Skyler nudges me as she puts the lid on a coffee. “Go, talk to your customers. I’ve got the counter for a while.”
“You sure?”
Roman unties my apron and snags my hand. “She’s sure. Thanks, Skyler.”
Skyler smirks as Roman drags me away. I’m about to say hi to Beli, who’s on her third cone of apple fries, when the bell dings and Mase ducks inside.
I squeeze Roman’s hand. “Give me a second?”
He follows my gaze and nods. “I’m right here if you need me.”
I weave through the customers and hug my brother like I used to when I was little. “You came.”
He ruffles my hair. “Of course I came.” His breath puffs against the top of my head. “I can’t believe you own a coffee shop.”
“Yeah, join the club.” It still doesn’t feel quite real, though my aching legs are slowly making me a believer.
“Listen, Lo,” Mase says as we break apart. “I want to thank you for the other night. I’ve been a crappy brother lately and, well, just thank you I guess.”
My eyes sting. “No thanks needed.”
Mase rubs the back of his neck. “So, uh, I’m going to go to rehab. My old army captain put me in touch with a good facility for PTSD. I called them yesterday.”
My rib cage loosens, even as my heart pangs for my brother and everything he’s going through. “That’s really good, Mase. When do you leave?”
“This afternoon.”
My cheekbones ache and I wrap my arms around his waist. “Do you want apple fries?” I squeak.
“What the fuck are apple fries?”
I laugh and lead him over to Skyler. The tip jar on the counter is filling up fast and I take a moment just to stare at it. I was willing to take a loss today as part of my masterplan to get everyone addicted to apple fries but at this point the tips alone are going to cover the costs.
“Hey Lola,” Cooper calls and I tell my brother I’ll catch him later before joining Cooper, Huxley, and Hux’s little sister Brynlee over by the world map. “I have a question.”
I raise an indulgent brow, “Yes, Cooper?”
He pulls back his shoulders and drops to one knee, apple fry cone in hand. “Will you marry me and have my babies? Because these are the best things I’ve ever eaten and I need them in my life daily.”
I laugh but Roman just scowls as he comes up behind me and links his hands in front of my stomach. “She’s taken.”
“Yeah, but I have rizz,” Cooper argues.
Brynlee groans. “I regret teaching you that.”
Cooper stands up, nodding all serious. “No cap, for real though.”
Brynlee cringes like only a teenager can. “That’s not even how you use it.”
I laugh softly. “Hey, Brynlee, feel free to escape up to my apartment for a while.”
Her eyes light up, the dark brown curls she got from her birth mother, bobbing around her face. “Seriously?”
I pass her the keys, and she skips off behind the counter.
Once she’s gone, Roman reaches out to shake hands with Hux. “Thanks for coming, man. I’m sorry to hear about Archer.”
Roman had told me that Jarred’s business partner and pseudo-father figure died suddenly last week and I tangle my fingers with Roman’s.
