He didn’t startle from my touch, which was good. It wasn’t until he stepped to the side and allowed me to get behind the counter that he cleared his throat and gave me another shy grin.
“Only once before,” he replied.
“Oh, yeah?” I smiled at him as I tied an apron around my waist. Emma handed me his drink, sans whipped cream, while she stepped through the door that led to the kitchen. “I’m glad we were worth visiting again.”
He hummed as I grabbed the can of whipped cream and sprayed the top of his drink. He ordered a very sugary one, so I added the sprinkle of cinnamon on top that the recipe called for. I glanced at him out of the side of my eye as I grabbed the cardboard sleeve.
“You were playing then, too,” he said the words in a rush, as if he wasn’t sure how to continue the conversation. “When I came before, I mean.”
“Yeah?” I raised my eyebrow before sliding his cup across the counter to him. “And I didn’t scare you away?” I wanted him to keep talking.
If I played my cards right, I could get him to ask for my number. Going on a date and exchanging orgasms would be a good way for me to feel stable again after the several bombs Audrey dropped on me recently.
“Not at all.” He shook his head as he retrieved his cup. He held it cautiously in his hand, as if he were studying the beverage, before slowly bringing the drink to his lips.
As he took a sip, he seemed surprised. Dark eyebrows rose behind his sunglasses.
“This is delicious,” he said.
“Thank you,” I said, giving him a bright smile as I studied him again. My eyes blatantly dragged over him, before I met his gaze—well, sunglasses. “Maybe you’ll want to come back again, then.”
He was taking another sip when I replied, and when he lowered the cup, he cleared his throat once before giving me a handsome smile of his own.
“Yeah, or maybe I—” He cut himself off when I stiffened and looked over his shoulder.
Another customer had just walked through the door, ringing the bell hung above it. Harmonizing with the bell, however, was the melody. The one I heard in Hyvenmere. As soon as the door shut, though, the melody was gone.
“I’m sorry, I—” It was my turn to cut myself off, because another customer left, opening the door, revealing the melody again. It was a little louder. I held a finger up to the man and hopped over the counter, startling him as he backed away enough to let me land on my feet. I scrambled through the tables and chairs, running toward the door before it slammed shut.
But as soon as I stepped outside onto the sidewalk, the melody faded into the distance. I grumbled, rubbing my head, wondering if I should find a psychiatrist to talk to about this. I shook my head and turned back toward the Sun Bean, just in time to see the handsome stranger nod politely with a nervous smile as he left with his drink in hand.
Damn. I totally blew that.
Emma stepped out of the kitchen slowly, her brows raised as she whispered to me, “What happened?”
“I—” How did I explain that I was chasing a song that may or may not exist? “I thought I saw a celebrity.” Those were fairly common to see in our tourist town.
“Who?” Emma asked.
“Um,” I scratched my head, trying to recall a random celebrity off the cuff. “The lead singer of Carbon Cut.”
Emma gave me a blank look before throwing on a grin and nodding, reminding me that she was a couple of years younger than me, and not into rock music. She wouldn’t know who Joshua Madey was.
A moment later, the back door chime sounded, letting me know someone had entered the shop from the hallway.
“Hey, Emma!” Audrey greeted my employee after stepping into the open space. She pulled a stool over and sat at the counter in front of us.
“Did you see the man who just left the shop?” Emma asked her immediately.
Audrey widened her eyes a little. “No. Why?”
“God, he was so attractive.” Emma sighed as she started to restock the syrups. “I thought for sure he was going to ask Van out.”
“I washopinghe would ask me out.” Then I leaned on my elbows, leveling Audrey with a look. “How about you, Aud? Is there anyone out there that you’re hoping will ask you out?”
Audrey lifted a shoulder. “Um. No.”
“Really?” I gave her a disbelieving look.
