Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 38053 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38053 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
The uncomfortable position I’m in does nothing to calm my nerves. My heart is practically beating out of my chest.
Another customer walks in, and then another.
Shoot.
“February?” Drake says, leaning over the counter to get a better look at me.
I pluck a mug off the bottom shelf and stand with a smile. “There, I found it.” I set it down like it was my plan all along to find that mug.
Drake and Stella share a look of confusion, and, seriously, I wish I could wither away. “What are you doing here?” Drake asks in a condescending tone.
I wish I had noticed how he spoke to me, like he was a far superior being, while we were dating. Would have been nice to notice he had a thing for my best friend too. But I didn’t, so here we are.
Without thinking anything through, I blurt out, “I work here. What can I get for you?”
The barista has finally returned from the back and stares at me, slack-jawed. I smile at her, pleading with my eyes for her to go along with my ridiculous story.
Stella glances down at her belly, patting it with her hand. “Decaf for me. Baby doesn’t like caffeine.”
“Oh, a baby. Wow.” I’m shocked, and my voice pitches to an obscenely high octave. “I didn’t realize you were pregnant.”
Drake tilts his head. “Yeah, we’re due in a couple of weeks.”
“A couple of weeks?” I choke out. I don’t need to do the math in my head to know Drake got her pregnant while we were still together. I will not throw this mug at him.
By now, a small group has formed a line, and I can’t believe I’ve gotten myself into this predicament. But I’m not going to stop the charade. How can I?
“I don’t understand why you’re working here, February,” Stella says. “You have your own coffee shop.”
There’s a tall man standing behind Stella, and by the looks of him, he wants coffee. I ignore Stella. “Sir, can I get you some coffee?”
He steps closer and raises a brow, but Drake just won’t let it go.
“Feb, why are you working here if you own your own shop?” Drake echoes his new girlfriend. Scratch that—fiancée. Her ring nearly blinds me as she places her hand on his arm.
I’m going to be sick.
I keep blinking, trying my best to pretend I know what I’m doing. That I belong behind this counter.
The barista steps forward. “Can I help you?”
“No need, Bren.” I read her name tag. “I’ll help this customer.”
“But…” Bren’s words fall away as I step closer to the customer Drake interrupted from ordering.
He’s a strong, rugged type with a beard and muscular arms. They’re folded across his broad chest, and black ink swirls in artful designs along his huge forearms. I meet his brown eyes and see there’s something shining within their depths. Pity?
“Look, I don’t know what’s going on here,” Drake says, and then he looks at Stella. “Want to go somewhere else?”
She nods. “It was nice seeing you, Feb.”
Lies, I’m sure.
Drake leads Stella out of the shop, and I slump against the counter. I can’t believe that just happened.
“Excuse me,” the forgotten customer says.
“Oh, right.” I grab a to-go coffee cup and the sharpie sitting beside it. “What’s your name?” Might as well go all in.
“Harrison Riggs. I’m the owner of this shop, and I think I’d remember hiring you.”
Chapter 2
Harrison
“What the hell, Bren?” I don’t normally curse at my employees, but what the hell just happened?
“I went to the back to grab more milk, and when I returned she was acting like she worked here. I was just as shocked as you.”
I squeeze the back of my neck as I nod my head. “Don’t apologize, it’s not your fault.”
Bren gets back to work, helping the customers that have gathered as I stare at the door. February Frost, my competition, just fled like she robbed the place. It’s definitely not how I imagined our first meeting would go. After I questioned her, she just ran. She didn’t say a word, she just sprinted out of here like I was chasing after her.
I was going to introduce myself before today, but moving back to town and opening a business has kept me extremely busy. I’d heard rumors she was pissed when I opened Mug Life, but I didn’t realize it was to this level.
What was she doing here?
Was she looking for top-secret coffee blends? Was she going to interrogate Bren? Was she going to try to screw up coffee orders to cause me to lose customers?
“Harrison.”
I come back to reality and notice my friend Paxton standing in line.
“Hey, man, how are you?” I hold out my hand and he shakes it.
He pulls me into a man hug, and as he releases me, he says, “Can’t complain. I’ve been meaning to come check out the place. Looks great.”