“You’re not actually lactose intolerant, right?” Megs braced herself with both palms on the counter.
“No, just making a point.”
“Broadening minds about coffee preferences one shop at a time?”
The man laughed, then turned to find a table, which wasn't difficult since the entire place was empty. He paused and glanced back. "Do you want me to take this to go? I didn't realize you were closing."
"No, as long as you don't mind me cleaning up in the background, you're welcome to stay and enjoy the peace and quiet."
He nodded once, then strode to the booth in the corner. It was her favorite spot. Megs had curled up there more than once after her closing shift to decompress, and the golden light that poured in through the front windows this time of year? Pure magic.
Mystery Man set his latte on the table and pulled out his laptop.Writer. Definitely a writer.Megs cleaned and sanitized the espresso machine then loaded Haley's plate into the dishwasher. She was in the middle of mopping the galley floor when she noticed the man’s messenger bag.Champlain Community College.The insignia was emblazoned on the leather flap.
"Champlain." Megs paused next to the table. "I used to gothere."
"Really?" He looked up from his screen. "Small world."
Her skin heated as his eyes met hers.It is small, speaking of which, I don’t think I’ve seen you here in town before.Her mouth wouldn’t form the words. “Mmhmm.”
He looked over her shoulder at the clock on the wall. Megs knew exactly what it read.Three-thirty.He ran a hand through his hair, confirming her suspicions about his perfectly tousled look. "I didn't realize what time it was. I'll finish this and get out of here so you can close up."
Was he working on an assignment? He looked too old to be a student, though who was she to judge? Megs held up a hand. "I didn't come over here to push you out the door, I promise. I still have to finish mopping."
"How long will that take?"
Hours.She would mop for hours if it meant he would keep sitting in that booth. "About twenty minutes, give or take."
He nodded and glanced down at his latte. "Great coffee, by the way."
Megs gave a small bow, and he chuckled. He cleared his throat and glanced down at his fingers still hovering over the keyboard. “Where’d you go after Champlain?"
Megs blinked. “Oh, nowhere. I only took a few classes.”
He paused. “Sorry, I assumed—”
“No, I get it. I’m sure most people attend and then move on to bigger and better things.”
He nodded. “Why’d you leave, then?”
Megs motioned at the empty shop. "Because I got an offer I couldn't refuse." His dimples came out in full force, and Megs’ heart raced.
"College isn’t right for everyone.”
And Megs knew what that meant. Her mom had made it clear for the past few years whoeveryonein that sentence referred to.Everyonewho was lazy.Everyonewho had no stick-to-it-iveness.Everyonewho couldn’t hack it.
"What were you studying?" he asked as his fingers resumed their dance over the keys.
Megs gripped the mop handle a bit tighter. "Hadn't gotten that far. Life had other plans, I guess."Life didn’t seem to have any plans besides picking off her plans one by one.
He picked up his cup and took a sip of his latte. "Always throwing curveballs when we least expect it."
Megs grinned. "You like baseball?"
He laughed, and his coffee sloshed over the edge of the cup.
Megs gasped and lurched forward, dropping the mop as she yanked his laptop off the side of the table. "Sorry, I—"
"No, thanks for saving the important stuff." He slapped a napkin over the spill and then attempted to soak up the coffee that had splashed over his fingers.
