Chapter 7
Coffee – an excuse to spend some time with your friends. And there are cookies, too.
Chloe
I climb the stairs from the bar and restaurant at Five Fathoms to the offices where Sophia, Nova, and Maya are working. I can’t help the smile from spreading across my face. Sophia’s home. I missed my best friend.
I peek my head into the office. “I’m going for a coffee run to Pirates Pastries . Who wants what?”
Sophia groans. “I need a coffee.”
Maya giggles. “No sleep with Flynn last night?”
My happiness dims. Sophia is with the man she’s wanted since for-freaking-ever. But he’s also the man who drove her away from Smuggler’s Hideaway and the man who’s keeping her a secret. I’m not impressed.
“Tell us more. Tell us more,” Nova chants.
“Yeah, Sophia, tell us all about how Flynn can’t wait to shout to the world about how much he wants you.”
Sophia scowls at me. “It’s complicated. He’s mybrother's best friend.”
I don’t understand why Flynn being Weston’s best friend is an issue. Weston’s a cool guy. I can’t count the number of times he looked the other way when we got in trouble in high school. He didn’t even arrest us when a sheep ended up in his squad car. Which he shouldn’t have. Since we had nothing to do with the entire situation.
Nova jumps to her feet. “No fighting.”
I sigh. I don’t want to fight with Sophia. She’s been my best friend since I saw her get dropped off at kindergarten by her mom. When her mom kissed her and told her she loved her, I knew Sophia was going to be my best friend. I would have done anything to be near a mom who loved her daughter.
“I need coffee. What does everyone want?”
Sophia stands. “I’ll go with. I could use a break.”
Nova grabs her purse. “I’m in.”
“Don’t forget me.” Maya rushes after us. “I need a shipwreck cookie.”
Nova frowns. “I prefer a Blackbeard’s revenge cookie.”
“Revenge cookie? Who do we need to prank?”
I have a pretty good idea who Nova’s annoyed with but I can’t resist teasing her. Nova is all sunshine and smiles and ‘life is wonderful’ unless we’re talking about a certain someone.
We exit the rear door and Paisley hurries toward us. “What are you doing here?”
She purses her lips. “Am I not allowed to join my friends for coffee?”
“Sorry.” I immediately backpedal. “I just figured you were busy concocting some special recipe for a super secret beer you’re working on.”
She grins. “I am working on a special recipe but I have time for a coffee break.”
“You’re certain it won’t explode while you’re away?”
“My experiments don’t always explode.”
I giggle. “But they do sometimes.”
“High school experiments don’t count.”
I lock arms with Sophia and we head toward Pirates Pastries. The bakery isn’t far. Nothing’s far in the town of Smuggler’s Rest. I love it. I love knowing all the locals. I love not wasting time on commuting back and forth to work. And I seriously love how close my friends are.
Although, since we’re all busy with the brewery, we don’t have as much time to socialize as we used to. If it were up to me, we’d live in a big house together and spend all of our free time hanging out. Maybe then I wouldn’t be lonely.
I push thoughts of loneliness away. I have everything I want with me now. There’s no need to be melancholy at the moment.
“Uh oh. Do I need to phone the police the girls are back in town?” The owner, Parker, asks when we enter the bakery.
Maya snorts. “Chloe would love you to phone the police. A particular police officer, in fact.”
I elbow her. “We haven’t done anything wrong.”
“Yet,” Parker mutters before raising her voice. “What can I get you?”
We order several coffees and more cookies than we need considering it’s only an hour before lunch. But no one can tell me not to eat cookies ever again.
Paisley glances around the bakery as we wait for our order. “It’s extremely quiet.”
Huh. She’s not wrong. We’re the only customers in the place. Usually, it’s packed in here. Although, now that I’m thinking about it, I remember it’s been quiet the past few times I’ve been in.
“I don’t think the bakery’s doing well,” Sophia whispers.
I don’t understand. Parker bakes the best cookies on the island. She should be raking in the dough. Pun intended.
“Your order is ready,” Parker announces before we can discuss the issue further.
We grab our coffees and cookies and wave goodbye. We exit the bakery and begin to make our way back to the brewery.
“Chloe!” Natalia shouts from across the street where she’s walking with her dad. I wave at her since my mouth is full of cookies, and Lucas scowls at me.
What’s his problem? I thought since I helped Natalia out with her first period, he’d lighten up. I guess not. Too bad his scowl is sexy as hell.
“Who is she?” Sophia asks.
“It’s her neighbor’s daughter,” Nova says.
Sophia gasps. “The neighbor, as in the sexy cop next door, who won’t give her the time of day?”
I flick my hair over my shoulder as if I don’t care about Lucas. “I don’t want Lucas to give me the time of day.”
Sophia rolls her eyes. “Tell me more.”
Paisley clears her throat. “I can summarize for you. Chloe showed up at Lucas’s house naked.”
“It was an accident.” It wasn’t but I’m willing to die on this hill.
Paisley ignores me and continues, “Lucas wasn’t interested and his daughter, Natalia, asked why she was wearing a raincoat when it wasn’t raining.”
“If the scenario you’re explaining had happened, and I’m not saying it did, it was because I didn’t know about Natalia. Like I said, it was an accident.”
Sophia bursts into laughter. “How do you accidentally show up at your neighbor’s house naked?”
“I forgot to put on clothes when I went over to borrow some butter. If it’s a crime, arrest me.”
Maya snorts. “She wants Lucas to arrest her.”
She’s not wrong. I’ve had more than one sexy dream of Lucas, handcuffs, and me naked in bed. I nearly fan myself but considering how closely Sophia’s watching me, I shove the rest of my cookie into my mouth instead.
I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Usually, if a man isn’t interested, I move on. But Lucas has me all out of sorts. I blame the heat that exploded between us when we touched. I want to explore it. Find out if we can burn up the flames.
But Lucas has made his view perfectly obvious. He wants nothing to do with me.