Sawyer flexes his jaw and runs a hand down his neck, but nods as my phone dings with a reply from Sandra.

WHAT?!?!

He’s headed towards you now.

I don’t even have a headache!

No kidding. I recommend putting out, but you do whatever you’re comfortable with. Have fun!

I pocket my phone with a satisfied smile as Gabe enters the room Sandra’s in.

Sawyer shakes his head, a look of resignation on his face. “I should really get better control of you,” he mutters.

I snort. “If you’d wanted a controllable girl you’d have never gone after me.”

“That’s fair,” he agrees with a wink.

“Did you notice he never even asked where she was? Because he knew. Because he’s been keeping an eye on her all night!” I point my finger in triumph.

“Duly noted.”

“Sandra is so getting laid tonight,” I muse with a contented sigh.

He groans. “We’re definitely done talking now.”

Thirty-Eight

“Do you think a sex tape is an appropriate birthday gift?” I dump a cupful of ice into the blender on top of the milk-and-coffee combination I’ve already dumped in. I squint at the blender and then grab the chocolate syrup bottle and overturn it, making sure the chocolate is flowing before I glance back at Sophie.

It’s mid-morning and the early rush at Grind Me is over. Sophie is refilling the napkin dispenser at the register while I mess with my creation in the blender.

“To clarify, you mean filming yourself having sex with Sawyer?”

“Uh, yeah. What else could I mean by a sex tape?” I dump a handful of chocolate chips into the blender and start peeling a banana.

She shrugs. “How would I know? Maybe you meant a celebrity sex tape. Or a tape of you working a stripper pole.” She tosses me a cheeky grin.

I pause, frowning, then shake my head. “I don’t have time to learn how to work a pole before his birthday so that’s out.”

“I was joking about the pole.” Sophie pulls a box of straws out from under the counter.

I add the banana to the blender. “No, it was a valid suggestion. Maybe next year.”

“Next year?” Sophie’s ponytail whirls as she turns around and leans against the counter. “You’re already planning gifts a year out?” Her eyebrow is arched, a smile on her face.

“I’m already planning gifts for the rest of our lives.”

“All the shit you gave me about being too serious with Luke so quickly and you’re head over heels in love with Sawyer in just over a month?” She’s got her hands on her hips, head tilted in dismay.

“I was wrong.” I shrug, and snap the lid on the blender.

“Huh,” Sophie replies, once the blender stops.

“Huh, what?” I ask, dumping my drink into a cup and snapping a lid on it.

“Huh, I didn’t think you’d admit defeat on that so quickly.”

“When you’re wrong, you’re wrong.” I hop up onto the back counter and stuff a straw into my drink. “Holy shit, I’m a genius. Taste this.” I hold out the drink to Sophie, wiggling my wrist back and forth in excitement. “So good!”

Sophie takes the cup from my hand and sips, then grimaces and hands it back. “Disgusting.”

“It is not!” I take another sip. “Who doesn’t like chocolate and banana?” I’ll admit, some of my concoctions are pretty bad, but this one is happiness in a cup.

“No.” She shakes her head. “I like chocolate and bananas, but something is off about that.” She points to the cup in my hand.