and then turned the steam on for the milk. When she turned the machine off, she picked up the conversation again. “So men’s clothing, huh? For your dad at home?”
“You know you’re fairly transparent.” Trudy shook her head. “And you also know exactly who it’s for.”
Eve set the latte in front of her. “So it’s going okay?”
She thought about the weekend. Saturday they had ordered Indian food, and then she’d ended up staying over until Sunday afternoon. She’d spent the lazy day in a pair of Mason’s orange boxers and a pink T-shirt.
Though she’d spent almost as much time out of his clothes as she had in them. They couldn’t get enough of each other. The shocking part: she wanted more. Usually she was dying for some space after spending a couple hours with a man, but with Mason she could have stayed forever.
It had to be because he had unlimited cookies and wine.
“He’s nice,” she said finally.
“You like him,” Eve said with a gentle smile as she slid the plated scone toward her.
“Well . . . Yes.” Was that a trick question?
“It’s going to be hard to leave when it comes time.”
Trudy frowned. She hadn’t been thinking about that, but suddenly it seemed difficult to imagine not hanging out with him.
“But I guess that’s what holiday flings are,” Eve continued. “Short and sweet and a great memory.”
Maybe, but she wasn’t ready for it to be over. “I have a job to get back to,” she reminded herself.
“Do you remember Gwen, with the gourds? I should make sure you meet her guy Rick. You’ll enjoy talking to him. He has good stories.” Eve pursed her lips in thought. “I’ll set up a little gathering at my place. You can bring your guy.”
“I leave by Christmas,” she warned.
“And you have your list to get done before then.” Eve smiled. “How is that going, by the way?”
She wrapped her hands around the mug and frowned. “We only have a few more items to check off.”
“That’s great,” Eve said brightly. Then she dimmed. “But you don’t look like it’s great.”
Because she didn’t want it to be over, and that made no sense because she never wanted to do any of it to begin with. She sipped her latte and her frown deepened. Where was she going to get Nutella lattes in London? “This latte is delicious,” she said accusingly.
Eve nodded. “I know. My Nutella latte is like crack.”
Trudy’s mobile vibrated with a text. She pulled it out, knowing it’d be Mason.
I’m home. Come over at will.
Excitement fluttered in her stomach, and that made her angry. She finished her latte and scone at a leisurely pace, defiantly chatting with Eve the whole time. When she was out of stall tactics, she pulled out her wallet from her pocket. “I need to get going. How much do I owe you?”
Eve waved her hand. “It’s on me today. Happy holidays.”
“Oh.” She slowly picked up her packages and tried to say, Happy holidays , but her mouth wouldn’t form the words. “Thank you,” she said instead.
“Are you coming in tomorrow? We can set a firm date for a get together at my place.”
“I can’t imagine being here and not coming in,” she said honestly.
“Check with your man friend.” Eve winked at her. “Have fun tonight.”
She mumbled something she hoped was appropriately enthusiastic and headed to Mason’s.
As she went up the porch steps, the door to the downstairs apartment opened and Hazel stepped out, wearing yoga clothes with a puffy jacket and scarf. She stalled in her doorway, eyes wide, when she saw Trudy.
Trudy winced on the inside. “I’m sorry, Hazel.”
Hazel’s expression transitioned through puzzled to curious. “I don’t understand,” she said as she stepped outside and locked her door.
“About Mason.” Trudy shifted her weight, wishing she were anywhere but there. Only Hazel was nice, and she felt like she had to say something. “I could tell you like him.”
“Oh.” The girl’s face flushed
“You know you’re fairly transparent.” Trudy shook her head. “And you also know exactly who it’s for.”
Eve set the latte in front of her. “So it’s going okay?”
She thought about the weekend. Saturday they had ordered Indian food, and then she’d ended up staying over until Sunday afternoon. She’d spent the lazy day in a pair of Mason’s orange boxers and a pink T-shirt.
Though she’d spent almost as much time out of his clothes as she had in them. They couldn’t get enough of each other. The shocking part: she wanted more. Usually she was dying for some space after spending a couple hours with a man, but with Mason she could have stayed forever.
It had to be because he had unlimited cookies and wine.
“He’s nice,” she said finally.
“You like him,” Eve said with a gentle smile as she slid the plated scone toward her.
“Well . . . Yes.” Was that a trick question?
“It’s going to be hard to leave when it comes time.”
Trudy frowned. She hadn’t been thinking about that, but suddenly it seemed difficult to imagine not hanging out with him.
“But I guess that’s what holiday flings are,” Eve continued. “Short and sweet and a great memory.”
Maybe, but she wasn’t ready for it to be over. “I have a job to get back to,” she reminded herself.
“Do you remember Gwen, with the gourds? I should make sure you meet her guy Rick. You’ll enjoy talking to him. He has good stories.” Eve pursed her lips in thought. “I’ll set up a little gathering at my place. You can bring your guy.”
“I leave by Christmas,” she warned.
“And you have your list to get done before then.” Eve smiled. “How is that going, by the way?”
She wrapped her hands around the mug and frowned. “We only have a few more items to check off.”
“That’s great,” Eve said brightly. Then she dimmed. “But you don’t look like it’s great.”
Because she didn’t want it to be over, and that made no sense because she never wanted to do any of it to begin with. She sipped her latte and her frown deepened. Where was she going to get Nutella lattes in London? “This latte is delicious,” she said accusingly.
Eve nodded. “I know. My Nutella latte is like crack.”
Trudy’s mobile vibrated with a text. She pulled it out, knowing it’d be Mason.
I’m home. Come over at will.
Excitement fluttered in her stomach, and that made her angry. She finished her latte and scone at a leisurely pace, defiantly chatting with Eve the whole time. When she was out of stall tactics, she pulled out her wallet from her pocket. “I need to get going. How much do I owe you?”
Eve waved her hand. “It’s on me today. Happy holidays.”
“Oh.” She slowly picked up her packages and tried to say, Happy holidays , but her mouth wouldn’t form the words. “Thank you,” she said instead.
“Are you coming in tomorrow? We can set a firm date for a get together at my place.”
“I can’t imagine being here and not coming in,” she said honestly.
“Check with your man friend.” Eve winked at her. “Have fun tonight.”
She mumbled something she hoped was appropriately enthusiastic and headed to Mason’s.
As she went up the porch steps, the door to the downstairs apartment opened and Hazel stepped out, wearing yoga clothes with a puffy jacket and scarf. She stalled in her doorway, eyes wide, when she saw Trudy.
Trudy winced on the inside. “I’m sorry, Hazel.”
Hazel’s expression transitioned through puzzled to curious. “I don’t understand,” she said as she stepped outside and locked her door.
“About Mason.” Trudy shifted her weight, wishing she were anywhere but there. Only Hazel was nice, and she felt like she had to say something. “I could tell you like him.”
“Oh.” The girl’s face flushed
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