Chapter 22
Dante
“Give. Me. The. Cookies.”
“I don’t know if I would mess with her today, Silver Fox. Sage has been on the rampage this week.” Karlton leaned in close and covered his mouth with his hand. “PMS,” he whispered.
Sage picked up an empty coffee cup and pointed it at Karlton. “You’re next, Karlton. Do not mess with me today.”
He held up his hands and took a step back. “I tried to help you, Silver, but I’ve got a date lined up tonight, and I need to look fresh. I’ll tell Kennedy you fought a good fight, but no man is a match next to Sage.”
I leaned toward Sage and flattened my hands on the counter. “Look, Sage. I’m not here to fight with you. All I want is six chocolate cookies and black coffee. Just take my money, don’t even worry about change, and hand everything over.”
She growled but snatched the twenty out of my hand. She would have been foolish to say no. She was getting more than a twelve-dollar tip for two minutes of work.
“I see you’ve been keeping Kennedy busy this past week. I went over to her house on Tuesday for surprise facials, and she wasn’t there. I ended up raiding her fridge and giving myself a facial,” Karlton pouted.
I chuckled and grabbed the bag that Sage thrust at me. “Eating all of Kennedy’s food probably isn’t a good idea.” That woman had a ferocious appetite for food and well, other things too.
“Pfft, she owes me.”
“For what?” I asked.
Karlton thrust his hip out and put his hand on his waist. “Well for you, duh. Pretty sure you wouldn’t be taking up all of my girl’s time if it weren’t for me.”
Sage slammed down my Styrofoam cup of coffee and stormed away from the counter. “Service with a smile,” I muttered. I hadn’t even tried to piss her off today. All I asked for was cookies and coffee, and she acted like I had spit in her face.
“So how are things going with you and Kennedy? I’ve heard her side of what’s been going on, but I’m kind of interested in hearing what’s going on in your head.”
“I’ve got training in ten minutes with Roman, Karlton.”
Sage slammed a pan in the sink and glared at Karlton and me. “You got your cookies, now leave.”
Molly bustled out from the storage room and looked between Sage and me. “Oh Jesus. I thought you two were done being kids,” she grumbled.
I held up my cookies and coffee. “I got what I came for, and I was nice.”
“He totally was,” Karlton added. “I think Sage might need a Midol cocktail,” he whispered loudly.
Sage yanked her apron off, tossed it on the counter, and grabbed her purse. “I’m going home. I’m sick.” Sage stormed out of the café, and I watched her march over to her car and take off like a bat out of hell.
Bess made her way over to us and set her empty cup on the counter. “What in the devil has gotten into her?”
“Erg… I just…” Karlton stuttered. Even he was speechless.
Molly grabbed the discarded apron from the counter and balled it up in her hands. “I’m not sure what is going on with her. The past two days, she’s been as grumpy as a bear with an empty picnic basket.”
Bess chuckled, and I couldn’t help but grin. “That’s some analogy.”
Molly shrugged and tossed the apron in the laundry basket next to the counter. “I don’t know what to do about it. She asked for the day off tomorrow. Maybe that might help her figure out whatever is going on, and she’ll be back to normal.”
“Maybe that girls’ night you’ve been planning might help her relax,” Bess suggested.
“That’s not for another week. I’m not sure my customers will be able to handle her like this ‘til then,” Molly replied, defeated.
“Oh buck up, sugar. I can come and help figure out what’s going on with her, and if need be, you can always give her a few more days off if that’ll help her.” Bess walked around the counter and put her arm around Molly’s shoulders. “I’m sure she’ll be fine, hon. Don’t worry yourself over this.”
Molly sighed and rested her head on Bess’ shoulder. “I know, but I just wish she would talk to me.”
Bess waved off Karlton and me. “You two, scamper away. I’m going to help Molly shut down, and if you go over to the karate house, tell Kellan his woman needs booze.”
“Wait, what?” Molly stuttered. “Don’t tell Kellan that.”
“Just go sit down in the store room for a bit, and let me handle everything.” Bess pushed Molly to the store room and closed the door behind her.
“Boys, move. Make sure you tell Kellan to get a big ol’ bottle.” Bess chased us out the door and threw the lock.
Karlton dusted off his shoulders and shook his head. “I’m really not sure what just happened, but that was weird. Weird even for me.”
I ran my fingers through my hair and couldn’t help but agree. “I guess I’ll go talk to Kellan, although I’m not sure I should mention the whole booze thing.”
“Hold on there, Silver Fox. You never answered my question about you and Kennedy. I need to know where your head is and if it matches where my girl’s is.”
I took a sip of my coffee and look Karlton dead in the eye. “How I feel about Kennedy is really between her and me, but I can tell you she’s it.”
“It, as in you see this lasting longer than this whole decoy crap?”
“Isn’t the decoy crap all your idea to begin with?”
“Yes, but Kennedy needs more than that.”
“She’s it, Karlton. That’s all I’m gonna say.”
Karlton huffed and stomped his foot. “I do not accept this. How am I supposed to know what’s going on if you don’t tell me? I can’t be Uncle Karlton knowing nothing.”
“I don’t know what to tell you, man,” I laughed.
“Fine, fine. This is fine.” He looked over at the laundromat and shook his head. “Never mind, this isn’t fine. I need to get my change and head to the liquor store. Booze is the best suggestion Bess has ever had. Later, Silver Fox.” Karlton jogged down the sidewalk and disappeared into the laundromat.
“Now, that was weird,” I muttered. Although I shouldn’t be that surprised since it was Karlton I was talking to.
He wanted to know what was up with Kennedy and me, but honestly, I wasn't sure what was going on. All I knew was I was falling in love with her, and spending every second I could with her was amazing. I had never thought that at the age of thirty-nine, I would find the woman who I would want to start a family with.
Like I had told Karlton, Kennedy was it, and there wasn’t a damn thing that was going to get in my way.
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