Pit Stop: Baby! (Crescent Cove 4)

He sat up straighter. “Rylee, wait—”

I shoved my chair in. “My break is over. Thanks for lunch.” I weaved my way through the tables to the edge of the half wall that blocked off the café from the sidewalk.

He didn’t follow me, just as I’d known he wouldn’t.

Because guys like him were all the same.

Five

I picked at my sandwich for a few more minutes. What had once tasted like buttery perfection now was more like sawdust.

I kicked at the chair across from me.

“You’re a dipshit.”

I looked up and groaned. “How much of that did you hear?”

“Enough.” Dare pulled out the chair Rylee had been sitting on and twirled it around so he could straddle it. “But that’s only one of your bonehead moves this week. Or this month.”

I tipped my head back. “So, I guess you heard.”

Dare looked down at the bowl in front of him. “Did she even eat any of this?”

“Nope.”

Dare shrugged and picked up the spoon. “Shame to waste it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Who told you?”

Dare popped a bagel chip into his mouth before tucking into the soup. “Mom.”

“I told her not to say anything.”

Dare gave me a look. “Uh-huh.”

I picked up my sandwich again. At least it would fill the hole in my gut. I’d driven straight up from the city. “I was trying to surprise her with a visit.”

“Oh, you’ll do that, all right.”

“I’m not stupid, Dare.”

He just grunted.

“I have offers for other teams.”

“Obviously, they’re just offers if you’re up here instead of figuring out a new car.”

“I deserve some time off.”

“Don’t pout. I didn’t say shit.”

He didn’t have to.

Besides, I’d said all of it to myself as I was driving cross-country. Only one of the reasons I couldn’t stand my own company anymore.

We ate in silence for a few minutes.