Chapter 25
Caleb
“So, who put you in a bad mood today?” Henry asks as I set his cappuccino down in front of him.
“Did you get up on the wrong side of bed?” Kieran adds, reaching down to scoop up Dick and hold him out to me as if he’s reenacting The Lion King.
The lunch rush is only now slowing down. Usually, Lauren would be waltzing through the door with that menacing grin on her face and a gingerbread syrup bottle tucked under her arm, wearing that ridiculous red coat that makes her look like Santa Claus’s daughter.
But alas, she’s on her way back to L.A. for whatever it is she has to do there. She did swing by this morning, almost giving me a heart attack when she waltzed through the back door as though it was the most natural thing in the world.
I didn’t expect it, but damn if it didn’t make my heart flutter.
And damned if that kiss she planted on me before leaving didn’t make me want to throw her over my shoulder and lock her in my apartment. I only let her go when Nic popped her head around the doorframe. She was apparently trying to catch Lauren before she left, wanting to join her.
The fact that Nic is travelling with her reassures me slightly that Lauren will be back soon. After all, Nic is so smitten with Henry that I’m surprised she manages to spend a night away from him at this point.
Yet I can’t help. There’s a tight knot in my chest that’s refusing to loosen. A tiny voice in my head that sounds suspiciously similar to my sperm-donor that keeps reminding me that she’s not here.
What if she doesn’t come back after all? If she realizes that she’s happier in L.A.? What if she’s just great at masking, the same way I never realized my mother was in a deep depression?
“I’m in the same mood as always,” I mumble, definitely gruffer than usual. “Put your dog back on the ground.” The two of them shoot each other pointed glances.
“Please.” Henry rolls his eyes. “Your face is extra murderous today, and you sound like you’d rather be anywhere but here. We’re your friends. Talk to us.”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I shoot back. Well, nothing I want to talk to them about anyway.
This anxiety is mine to handle. I know it’s ridiculous to be worried. Lauren will be back. She promised. My anxiously racing heart hasn’t gotten the memo yet. No, it thinks I’m five years old again, waiting for someone to come back who never will.
“Sit down.” Kieran pulls up a chair and pats the seat, worry written all over his face. “Go on. It’s called taking a break.”
“It is still the lunch rush.” I point behind me to the full room.
“I got it,” Henry says and jumps up, taking a few steps towards the counter. Then he stops and slowly turns back to us, shooting a longing gaze at the coffee I brought over for him. Dramatically, he tears his eyes away from it, turns back around and runs behind the counter.
I watch him, worry gnawing at me when he fiddles with one of the portafilters. “He’s going to destroy my coffee machine, isn’t he?”
“Please.” Kieran rolls his eyes. “Shawna’s right there. She’ll babysit him.”
“I think I should-” I make an attempt to get up again, but Kieran puts his hands on my shoulders and pushes me back down into the chair.
“Caleb, Caleb, Caleb, you seem stressed. Take a break. I know you’re probably heartbroken over two of your best customers not being in town today, but it’s time to move on and focus on what you have.
” He scoops up his dog and plops him into my lap.
Before I can react, I already get a flurry of golden retriever kisses.
“I don’t—”
“Nuh-uh.” He wags his index finger in front of my face. “I’m your friend, and as your friend, I demand you cuddle this bad boy for at least five minutes. You don’t need to talk and I won’t pry, but you seem like you need some love.”
As if he’s jealous, Jensen trots closer, sits down right next to my chair and puts his chin on my thigh, staring at me with those damned puppy eyes.
“Make it seven minutes. Spare two more for Jensen or he'll get jealous,” Kieran says, and steals Henry’s fresh coffee.
“Don’t look at me like that. It would be a waste to let this go cold.
” He takes a sip, then leans back in his seat with a satisfied grin.
“So, Caleb, if you ever had a dog, what would you name it?”
“Why? I have no intention of getting a dog.” I lift my chin to keep Dick from slobbering all over my face.
“Hypothetically,” Kieran says slowly, rolling his eyes.
“I mean, what kind of dog would it be?” I shoot back. He leans forward, tapping a finger against his chin as he thinks. “I can’t exactly name a chihuahua the same as I would a pit bull.”
“You know what, you make a great point. Let me get back to you on that.”
“And is it a male or female? You have to be more specific. Though I can tell you for sure that I would not give my dog a name that alludes to genitals.”
Kieran dramatically clutches his chest. “How dare you question Dick van Dyke’s name!”
“Honestly, I’m scared for any future pets you might get.” I shake my head at him and plop the golden retriever back into his lap. Jensen nudges my thigh as if to say, ‘It’s my turn now!’
I glance up at Henry when he returns to his seat.
“Shawna sent me away.” He pouts and crosses his arms across his chest. Jensen, traitor that he is, immediately turns away from me and trots over to his owner.
“That’s probably my cue to-” I get up. Both of them shoot me a glare.
“Nope,” they say simultaneously.
“The rush is dying down. You’re good.” Henry makes a vague gesture at the room. He’s right. Most of the customers have cleared out already, and Shawna is opening the showcase for her obligatory end of shift cake. “Meaning it’s the perfect time to talk about you and Lauren.”
He props his head on his elbow, and Kieran’s eyes widen, darting between Henry and me as if he’s watching a tennis match.
“For real?” he asks way too loudly for my taste. His face slowly breaks into a smile when I don’t deny it, then he jumps up from his chair with so much force that it squeaks across the floor, almost tipping over.
“Would you mind keeping it down?” I hiss at him, rougher than intended. Turns out, Lauren doesn’t have that ‘he made me orgasm’ glow about her. At least nobody asked her about it when she came in for lunch yesterday.
While I don’t mind if everyone knows, I don’t need them up in my business either. When did Henry notice?
“Did she tell you?”
Henry’s face stretches into a wide grin. “I got a message from Nic this morning.” He wiggles his eyebrows, and I sink lower into my seat. Right. Obviously, she would let him know about catching us kissing.
“Why did I not get a message?” Kieran pouts and shifts the dog in his arms.
“Because you don’t have boyfriend privileges,” Henry points out.
“But I have bestie status,” Kieran complains and shakes his head with a disappointed frown. “Some friends they are.”
“So your mood’s in the gutter today because Lauren drove back to L.A.?”
My eyes widen, and I freeze for a moment, caught off guard. Damn him and his perceptiveness.
“Hold up, hold up.” Kieran puts his hand over Henry’s mouth. “I haven’t caught up yet. Just so we’re all on the same page. You and Lauren? You’re together? Like boyfriend-girlfriend together?”
“Yeah,” I admit with a nod, lowering my gaze.
Wow, this table desperately needs to be cleaned. There are crumbs all over it. When did that happen?
Kieran’s eyes dart between Henry and me. Henry only shrugs, and I don’t feel the need to elaborate.
“Don’t overwhelm me with the details.” He rolls his eyes. “Oh, I am going to get every detail from Lauren when she’s back.”
My face stretches into a grimace.
“Obviously not all of them. There are things even I don’t want to know.” He leans forward and clasps my shoulder. “In all seriousness, congrats, man. It was about time you stopped staring after her longingly and went for it.”
“Yeah, congratulations, man,” Henry says, playfully boxing my upper arm. “Now Nic will get her back here safely. Relax. Those two are going to be back in no time.”
“They better be,” Kieran throws in. “The Christmas market is this weekend, after all.”
“Right,” I say with a nod and give Jensen one last pet before I get up. “Now if you’ll excuse me. Some of us have work to do.”