"Dad, I wouldn't worry about it. We still hate each other. Can’t you tell?"
He searches my face for the lie.
"I can trust you?"
"Yes, you can trust me."
"With you both being home, Molly and I are hopeful enough time has passed for everyone to get along. I don’t want anything getting in the way of that."
My dad’s delusion of being as happy asThe Brady Bunchis exactly that: a delusion.
"I promise. I was just dumped. You think I’d choose someone as aggravating as Theo to date? Never in a million years."
"Phew. Okay, thank you, honey."
He approaches me and puts a hand on my shoulder. "On that note, Molly and I wanted to go away for two nights. Maybe to Laguna Beach. But we didn't—"
"If we didn't throw parties in high school we sure as hell won't now. We probably won't even talk to each other while you're gone."
"Okay, good. Because we already booked it."
"I'm glad. You deserve to go have some fun."
"Well, I'll let you get back to job searching. Will you be okay? Has Beckett left you alone?"
"I think so, I'm pretty sure I won't be hearing from him again."
Thenextmorning,Iprepare for my first real shift at Roasted.
Tawny and I will be working side by side, and I hope she can be professional enough to not make this a waste of my time.
When I arrive, Tawny shows me how to clock in. I'm not above working a near minimum-wage job. But holy shit, it’s going to be rough remembering to clock in again.
"It's easy." Tawny shows me the buttons to press.
"Great." I mimic her happy attitude and take a huge gulp of my cold brew.
"It'll get busy with the regulars that come in. You'll learn them by name. They're nice. You can ring them up as I prepare their drinks. I know how they like them."
"I'm going to have to make drinks eventually. Don't you think you'll want to show me?"
"You're not ready yet."
I give her a blank expression, and instead of addressing her passive-aggressive remark, she leaves the counter to get more milk to stock in the fridge.
She unlocks the front door right at 6:00 a.m., and I crack my neck as I prepare for our first customer.
It takes a few minutes before anyone enters, but when they do, I see it's…
Theo?
I can't help but feel a jolt of arousal and hatred at the exact same moment when he steps inside. How is he able to elicit opposite emotions within me?
"Oh hi, you're Theo, right?" Tawny’s voice is sweeter than caramel drizzle. "You came in the other day?"
"Yeah, that's me."
"You get a black coffee, right?"
