Page 28 of Christmas Coffee

Nova

After I hand an older man with the biggest jowls I’ve ever seen a steaming cup of decaf, I turn to the counter and look down at the name badges. Who do I want to be?

I scan the tags and my gaze falls on HOT GIRL. Sure, why not? I lift it and pin the tag on my blouse. I was afraid it’d be too heavy and make my shirtfront gape, but it doesn’t. It’s light. I take the other tags and palm them, ready to put them back in the drawer when an idea comes to me. I separate out the men’s nametags and put them away, then stick on the rest of the women’s tags.

The next customer who walks up sees me doing it and I hear her giggle. “Wow.”

The familiarity in the voice makes me turn and look out the window. I’m slightly horrified to see my sister. I flinch and stumble back, hitting my hip into the counter. “Tinselly. What are you doing here?”

She holds up a piece of paper—the coupons Shannon has been handing out. “I met an interesting man who said I needed to try your coffee.” Tinselly gets up on her tippy toes and leans in, trying to see the inside of the hut. “It’s freezing in there. Are you all right?”

When the shock wears off, I plaster up my emotional walls so she doesn’t know. I’m not all right. I have no idea what to do next and this job is beyond embarrassing. The only thing worse than seeing Tinselly, would be seeing Gran out here. I put on my best smiley-smileypants grin and bat my lashes at her. “I’m fine. I got a new job. See? It comes with amazing perks.”

“Like all those name tags?” Tinselly is grinning, her eyes flicking from one tag to the next, reading all the names.

I snort and jab a finger at one of the buttons. “Hell yeah! You’d think it’d be demeaning, but check it out. I can be HOT GIRL, BABE, and BEAUTIFUL CHICK all at once. It does amazing things for my ego. Mom should have made us these when we were girls. Our confidence would have been through the roof.”

Tinselly snorts. “As if you needed more confidence.”

It was all an act, but she doesn’t know that. Tinselly has no idea and I plan to keep it that way. If she finds out, she’ll blame herself for everything that happened that night. It was a cascading clusterfuck that still haunts me, even now. I bat a hand at her and coo, “You’re just jealous because you wish you had a hat like this.” I put one palm under each puff adorning the sides of my head and push up slightly, in a gesture that’s typically used to fluff hair.

Tinselly bleats a long set of giggles before glancing at the menu. “So, HOT BABE CHICK. What’s good here?”

“The coffee, Nova-tmas style. And you need a cookie. Okay, you need two cookies because I really want one, too. I go on break in a little bit. Hang around and I’ll walk into the mall with you.”

“You got it, little sis.” As I prep her order, a long line forms. I upgrade her coffee, adding a little bit of chocolate and cinnamon. I hand Tinselly her items after she gives me cash and impale her ticket on the silver receipt holder by the window. I stuff the money into the drawer and watch Tinselly linger to the side of the line, waiting for me to go on break.

When I see a dark wool coat billowing across the pale gray dinge of the icy parking lot, I can’t help it. I look up and watch him move. Celyn is a beautiful man. He’s different than I thought he’d be. He’s not one of those alpha assholes that won’t talk. He seems real, like this place matters to him more than anything in the world. It makes me think he stuck his life savings into the HOTTIE HUT. That part is also alluring. A man that takes chances, someone not averse to risk. He’s looking at the screen of his phone, texting someone—or catching Pokémon—when he lifts his chin. Sapphire eyes lock with mine and my stomach twists as all the air is pulled from my lungs.

I wish he came back that night.

“Miss Babe?” An elderly woman calls up to me from below the window. My chest shakes as I swallow a laugh. “I ordered one of those cookies too.” She points to the sheet of confections in the window.

I smile quickly and grab one. “I’m so sorry. I’m not sure what I was thinking.” I wrap it in wax paper for her.

“It’s all right. You’re a doll. Don’t let that boss of yours work you too hard.”

I’d love to let that boss of mine work me real hard. My face flames red when I think it and the old woman glances at Celyn as he stomps up the steps, kicking the snow and slush off his boots before pulling the door open.

“Ah, I see what you mean.” She teeters away, sipping her coffee without giving me a chance to deny it.

Celyn hangs his coat on a peg by the door and shivers. “Shannon is MIA, so I’ll take over for a while. Go on and take your break, grab lunch, and be back in an hour.” Celyn grabs an apron and ties it over his sweater and jeans.

I nod, wanting to put as much distance between us as possible when he glances up at me. “Oh, and…” his voices dies before he finishes the sentence. Then he laughs when his eyes bounce between my nametags. “I’m glad you think so highly of yourself, but you can only wear one.”

I frown at him and take a step closer, even though I shouldn’t. The attraction tickles my skin as I grin up at him. “Really? Are we going to criticize what I’m wearing? You’re not in uniform, young man.”

His lips curl up at the corners into an amazing smile that reveals a hidden dimple on his right cheek. “Me? You’re telling your boss to wear a uniform?”

“If you’re taking Shannon’s spot, then I’m your boss. And yeah, it’s only fair. Unless you don’t think you can pull off the Viking overlord look you picked out. Pleather pants aren’t very forgiving.” I lower my gaze to his thighs and an amazingly toned body. I forget that he’s that easy on the eyes until I’m looking at him. I linger a bit too long, and when I meet his gaze again, I shrug.

“Seriously?”

“What?” I grin at him. “It was worth a try. I can’t be the only one in here looking like this.” I lift my braids by the tips and bat my eyes at him.

His eyes linger on mine too long. It feels like he wants to say something, but he doesn’t get the chance. A line has formed again. Celyn tips his head toward the door. “Lunch. Go.” He doesn’t bark the words at me. It’s more like I shocked him and he doesn’t know how to respond. I love it when that happens.

“Yes, boss.” I step toward the counter to grab my purse. Celyn turns suddenly, like I spooked him. But the rapid movement made it so there’s no space between us. His hard chest brushes mine and when he tries to back away, he steps on my foot, and his hands fly up in the air like he’s not trying to touch me. It’s an awkward dance of stumbling over feet and words—anything to put space between us.

“I’m so sorry. It won’t happen again.” His face is strained, each little line by his eyes etched with worry.

“It’s fine. It’s small in here.” My voice doesn’t come out. It catches in the back of my throat making it sound like I’ve been strangled. My heart is still racing from his touch. Even though it was only a second, it was more than that. The memories of the other night rush back as if they just happened. I swear I can still feel the pressure of his lips against mine. As it is, I’ve been breathing in his cologne all morning. It’s something manly and light. If it were the same scent he was wearing the night we met, well, I don’t even want to think about that.

I cough lightly and act like I wasn’t thinking about him. I ask as I pull the door open, “Can I bring you some lunch?”

He doesn’t look over at me. Instead, he hurries to take orders. “No, thanks. See you in a bit.” His head is bowed as he scribbles the order on a pad, dark shiny hair covering those crystal eyes. After this morning, I thought he liked talking to me, but now it seems like he can’t wait for me to leave. So I step out of the hut without another word.