Coffee and Croissants

Chapter 9

Blair chided herself for inviting Dan over for dinner. What was she thinking? Now she would be completely alone with him.

She hadn't been able to help it. He looked so hopeful when he asked her to have dinner with him. It was impossible to refuse. Plus, she loved cooking and she hadn't had anyone over to her apartment in so long. She would just have to maintain a respectful distance. It would be fine she told herself. Nothing would happen.

Did he want something to happen? She wondered this as they wandered through the market. Her grabbing Roma tomatoes and basil for their pasta. She deposited them into the basket he was carrying. He looked so cute carrying the basket of groceries for her, his chambray shirt wrinkled from the day's outing.

She pulled a bottle of rosé out of the wine chiller and stuck it in the basket. They paid for the groceries, she insisted on paying citing he already had bought her two coffees and breakfast. He relented after much back and forth discussion.

She could sense he was eager to see inside her apartment. She sensed it this morning when it seemed like he so badly wanted to come in. Well, now he would get his wish.

She turned the key and opened the door. Relieved to see it was still just as clean as she remembered it being.

She headed into the kitchen which had an island dividing it from the dining room and living room. She had loved how open the floor plan was when she found it. It let in so much light too, they could still see the dusky skies from her windows.

As she put away groceries, he headed to her giant bookcase. He stopped in front of the typewriter and let out a breath of air. "Wow. This is amazing. An Époque Vintage. I've never seen one of these."

Her breath caught as he stared at it, inspecting the tiny keys. Her eyes shifted to the right of the typewriter where her copies of his books sat. Inside and his newer release, Introspection. She hoped he wouldn't notice. It was so embarrassing, he certainly would deduce she still harbored feelings for him if he saw them. Owning Inside she could play off easily, given he gave her the book himself and her role in it. But the newer book... Not so much.

"Where did you find it?" He asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Huh?"

"The typewriter." Of course, she thought. She had worried he saw the second book and was asking where she bought it. That would be even worse if he found that out.

"At an antique shop. It's gorgeous, right? I just thought it would add a shabby chic touch to the place." She hoped that excuse worked and he didn't see through her. Who bought an insanely expensive typewriter because it reminded them of an old love.

"Amazing find." His eyes flicked to the right and she held her breath as he picked up the books. "Hey, my books!" He looked surprised.

"Oh, yeah. You know, I keep Inside always at the ready in case my ego needs deflating." She said sharply.

Her words burned him, she could tell. "I'm sorry. I... You know nothing in there was meant to be that way."

"I'm only kidding Humphrey." She playfully rolled her eyes.

"But you still bought my latest book?"

Her cheeks flushed, she could feel the heat rise to her cheeks. She turned away adding olive oil to a pan on the stove and turning on the heat. Trying to come up with a response.

"There were so many copies on the shelves in my local bookstore. I felt bad it obviously wasn't selling well and didn't want people to think it was a total failed follow-up to Inside. So I thought I would throw a sale your way." She smirked.