“You’re just being dramatic now,” I say, stifling down a smile and propping a hand on my hip. “I thought I had done well.”
“Dramatic? You tried to burn off my tastebuds! I just came close to never being able to experience the deliciousness of the Bean & Cup apple strudel ever again!”
I can’t stop the burst of laughter that tumbles past my lips now. Brett lives for the strudel here.
“Promise me you’ll stay away from the strudel,” Brett warns as I try to surface from my laughing fit. “I don’t trust you near it. You’ll probably turn the crust to ash when you heat it.”
“Stop, you twat.” I push his shoulder again as I dry the tears that spill from my eyes. “What are you doing here anyway? It’s late.”
“Needed caffeine after a long day. Didn’t realise my tongue would be murdered in the process.”
I pick up the offending cup of coffee. “Careful,” he says, eyeing me warily, “it’s lethal.”
“Oh stop it!” I pretend to drop the cup over his crotch. He pushes away from the table so quickly I erupt again and almostdodrop the cup.
“Bloody hell. I’ll have an iced latte instead, thanks.”
I smile like a loon all the way back to Toby. “Why didn’t you tell me I burnt the milk?” I ask him after I dump the cup in the sink.
“That guy failed me last semester,” Toby shrugs nonchalantly, his nose ring glinting against the overhead lights. “I had to repeat the unit. Call it sweet revenge.”
I snort and start making Brett an iced latte. Unbelievable, the youth these days.
When our last customers are gone, I wipe down all the benches and tables, put away the clean dishes and wrap the leftover food in the display fridges. It’s just me and Toby on tonight, and he finishes cleaning the coffee machine at the same time that I finish the floors.
“He your boyfriend?” Toby asks as I wring out the mop. He nods his head in the direction of Brett, who’s waiting for me by the front door.
“Nah, just a friend.”
“Right. I’ll lock up here, you can go.” He heads out the back door with the trash.
I give the kitchen a quick glance over, then I grab my bag and head for Brett.
“You didn’t have to wait,” I say as we pass through the front door into the dark. We stand off to the side, turning to face each other. It’s a chilly night and the threat of rain lingers in the grey clouds overhead like a dark promise.
“All good. I wanted to have a quick word, anyway.”
“Oh? What about?” I throw my puffer jacket over my black work clothes and shove my frozen fingers into the pockets. I want nothing more than to go home and soak in a hot bubble bath with my kindle.
“I’m going for drinks in a couple weeks with some colleagues and was wondering if you wanted to come along? Meet some people in the industry. Make some contacts.”
The offer is surprising but not unwelcome.
“Really? That sounds great, Brett! I’d love to come,” I smile widely at my old friend. “Text me the details and I’ll be there.”
“Sounds good.” He shifts on his feet. “What are you up to toni-”
His words are cut off by someone clearing their throat right beside us, and I practically jump out of my skin. There’s a dark figure leaning against the brick wall of the cafe, mostly cloaked in shadows, who just happens to be staring straight at me.
“Finished for the evening, Gianna?”
Why does the quiet, unspoken demand in his voice both send a thrill down my spine and piss me off?
“What are you doing here, Zayn?” I ask, ignoring the former.
He pushes effortlessly off the wall and approaches us, his hands in the pockets of his suit pants. He looks gorgeous, as always, and I feel the familiar tingle of electricity that dances along my skin whenever I’m in his presence.
“I came to offer you a ride home.” He speaks to me, but his eyes are trained on Brett. “I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”
