Peter helped Zack and Betty get the coffee shop ready for opening, making his first drink for an omega guy who looked even more tired than Zack. It was a cappuccino with two shots of espresso, and Betty watched him make it with an approving nod.
“One down a million to go,” Zack said, nudging Peter to the side and making himself a triple espresso. He downed it like a pro. “Fuck, that’s good.”
After that, as the start of eight a.m. classes neared, there was a rush of customers and Peter was too busy to do anything but focus on making drinks. He was slow, Betty stepping in to help when he got overwhelmed, and he made plenty of mistakes, but overall he was very pleased with how his day was going.
At around ten, he got a text from Carver asking if he wanted to have lunch together. Peter texted him back that he only had half an hour, to which Carver responded that they could meet at the coffee shop and eat there.
Peter was all too happy to accept the invitation.
“What are you smiling about?” Zack asked, wiping down the counter.
“My alpha is coming to have lunch with me on my lunch break,” Peter said. He realized that he hadn’t asked if that would be okay, so he turned to Betty. “Is that okay?”
“Of course,” Betty said. “Is this hot cop alpha or hot lawyer alpha.”
“Lawyer,” Peter said, his face going red. “Carver.”
Zack groaned, leaning his head back dramatically. “If he’s as hot as your cop, I’m going to kill myself.”
Betty smacked his arm. “Zack, that isn’t funny!”
“Sorry,” Zack said, rubbing his arm where Betty had smacked him. “I meant, I’ll be really jealous.”
“Envious,” Betty corrected, making Zack roll his eyes.
“We’ve all watched the Simpsons, Betty.”
“Then you know that you were using the wrong word.”
Zack looked at Peter and rolled his eyes even harder, making Peter laugh. He and Betty had a weird friendship, teasing and poking at each other non-stop, but it all seemed good-natured. Peter was getting the impression that they’d been behaving themselves on his account, and were now comfortable enough to be themselves.
It was nice.
* * *
It was nearing lunch,and Peter was busy making drinks when he looked up and his day was ruined.
His sister was coming into the coffee shop.
Peter watched, horrified, as his sister made her way inside, taking a seat by the window in the corner, putting down her purse and looking right at him. He did a double-take, sure it couldn’t be Angela, but it was her. She was dressed in a familiar black coat and a red silk blouse, her hair perfect and her makeup impeccable, the expression on her face inscrutable.
Peter had to restrain himself from marching over to her and dumping a scalding hot coffee over her head.
“Can I take my fifteen-minute break now?” he asked Betty, shaking with rage. Where seeing his uncle had rattled and scared the shit out of him, seeing Angela was making him feel downright murderous.
“Everything okay?” Betty asked, frowning. She looked at her watch, but she didn’t comment on the fact that the time was only half an hour away from lunch.
“Yes, I just need to talk to my sister over there.”
Betty followed his gaze, shrugging. “All right, go ahead.”
“Thanks.” Peter took off his apron and walked around the counter, his sister watching him the whole time.
“Get out,” Peter hissed, taking a seat across from her. “I don’t want you here!”
“You know, I almost didn’t believe Uncle Roger when he told me he met you here. Why didn’t you contact me and tell me you were out?”
Peter’s mouth hung open, his tongue frozen as he tried to process what to say to that.
