Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
“I get it. Some other time, perhaps. It’s not been that long since your mother passed, right?”
“A few years,” she said softly, lowering her eyes as if the grief were still close. “Five.”
“You’ve grieved long enough. You’ll be ready to move on with your life soon. When you do, I’ll be there for you.” The superior smirk he gave Danica made me want to bitch-slap the punk.
“I’m sure you will.” She smiled up at him. “I really need to get back to work now. It was good talking to you.” With that, she turned her back and began cleaning equipment behind the counter.
Leo scowled at her behind her back but didn’t continue to try and engage her again. He picked up his coffee and headed out the door, dumping his untouched cup in the trash. If Danica really needed time before she dated anyone, Leo wasn’t one to wait until she was ready. I was pretty sure Danica had no intention of going out with the dumbass anyway.
I dumped the now-cold cup of coffee I hadn’t touched into the trash and brought the mug Danica had filled for me when I’d first arrived back to the counter. “Cup for the road, sweetie?”
She turned. There was a tired look on her face before she smiled brightly at me. Unlike the smile she’d give Leo, this one looked genuine. “Anything for you, Wylde.” She refilled my cup. “Heading out early today? You usually stay until it’s close to closing.”
“Got some stuff I can’t do on the laptop. Believe me, I’d much rather work here. The scenery is much more pleasant.” I winked at her and she blushed.
“Perhaps you need to get some pictures for your office, then. Or maybe a potted plant.”
“Plants are like pets. They require maintenance I don’t have time to give. As to pictures? I’ll do my best to find something suitable.”
“Don’t find anything too good. I’d miss seeing you here.”
“Not to worry. You know I have to come see my best girl.”
“Oh?” She tilted her head to the side quizzically. “I didn’t think you thought that highly of Jordan.” The woman in question had cut out early, as usual, leaving Danica to finish the day on her own.
“I don’t.” I picked up my coffee and gave her a small salute as I turned to leave, but not before I snapped a picture of her with my phone as she turned away.
Chapter Two
Danica
I was tired. So fucking tired. Working two jobs sucked ass, but at least the second one was from home. I wasn’t lying when I told Leo I couldn’t go out with him. The girls were part of the reason, but mostly it was just that I had zero free time. Most nights I worked until midnight before I was done. Then I had to get the girls up and to school, or least to the bus. After that, it was back to the coffee shop. I worked five days a week, ten-hour days, because I needed the money. The owner liked the way I ran the place, so it worked out best for everyone.
The truth was, even if I had been free I’d have blown Leo off. I had exactly zero interest in the guy. Sure, he was good-looking, but he was a prick. A local football hero who had flunked out of college and fallen back on his family’s money and pretended to be rich. I’d watched as one woman after another followed him around like a puppy dog as he cheated on her and treated her like shit. When he moved on, to a woman they all followed after him, begging him to take her back. I guess money does a lot for a woman’s self-esteem. In the wrong direction.
Now, had it been Wylde…
The man was an enigma. He was so flippant about everything but when he was working, he was hyper-focused. Several times throughout his day, I’d come by and refill his coffee. Why not? He always tipped well, and I enjoyed his company. If I refilled his coffee for free once in a while, I doubted the shop would go under. He never noticed. Unless someone other than me brought him something. That, he wouldn’t touch. Probably because I was the only one to actually refill his mug -- and he bought a new one every day. It was why I quit asking and just had it ready. He didn’t seem to want a disposable cup, but wouldn’t bring one of the dozens he already had.
He also pulled shit like he did today with Jordan, ordering some wild concoction no one could remember and he would never drink. If she’d actually managed to make it correctly, he’d just have said to give it to someone behind him and asked for something even more complicated. The man didn’t want to ask for what he wanted. He was arrogant enough to want the people he interacted with daily to know what his needs were and meet them without him asking.