Finding Jaime Read Free Page A

don’t notice the man asking me what I want.
    “Oh, sorry, can I just have a cappuccino to go, please?” I reach inside my purse for a ten-dollar bill.
    He looks over his shoulder and then back to me. “Three-ninety-five.” I hand him the bill and then wait for my change. “Thanks,” he says when I slip it into the ‘thank you’ jar on the counter.
    “Hey, Joss,” I greet her when I move over to where she’s making the drinks. She looks at me, and I swear I see a blush across her cheeks.  
    Shit, what did I say last night? What did I do?  
    “Hi, Jaime,” she replies and gets back to moving various pieces around, and I watch closely as her hands work quickly.
    Is that it? “I wanted to say thanks for last night.”  
    Joss freezes for a second, then continues to work. “What for? I didn’t do anything.”
    “You made sure I got to bed okay, and that I had water and painkillers, and you wouldn’t let Tom get me naked,” I laugh. The server’s eyes snap to me, and he stares.
    “She’s joking, Kyle,” Joss says with a small smile then turns her attention to me. “You’d do the same for me,” she shrugs.
    “That’s what friends are for.”
    Joss passes a tray loaded with hot drinks and some other variant of cold coffee with cream.  
    Ugh.  
    Then she starts on my cappuccino. There’s no need to ask how I like it as she’s been making mine since we first met over a year ago. Sadie and I had just finished college, and we came to this little shop. Sadie introduced us as they’d known each other for a while. I liked Joss immediately but after the first deer-in-headlights I got from her, she never seemed to like me much after that, and I never understood why.
    “Here you go.” Joss pushed my cup towards me, the little chocolate dusting in the shape of a heart—just the way I like it.
    I remember I asked for the cup to go. “Oh, Joss—”
    “I’m taking five, Kyle. Give Ann a shout to work the machine until I get back. Jaime, will you sit with me?”
    I’m stunned that Joss has asked me to sit, and even more-so when she walks around the counter and gestures me to a cozy table for two at the back of the shop.
    “Is everything okay?” I take a sip of my drink and moan at the caffeinated goodness.
    “Uh… yeah, well, no.”
    I put down my cup. “What’s wrong?” I lean forward, and she takes a sharp breath.
    “I’m sorry.” She looks down at her twitching hands and looks as though she’s making an effort to make the barest eye contact. “I’m going to try harder.”
    “I don’t understand,” I say, and I’m wondering where she’s going with this. “I don’t remember much from last night.”
    “To talk to you. I… Last night you told me that you think I don’t like you.”
    So that’s what I said. “Don’t worry about it,” I say and shake my head. “I know you get uncomfortable sometimes. It’s cool.”
    Joss fidgets in her seat and chews her lip. I watch her white teeth dig into the pink flesh then disappear. “Well…you…uh…”
    “Yeah, Sadie told me I pulled you into my bosoms and almost suffocated you,” I chuckle, keeping my voice soft. “Apparently, I wanted to save you from Tom.”
    Joss snorts a laugh. “Yeah, that was a little shock.”
    “Well, I’m sorry about that ,” I laugh. “I promise I won’t shove your face into my tits again.
    The deep blue of her eyes shoot to mine, and just as quick she looks away, her eyebrows pinch together for a split-second. “Anyway, I should get back to work now. Thanks for sitting with me.” Joss stands, and I join her. “I will make an effort.”
    I take a step towards her and lift my arms ready for a goodbye hug, just like I do with all of my friends. She takes a doubtful step towards me, and I don’t give her a chance to change her mind. I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight, letting her know I’m okay with her just the way she is.
    What I don’t expect is the way her hands hold my waist, and