The scent of espresso and pastries hits me the second I step inside Pine & Steam. It smells like espresso, cinnamon, and cedarwood. The entire café looks like somebody took a luxury ski lodge and shrunk it into a cozy mountain-town coffee shop. Warm amber lights hang from exposed wooden beams while steam curls through the air from the espresso machines behind the counter. A massive stone fireplace crackles near the corner seating area, and every table near the windows overlooks endless pine trees stretching across the mountainside.
Luckily, there’s no one else inside except the employees, which makes me breathe a sigh of relief.
I pull my phone from my pocket and text Daltyn. I’m not sure what time he’ll be home, but I don’t want him to worry if he gets there before me.
Home.
That should bother me to think that. Especially since we’re only temporary—and so is my staying at his cabin.
Me: I’m with Allie. Be home in a little bit. Hope Media Day went okay.
I hit send, wondering why I typed that last bit. Daltyn hates the media, and with all the attention on us, I’m sure it’ll be pure hell.
The same barista is behind the counter. His name tag says Tony. He’s tall with dark hair and eyes. He’s thinnerthan Daltyn, like he spends more time running instead of playing hockey.
He gives me a smile. “Hello again.”
Allie’s eyes bore into the side of my face, but I pretend not to notice.
“Hi.” I blush, remembering the way Daltyn stared him down the last time we were here.
“I put extra caramel in your coffee just for you,” he says as he holds the drink out to me.
I step forward, my cheeks heating. “Thanks. You didn’t have to.”
He chuckles. “I remembered. That’s what makes me good at my job.”
Judging by the way he’s looking at me, remembering had nothing to do with customer service.
Our fingers graze when I take the cup from him. It’s not the same reaction that I have when Daltyn touches me. At all.
There’s no spark. No butterflies in my stomach.
I step back, standing beside Allie as she waits for her order.
“Where do you want to sit?”
I look around and gesture toward a table in the back. “This works for me.”
As we slide into the booth, Allie’s eyes are on the barista. “He seems really friendly... toward you.”
I blush harder. “Yeah. He was friendly when I was in here with Daltyn.”
Her eyes widen. “Bet that went over well.”
I take a sip of my coffee before telling her how Daltyn reacted.
She laughs. “I’m not surprised.”
I roll my eyes, my spine stiffening when agroup of girls enters the coffee shop. Their eyes land on me, and three of the girls start whispering.
Allie turns to see what has me distracted.
“Oh, shit,” she murmurs. “If they come over here, I’m telling them off.”
“That’ll probably make it worse,” I whisper back. “Maybe if we ignore them, they’ll go away.”
They approach the register, chattering excitedly to the cashier. She looks over at me.
