. I’ll be sure you get a receipt for everything.”

Alfonse’s grin widens as he nods again. “You got a good man dere, Miss Kayla. Don’t you let him slip away.”

My heart skips a few beats as I avoid Jake’s gaze. It burns me anyway. “Can we just go?” Jake grabs all three bags of fries. I take one from him and call out behind me when we move from behind the counter. “Thanks, Alfonse. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Be good, Miss Kayla. You treat her nice, Mr. Jake, or you deal with Alfonse.”

“It’s a promise,” he says to Alfonse, but his gaze is riveted to me.