Page 28 of Reckless

“For one person?”

“For a man who’s made peace with his choices.”

Koa snorts, shaking his head.

Bear doesn’t even look up from pulling out his chair. “Ask him what you actually want to know, son.”

Deek sighs. “Fine.” He points into the cabinet. “How many of these before people start judging me?”

Millie answers before the teenager gets the chance. “We stopped judging you ages ago.”

“I appreciate the honesty.”

Millie smirks. “I wasn’t trying to be nice.”

“I know.”

“So you’re buying six?” she states matter-of-factly.

Deek puffs out his chest as if he is proud of himself. “Eight.”

Millie chuckles, sliding the glass doors open to begin grabbing the goods. “I guess that’s progress.”

The line barely survives us getting our coffees. Sin heads for the corner table without saying a word. Nobody is stupid enough to beat him to it. Nitro drops into the chair beside him, Koa turns up, balancing more food than one person should be allowed to order. By the time I reach the counter, Deek has somehow managed to order enough food that the teenager behind the register has run out of room on the order pad.

“Is… is that everything?” the kid asks hopefully.

Deek glances back at the display cabinet. “I don’t know.” He squints. “What are those swirly things?”

“Cinnamon scrolls.”

“I’ll take two.”

The teenager adds them to the list.

“And that one?”

“The almond croissant?” The kid glances at Millie, and she shrugs.

“I don’t want almonds.”

“It’s filled with custard.”

Deek grins. “Well, in that case, I’ll take three.”

Bear finally looks up. “You’ve ordered enough breakfast for a family of four.”

Deek shrugs. “I’ve got plans.”

“You’ve got high cholesterol.”

“I’ve got optimism and an empty stomach, old man, leave me be!”

Liam reaches over, plucks one of the menus off the counter, and studies it like he’s trying to decode military intelligence. “What the hell’s a…” he frowns, “… Queen Aman?”

The teenager blinks. “Kouign-amann?”

“That’s what I said!” Liam chuckles.