Page 36 of East

My watch is on the coffee table. It’s my prized possession, a gift I bought myself when I took full ownership of the Jade Sanctum. It’s green—of course—with tiny emeralds in the three, six, nine, and twelve positions.

Quarter past ten.

Damn. Later than I’d have guessed.

I slept longer than I thought.

On Jade nights, I’m not home until nearly four in the morning. Ten is usually the earliest I’ll wake up the following day.

I was tossing and turning the whole night, so I assumed it was early when I got out of bed. My mistake.

ChicagO2 news has three morning segments, at six, eight, and ten. They each last about an hour, so Thea will be wrapping up in about forty-five minutes. I pull out my phone and check the maps app to see how far away the O2 News station is from my place.

Only a ten-minute drive. Rush hour is over—more or less—so it’ll be easy.

Which means I have a half hour or so to get ready.

Except…

If I show up at her station after having just met her last night, she’ll think I’m a crazy creepy stalker.

I know my intentions are pure, but she doesn’t.

Nora suggested a pretext for being near her news station. I look up what’s nearby.

Aha!

The Golden Cap, a coffeeshop just around the corner. I’ll get there, get a drink, and wait for her to leave the news station. Then I’ll casually bump into her—latte in hand for plausible deniability—and strike up a conversation.

It’ll be difficult not to ask where she ended up going last night, but I’ll avoid that topic like the plague.

I strip off my boxer briefs and jump in the shower, quickly scrubbing last night off me. I towel off, wrap my neck-length hair into a man bun, and trim my facial hair to my preferred length—just in between stubble and beard. I make sure the hair around my neckline is cleaned up, rub some coconut oil onto my face, and throw on a flattering V-neck—black—with my favorite pair of jeans.

I’ll look good, but I won’t look like I’m trying to look good. This has to seem like a chance encounter.

Once I’m dressed and ready, I drive to the news station and park by the Golden Cap. There’s a giant lot right next to the news station, but if I park there, it’ll be clear I have an ulterior motive.

No, Aus Waverly is just getting his daily cup of coffee at this place he’s frequented for years.

I step inside. A young woman with hot-pink streaks in her hair and about a thousand colorful buttons on her apron smiles at me. “Welcome to the Golden Cap, sir. May I take your order?”

I blink a few times. “What’s your specialty here? I usually drink my coffee black.”

She cocks her head. “We’re always happy to make a pour-over for our customers, but I personally recommend the Golden Latte.”

“What makes it golden?”

She widens her eyes. “Turmeric.”

I scrunch my nose. “Like the stuff that’s in curry powder?”

“Exactly.” She chuckles. “But it doesn’t affect the taste. It just makes it a little more robust. Plus turmeric has great anti-inflammatory properties. If you’re feeling adventurous, I suggest giving it a try.”

I’m about to order a regular coffee—seriously, turmeric in a latte?—when I realize I am feeling adventurous. I’m putting myself out on a limb for a woman I barely know. A woman who may have slept with one of my employees last night.

Nothing about this makes sense. Just like turmeric in a latte doesn’t make sense.

“You know what? I’ll try it.”