Chapter 17
“Mr. Franz.” I hand my favorite customer his usual. “Flat white with an extra shot of espresso.”
He takes it, depositing it on the wooden tabletop next to his cane. How he handles that much espresso without having a heart attack is beyond me. He has to be in his seventies. I don’t want it to be my coffee that sends him to the hospital. I’ve had enough of that.
“Thank you, Mackenzie.” He smiles, and before I can start back to the kitchen, he asks a question. “You excited for Christmas?”
Christmas? Is Christmas soon? Oh my gods, it’s mid-December. I completely forgot!
“I honestly hadn’t thought about it,” I admit. I’ve been a little preoccupied lately, but I leave that part out as another thought hits. “I haven’t even bought gifts yet.”
“That’s not all that matters,” he tells me, nodding and snuggling his ceramic cup between old worn hands. “It’s presence, not presents. That’s what matters. But…what are you getting me?”
“I…uh…” I hesitate. It was wise, almost poetic, and then boom. My eyes have to be so wide right now.
“No, no.” Mr. Franz waves his hand and laughs slowly. “I’m just joshing you.”
“Oh.” I smile nervously. Am I supposed to? No, right? I barely get Kaity anything. “You had me for a second. Enjoy your drink.”
Mr. Franz nods and I walk back to the front counter. It’s been a quiet evening. We’ve had a few people float in and out the past hour, but it’s mostly been to-go except for my old friend. Yeah, that’s what he is.
“You want to start mopping?” Kaitlynn says when I get behind the counter and prop against the door.
“No.” I drop a little truth. Why would I want to?
“Obviously, bitch.” She rolls her eyes, which is exactly what I was going for. She’s too easy sometimes.
“I’ll do it once Mr. Franz leaves.” I laugh and walk into the kitchen to get the mop water ready. “I’m not having another incident.”
“You going to profess your undying love for him too?” She grins and laughs at her own joke.
“No!” I bite back as quietly as I can. I make one mistake, and this is what I get. Sure, that mistake has snowballed into an abominable snowman, but still. “I didn’t do that with him either.”
“Sure you didn’t.” She grins even more.
“We have time anyway.” I’m not acknowledging that last bit. We also don’t really have a lot of time. We close in twenty minutes, but I’m not chancing it. Especially with Mr. Franz on a cane. I’d die if he got hurt. “And don’t worry. I’m getting ready.”
“Guess we’re staying—” The doorbell dings and Kaity seems to lose her voice. “Uh…he’s here.”
“He? Who?” I stand up straight. Why am I even asking? There’s only one person who would get that reaction.
“The only person whose name you said I’m not allowed to say.” She gives me a skewed grin. “He came in for once!”
I might have threatened to put a curse on Siesta Key so they don’t renew it for a seventh season if she mentioned Zachary’s name again.
“Shit,” I exhale.
“Hey.” His voice slips around the corner. I freeze. I’m not turning. Kaitlynn can handle this.
“Hiya,” Kaitlynn greets him in her least inconspicuous voice. I slump and switch off the water faucet. I lean around the corner. There he is. Mr. Perfect Hair in an unfortunately stylish leather jacket.
“Is Mack here?” He stops at the counter.
“Uh…”
For once Kaitlynn doesn’t know what to say. Why now though? Just lie! Say I’m not working tonight. Forget that my car is sitting on the road out front. That could be explained away. Maybe it stopped working and Mom picked me up, or Landon took me home.
“You good?” Zachary leans forward.
“Yeah, yeah.” She laughs. “Of course. I’m great. We’re… I’m great.”
“O-kay.” Zachary squints and looks around the store. “Umm… So are they here?”
“I—”
“Hey.” I rush out of the kitchen to save her. Fine. I’ll sacrifice myself. I put on my best smile and wave, kicking Kaitlynn in the shin under the counter.
“Mack! I haven’t heard from you lately.” He starts off strong. He’s not wrong. I haven’t responded much lately. Not at all today.
“I’ve just been sort of off,” I say. It’s a massive understatement. I don’t have a clue what to do. I’m in over my head.
“It’s okay.” He shrugs. “What are you doing after work?”
I freeze. Kaitlynn’s eyes burst into horrified saucers. Not helping, Kaity!
Technically the plan was to go home and do another spell.
A spell specifically about you, Zachary.
The Want You No More variety. Maybe some XG or ENHYPEN beforehand to amp me up.
I doubt that’s what he wants to hear. Not to mention, it’s arguable that my spell track record isn’t too great at the moment.
“Don’t know yet,” I say instead.
“Wanna hang out at the pub when you get off?” he suggests, then looks at Kaitlynn. “You too.”
“But they won’t let us. It’ll be after nine,” I remind them.
It’s their curfew, unless you’re with an adult—well, a twenty-one-year-old or older adult.
“Outside,” Zachary says. “They’ll let us sit out front. The owner knows Dad. He’d tell if I asked for alcohol anyway.”
“That sucks.” Kaitlynn puts on a show. As if she’s ever had alcohol.
I know better. If she ever had, I would have been there to join her, or she would have called me right after to tell me, probably totally shit-faced.
“Outside?” I ask again. He nods. “Tonight? In December?”
Zachary squints and nods uncomfortably. “Yeah.” His shoulders slouch.
“I’ll freeze,” I say. I do have limits.
“You can borrow my coat,” he tries.
Kaitlynn sucks her lips in, visibly restraining a squeal.
Me too. Internally, big time. I clench my teeth together and a gush of something warm and scary runs up my chest. I need to say no, that’s the only right answer, but he offered me his coat.
Like how freaking adorable is that? He has to stop with the sweet shit! Okay, compose yourself!
I so don’t have this under control. My smile breaks free and instead of saying no, I nod. Oh my gods, what is my problem?
“So, yeah?” Zachary leans across the counter and the smile on his lips grows.
“No!” I yelp. It’s louder than I’d intended, but I’m saving this. “No, I mean. Sorry. I meant you’re right. About them letting us sit outside.”
What? What am I saying? You are so fucked.
“Oh, okay. So you don’t want to go?” he asks again.
“Uh…” I mumble, trying to figure out how best to turn this back around without being the pathetic enby who can’t say no to the handsome gray-eyed man. I could just say no, or no thank you, but I need a reason, an excuse. Right? And it has to feel important. I can’t just say no. It’s mean.
“I can’t,” Kaitlynn says. “Gotta work on this paper for school.”
My paper! I… Wait. I see you, Kaitlynn. Very good.
“Me too. It’s due Friday.” The save I needed. I am technically behind. I “finished” it, but it still needs another page. More fluff.
“Oh, okay. Maybe I can just wait for you to get off and talk a little after, walk you to your car?” he tries again.
“I…” He’s going to find a way regardless, isn’t he? What would it hurt to let him walk me to my car? It’s only like a skip and a jump down the street. We’d be there in no time, and I can use my paper as an excuse not to stick around long. “Sure.”
“Awesome, I’ll be back at close then,” Zachary says, walking backward toward the entrance all smiles.
“Wait!” I yell. Stop walking backward! Flashes of Hayden spring into my head.
“Huh?” Zachary stops.
“Please watch where you’re going.” I nod toward the floor. There’s nothing there, but in my head, I remember it was wet and dangerous. “That’s how Hayden, you know…”
“Ah.”
Realization lights up behind his pretty eyes and then he smiles. Ugh. Stop it! You’re making me smile, and I shouldn’t be. Not for any of this! It’s a real problem!
“That your boyfriend?” Mr. Franz speaks up from the corner. I’d forgotten he was here. “Or partner?”
I love how much he tries to be considerate of labels.
They’re not that important to me if I know you’re a truly kind person, but it’s really nice, even if his question is sending the blood rushing to my face.
I can feel the heat in my cheeks. I’m blushing something major.
When I dare a glance at Zachary, he’s looking at me wide-eyed, face as red as Pennywise’s balloon.
“No!” I yelp, and it’s less than a second later that Zachary is blurting the same thing.
“No! We’re just friends,” he says quickly, hands up, waving at Mr. Franz like it’s urgent.
“Friends,” Kaitlynn mutters under her breath and grunts comically.
I side-eye her, and speak again. “Yeah, just friends. He’s Hayden’s brother.”
“I knew he looked familiar. That’s the one you’ve been fancying, isn’t he?” Mr. Franz continues. He noticed that? I want to cover my face and die. End me right here, right now. “He’s got the same eyes.”
Zachary’s gaze springs back and forth between Mr. Franz and me like it’s being slapped around in a ping-pong machine. His mouth hangs half open.
“Yeah,” I admit sheepishly. He’s much more observant than I realized.
“They’re my brother’s enbyfriend,” Zach springs in.
Mr. Franz angles his brow at the word, but he doesn’t question it.
“Well that’s nice of you to watch after them,” he says to Zachary and gets up and walks out the door after his goodbyes. “Night, you two.”
Kaitlynn and I say goodbye at the same time, and Zachary’s still frozen halfway between us and the exit. He sighs, looks at me once, and nods.
“I’ll see you in a little,” and then practically runs out the door.
* * *
“How bad would it be for me to sneak off with you before he can catch us?” I whisper after Kaitlynn and twist the deadbolt to lock up the shop.
“Coward,” Kaitlynn blurts back. Her eyes never leave her phone.
“You got a partner’s brother crushing on you?” I ask. It sounded better in my head.
“So Hayden is your partner now? Or is it Zach?” Kaitlynn’s focus zooms in on me, and she puts a hand on her hip.
“No!” I cut back.
“Not what you just said.”
“But…” I roll my eyes.
“You’re crushing so hard, it’s adorable.” She elbows me.