I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.She wasn’t wrong that I wanted to host, but fuck.“It’s a lot of people we need to contact.A lot to do with this change.I don’t have anything planned for it.Food, entertainment, any of it.”
“I’ve already started contacting people.And I told Evie so she could let her friends know.The food I ordered will be delivered to your house instead.The staff will have a harder time since you don’t have a kitchen that’s away from the rest of the house, but I’ve been assured they can make it work.Someone will be out a few days before to set things up.”
“Like what?”
“A tent.You don’t have space in your house for everyone we invited, so you need more room outside.I have a twenty-by-twenty tent coming with tables and chairs.”
“I don’t have that big of a flat space at my house.”
Hannah blanched.“Sure you do.That neighbor said you can use her space anytime.Since you allow her to use your… dock.”Hannah narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips like I was letting Ashlyn use something else that sounded a hell of a lot like dock.
“Ashlyn is a friend, but this is a bit of a stretch.Asking her to set up a tent in her yard?—”
“I’m happy to speak to her if you’d like.”
“No,” I blurted.The last thing Ashlyn needed was Hannah coming at her.“I’ll talk to her.I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“Good.”Hannah smiled at her victory.She won.She got everything she asked for, and I rolled over and gave it to her.Like I always did.
No matter what it cost me.
Four
Reegan
My second fullday in Amethyst Bay, and I was already getting bored.Ashlyn had a few late appointments and said I was on my own.I needed to explore.Ashlyn recommended checking out Daily Ritual, saying it was the best coffee shop in town.She had a few choice words to share about the man who worked the counter, but she assured me the coffee was amazing.
As soon as I walked in, the scent of brewed coffee and fresh pastries hit my nose.I stopped and drew a deep breath, my stomach rumbling in anticipation.
I walked to the counter and waited for the person in front of me to order.The woman was a little high-maintenance from the sound of it.Very specific with her order, changing everything about it and not ordering from the menu.The guy behind the counter rolled with it, smiling at the blonde woman before promising her everything would be just as she asked.
When she moved to the side and sat at a table for two, I stepped forward with a smirk.I’d worked in the food industry a few years and knew customers like her were frustrating but far too common to bother complaining about.
I was not going to do the same.
“Welcome to Daily Ritual.What can I get for you?”His voice was deep and smooth, the kind of voice that put me at ease and told me he was capable of handling not only difficult customers but anything thrown at him.
“Hi.I’ve never been here before, and everything looks amazing.Can you recommend a drink and something from the case?”
The man’s face lit up with his eager smile.“Yeah, of course.Do you have any allergies?”
I shook my head.“Nope.”
“Anything you don’t like?”
I snorted.“Unfortunately, no.”
He chuckled, his gaze not straying from my face.He was a good man on top of kind.What in the world did Ashlyn not like about him?
“Our most popular drink is the Coach.All our coffees are named after local residents, and Coach is a great man.”The guy’s eyes dimmed just slightly.“It’s a black coffee with one cream and one sugar, with a splash of caramel syrup in it.”
“That sounds good.”
“If you’re a little more adventurous…” He trailed off and raised his eyebrows.
“I can be adventurous.”
“My favorite drink is the Harry.”
