Chapter 11
Karaoke night at the Sun Bean was a couple of nights later.
Perks of owning a coffee shop included doing whatever the hell I wanted, which meant that I could go out of my way to host community events in the space.
As someone who often felt desperate to find things to do as a teenager, unsure of when the system would ship me to a new family to live with, I attempted to give back to my community.
To provide relatively safe opportunities for teens and young adults that Audrey and I had learned to seek out ourselves when we were younger.
The night itself was free, which was worth it when people bought drinks. I think the live-band karaoke was what brought the crowd, though.
A college student just finished his performance of some old school rock song that, frankly, he killed at. When the drummer for the night hopped off the small stage and ran over to the counter, I already had a bottle of water waiting for him.
“How’s it going, Kyle?” I asked him.
He used both of his hands to push his sweat-slicked hair back. The sweat made the blue he dyed it shinier.
“That kid has some pipes,” Kyle breathed. The crowd was young enough that no one had recognized him or his husband yet. No one here knew that they were currently singing karaoke with two members of the world-famous rock band, Carbon Cut. “I’m so glad I made Tom get a babysitter.”
I smiled. “Enjoying child-free time?”
“We always miss them.” Kyle gave me a warm smile before snagging an extra water bottle for his husband, who was tuning his bass. “But we enjoy pretending we’re still relevant, too.”
“Can’t waste a good babysitter.”
“I noticed you and Aud haven’t gotten up there yet.
” Kyle winked at me, and I smiled at him.
Audrey and I loved karaoke, but I wasn’t sure she was as musically motivated lately, considering, well, her possibly being the Chosen One to unite realms and all that.
I, however, have often found myself on my composition software, desperate to flesh out the melody I only seemed to hear in Hyvenmere.
“If she shows up, we will.”
“Even if she doesn’t!” Kyle threw his arms out wide, each one holding a water bottle, as he walked backward toward the stage. I crossed my fingers at him before I turned back toward the counter, ready to take the next customer’s order, when my breath caught in my throat.
“Hi,” I breathed out.
“Did I startle you?” My handsome stranger smiled at me.
His gaze left where Kyle retreated and landed on me.
He wasn’t wearing sunglasses this time. Instead, his dark eyes landed on me directly, and something pulsed in my veins from the direct attention.
Freshly shaven. His shoulder-length dark hair was styled perfectly, and he wore a simple white t-shirt and dark-wash jeans. Not a wrinkle in sight.
After I studied his face, he quirked a dark eyebrow at my silence.
I cleared my throat, remembering to respond, “Nope. Just—” I waved my hands around the chaos happening at the shop. “It’s busy.”
“It is.” He glanced around the space, as if just realizing he was one wrong step away from bumping into other patrons. “I should order before you’re out of supplies.”
I grinned. “Your usual?”
He bit his lip in thought as his eyes flicked over the updated menu.
“Perhaps something stronger?” he asked, and even with all the noise, I could pick up on the flirtatious tone in his voice. It made my chest heat with excitement.
“Perhaps,” I repeated. It was my turn to quirk an eyebrow at him. “So formal.” He gave me a quizzical look, as if my words threw him off. I was teasing, but he seemed genuinely worried that he had slipped up somehow.
“Well, I’m not serving alcohol tonight, because of the minors present.
” I nodded to a group of high schoolers, singing the lyrics to the latest pop song.
“But, lucky for you…” I waved Emma over to take over my spot.
“…I know the owner.” My handsome stranger grinned, following me around the counter as I took off my apron and hung it up, “Emma, you’re in charge! ” I told her.
She gave me a thumbs up and a wink, smiling brightly at the sight of me leading him back toward my office.
“This way,” I called over my shoulder, strolling with my head held high down the narrow hallway.
I pulled the keys out of my pocket, glancing behind me to see that he had followed me but was staying a respectable distance away.
He glanced up to make eye contact with me, his smile warming up a bit more now that we were away from the noise.
He blinked, and I noticed something.
“Do you wear contacts?” I asked as I unlocked the door. I could see the faint line against the white of his eyes.
His smile fell for a second before he casually replied, “Yeah.”
“Are your sunglasses prescription lenses too?” I followed up while holding the door open for him.
My handsome stranger cleared his throat and nodded. “Yes.”
“Ah.” I walked over to the other side of my desk, pulling out a box of some Swedish vodka I kept back here for special occasions. Or if I wanted to get fucked on my desk. Either or. I pulled out a glass bottle and two whiskey glasses.
“I don’t have anything to mix it with, but I could find something out there if you’d like?”
“No, no.” He shook his head and took a glass, holding it out for me to pour. “This is great.”
“Great.” I poured him two fingers, feeling generous with the good stuff. “I have a rule, though, before you drink.” I poured myself two fingers as he held his glass in his large hand. His fingers practically wrapped around the entire thing. He waited patiently for me to elaborate.
“What is your rule?”
“You have to tell me your name.” I leaned against my desk, my glass in my hands, crossing one arm over myself. “I’ve been referring to you as my handsome stranger in my head this whole time, and I just don’t think I can moan that well enough.”
His lips parted. Heat ignited in his gaze as he studied me. Something about watching a man sharply inhale, watching his chest expand as my words sank in for him, gave me a thrill.
He stepped toward me, and I clenched my thighs together in anticipation.
Instead of crowding my space like I expected him to, he leaned against my desk beside me, his lips twitching with humor at my obvious disappointment.
I leaned back to watch how his firm ass pressed against the wood before sitting up straight again.
I mostly dated men shorter than me, but I wasn’t against dating a man taller than me, either.
“I’m waiting,” I gently sang, taking a sip of my drink in a taunt.
“Why don’t you guess?” He copied my pose, crossing one of his arms over his chest while holding his drink with the other.
“Hmm.” I studied him. “Blake?”
He frowned, shaking his head. The way he considered it for a moment threw me, but I ignored that as I took another sip of the vodka and tried again.
“Jackson?”
“No.” He chuckled.
“Jake?”
He shook his head.
“John?”
“Do all your options start with the letter J?” He countered with a warm chuckle. I caught a whiff of his cologne, and it was as if the smell was crafted just for me. I tensed, stopping myself from leaning into him and smelling it more.
“Should I start from the top of the alphabet?” I giggled. “Aiden? Alex? Andrew?”
“Yes.” He jerked his head up, a devilish smile tugging at his lips as he finally took a sip of his drink. I watched his throat bob with a swallow, and suddenly, my mouth lost all its moisture.
“Which one? Andrew?”
“Yes,” he confirmed as he took another sip. “Andrew.”
“Huh…” I tilted my head. It didn’t feel right, but I couldn’t exactly place why. It wasn’t as if I had a specific image of what an Andrew looked like. If he said his name was Chad, I’d ask where his blonde hair and polo shirt with the popped collar were.
“…Andrew…” I said it again, shaking my head once. “Does anyone call you Drew?” That sounded better. I still couldn’t explain why. But it did.
His dark brows furrowed, emotion flickering across his face too quickly for me to clock it. “Yes.”
I grinned. “Can I call you Drew?” He gave me a silent nod of consent. “So, Drew,” I bit my lip. “…Do you even care to know my name?”
“Vanessa,” he replied without hesitation. Which made alarm bells go off in the back of my mind.
“How do you know it already?” I questioned. He stared at me, the corner of his lips turning up a slight degree before he replied, “It’s stitched onto your apron.”
Oh. Oh, duh.
“Well, Van is stitched. Not Vanessa.”
“What else could Van be short for?” Drew challenged.
“Van…nerism?”
He scoffed, shaking his head at my silly suggestion.
“Okay, Van would obviously be short for Vanessa. Good guess.”
He lifted his glass toward me in a silent thanks before studying the rest of my office. I followed his gaze with mine, noticing how he was looking at all the little trinkets and things. All the same things Hush studied and fiddled with when she was here last time.
Something fluttered in my stomach, unease of some kind.
I liked this moment; it felt human. Natural.
Not that Hyvenmere was unnatural, it just…
wasn’t totally familiar to me, yet. I would always find comfort in the familiar.
Sitting in my office, having a drink with Drew, after tiptoeing around each other for a little bit… I liked it.
“So.” I scooted closer to him, fiddling with my cup in my hand. Electricity skittered up my arm from the contact I initiated when our arms brushed against each other. “What brings you back tonight?”
He didn’t look at me, which gave me a moment to study his profile. The straight line of his nose, the sharp lines of his jaw and neck. He looked both familiar and not. He was a fit guy; his clothing was snug against his biceps and thighs.
Eventually, without looking at me, Drew replied with a low tone, “I guess I’m not quite sure.”
I quirked my lips to the side at that. “Hmm…”
What did I say to that?