25. Alex
25
Alex
Alex shifted uncomfortably in the booth at Juno's Coffee Bar, his ankle throbbing. He had it elevated on the bench across from him next to Lena, but he’d forgotten to take his pain medication before his appointment with the attorney, and now he was paying for it.
The meeting had gone far better than he could have hoped for—Howard Grantham had assured him that it had been a long time since the days when the courts automatically favored mothers when custody was determined. Based on what Alex had told him, and on what he’d gathered from a conversation with Lena, Alex had good cause to be concerned over the welfare of his daughter. In fact, Howard had filed an emergency motion to prevent Melissa from taking Lena out of the country, and said he thought they might be able to arrange for a preliminary hearing as early as this week.
Alex had called his father from The Beast, and fighting back tears of relief, had thanked him for making the calls that had connected Alex to the right people.
“You’re not doing this alone, son. That child is ours, too, and we want what’s best for her just as much as you do,” his father had said.
Alex had called Melissa twice already today, hoping to discuss things like adults, but she hadn't picked up, and even his text updates about Lena had been met with brief acknowledgments, nothing more.
Lena was going to spend the afternoon with her grandmother so that Alex could head over to the North Shore and talk to Melissa, if she’d agree, but when he texted again to ask if he could come, her response was: Busy. You wanted time with her. Hope you’re having a good time. If you can't handle the responsibility, it’s your problem.
Alex frowned, typing back: Just making sure you're all right. Can I come by so we can talk this afternoon?
Like I said, BUSY . Then she posted a whole string of wine glass emojis. Great. He wasn't sure whether to be disgusted or concerned.
"Is that Mommy?" Lena asked from across the table, looking up from her chocolate milkshake, a foamy mustache on her upper lip.
"Yeah," he said, tucking his phone away so she wouldn’t see the emojis. "She's just checking in. She’s glad you’re having a good time." The half-truth tasted bitter, and he hoped Lena wouldn’t ask to speak to her mother; he had no idea what condition Melissa was in, and besides, she still wasn’t answering his calls. "How's that milkshake?"
"Amazing," Lena declared, jabbing her straw up and down in the blended drink. "Juno makes the best shakes."
"She sure does." Alex glanced toward the counter where Juno was serving a customer, her movements efficient and graceful. His gaze shifted to the man clearing tables nearby—Leonard Thomas.
They’d come for lunch, beating the rush by only minutes, and Juno hadn’t had time to introduce them to her father properly. “But you two already know each other. Go say hi to him, Alex. He’d probably appreciate seeing a familiar face.”
Alex, however, had felt a growing sense of unease as he approached the man who was chatting with a customer while wiping down a table close by. When the man straightened and turned to see Alex and Lena coming toward him, Alex hadn’t missed the way his eyes had gone cold, steely, dark. For a moment, Alex had felt a strong surge of protectiveness wash over him and he’d had the impulse to shove Lena behind him to keep her out of Leonard’s line of sight.
But then the man had nodded in acknowledgement. “Alex. My daughter said you still called Autumn Lake home.” His handshake had been firm, his smile wide, but his gaze had been almost wary, almost calculating, when he looked at Alex. There was something about him that set Alex's teeth on edge, a feeling he remembered even back when they’d met the first time.
Back in high school, the first time Alex had picked Juno up from her family’s apartment, Leonard had gripped Alex’s hand hard, like a challenge, and had made a show of sizing him up. “You dating my daughter, hm?” he’d asked, his chin up, eyes narrowed.
“With your blessing, sir,” Alex had returned politely. He’d known even then how to use his good looks and charm to make points with the adults in his life. Leonard, however, hadn’t seemed affected in the least by Alex’s straight back and fine manners.
“And if I don’t give my blessing? You going to break her heart?” Leonard had leaned forward, a threatening glint in his eyes.
“Dad, please,” Juno had said, moving to stand closer to her father, like she was prepared to get between them if she needed to.
For several tense moments, Leonard had just stood there squeezing Alex’s hand and staring him down, but then he’d finally let go and waved the two of them off. “Get on outta here, boy. And take her with you. I’m a busy man.”
"Daddy, why are you looking at Juno’s daddy like that?" Lena whispered, following his gaze.
Alex stiffened, caught. “I was just thinking about the first time I met him,” he said honestly. “It was a long time ago, and I was wondering if he remembered it, too.” Alex watched as Leonard collected dishes from a recently vacated table, his movements quick and efficient. The customers at the next table smiled up at him, and Leonard responded with easy charm, making them laugh with some comment Alex couldn't hear.
“Is he nice?” she asked around a spoonful of whipped cream.
After debating on how to answer, he said, "He seems nice, doesn’t he?” But Alex wasn't convinced. There was something performative about Leonard's affability, like he was playing a role.
The bell above the door chimed, and a group of women entered, their laughter preceding them. The cavalry had arrived in the form of Penny Anderson, Liz Needham and her cousin, Candy, Addison Stewart, and Claire Maitland. The Garden Variety Lovers Club, they called themselves, and Alex found himself grinning, his tension easing considerably as the women settled in around a table that had been reserved for them. The group of friends had lunch together at Juno’s at least once a week, and now that Addison had left her airport job and was converting the storefront beneath her apartment into a plant and flower shop, all of them worked locally, making it easier for them all to attend.
Alex was glad for these women in Juno’s life. Knowing now what he did about her past, he had a feeling that before she’d returned to Autumn Lake, she’d never really known how important friends were. Alex knew he wouldn’t have made it through the worst of his times without Ward and guys at J I can’t believe I didn’t see it the other night.”
"Everyone says I look like my daddy," Lena interjected, having overheard. “And like Uncle Jason.”
For a moment, the group stilled, but then Alex reached over, scooped a dollop of whipped cream on his finger, and stuck it on her nose.
“You sure do, Lena-bug. The spitting image of him.”
“Ew. Spitting is rude.”
“You should come sit at our table,” Penny declared, reaching a hand to help Lena out of the booth.
“And apparently, we won’t take no for an answer,” Liz said in her usual dry tone.
Alex decided to take advantage of the impromptu babysitters. “Lena, I’m going to go talk to Juno for a minute, then use the bathroom. Are you okay to stay with these ladies? I promise they won’t hurt you.”
“You’re funny, Daddy. They’re Juno’s friends; they won’t hurt me.”
Juno wasn’t at the counter, so he ducked into the restroom first, hoping he could catch her in the back hall and maybe sneak in a kiss or two. When he came out again, he could see over the swinging doors that she was still busy in the kitchen. It was the lunch hour, after all, and he’d be lucky to get her alone for even a minute. She usually made a point to join her friends for a break, so if he was at the table with the Garden Variety Lovers Club, he at least get to share her with them.
As he came out of the back hall, his gaze wandered around Juno's café. Echoes of what the place had once been still lingered: on the wall hung the hand-painted sign of the original coffee shop where Juno had first learned her barista skills, two of the bare brick walls had been preserved, along with the chalkboard closet door where folks could write quotes or draw. She’d even preserved the old glass pastry display cabinet, although she’d had to replace a pane of glass and one of the sliding door tracks. It was a warm and welcoming mix of old and new, of vintage and modern, and Alex felt a deep sense of accomplishment on her behalf.
Until his gaze drifted back to Leonard Thomas.
The man was clearing a table near the window, his back to the room. A couple had just left, leaving cash tucked under a saucer. As Leonard gathered the dishes, his hand moved so swiftly Alex almost missed it. The stack of bills disappeared into his front pants pocket, not into the pocket of the apron he wore.
Alex stiffened, his eyes narrowing. Had he really seen what he thought he'd seen?
He watched more carefully as Leonard moved to another table. The same thing happened again. It was a subtle movement, and if Alex hadn’t already been suspicious of the guy, he probably wouldn’t even have noticed the cash vanishing.
"Alex?" Penny's voice calling him from the large table nearby broke through his concentration. "You okay?"
"Yeah, fine," he said, forcing his attention back to them as he joined the group. He flashed her a sheepish grin. “Just hoping to waylay Juno in the hallway, but no such luck.”
Penny’s eyes widened. “So, it’s true? You two are—” She waved a finger between him and the counter at the front of the shop.
“You’ve kissed and made up?” Claire suggested, a knowing look in her eyes. Obviously, Juno had already filled at least one of them in.
Alex chuckled. “I’d say it was the other way around. We made up and then kissed.” His cheeks warmed but he didn’t care. He wanted the whole world to know that one, the most beautiful, most amazing eight-year-old in the world was his daughter, and two, the most beautiful, most amazing woman in the world was his girlfriend again.
"I see you've met the welcoming committee, Lena," Juno said, approaching the table with a tray of drinks and setting one down in front of each of her friends.
“And she’s been sucked into our vortex,” Claire said, making what was apparently supposed to be a sucking motion with her hands that had everyone at the table laughing.
"Your friends are cool,” Lena said from where she sat between Penny and Candy.
"The nicest," Juno agreed. She set a fresh coffee in front of Alex. "How did your meeting go this morning? Is it okay to ask here?"
She tipped her head toward Lena who was once again distracted by something Claire had said to her.
Alex nodded, but kept his voice low. "Better than expected. We filed an emergency motion to prevent Melissa from taking Lena out of the country. There might be a hearing as early as this week."
Relief washed over Juno's face. "That's great news."
"It's just the first step," Alex cautioned, "but yeah, it feels good to be doing something."
“What are you two lovebirds whispering about?” Penny asked, and Lena giggled beside her. “That’s what you are, according to this one.”
Juno rolled her eyes, then circled the table to poke Lena in the ribs. “Tweet tweet,” she said, then to the rest of them, “It’s a busy day, guys. I’ll have to come back when I bring your orders.” She glanced toward the counter where a line was forming.
Alex stood quickly and circled the table to walk with her. He wasn’t sure how he’d broach the subject, but he wanted her to be aware of what he’d seen Leonard doing. Before she could duck behind the counter, he caught her arm gently. "I know it’s not a great time, but can I talk to you for a minute? In private?"
Concern flickered across her face. "Is something wrong?"
"Not exactly. Just... something I noticed." He nodded discreetly toward Leonard, who was now wiping down tables on the other side of the room.
"Can it wait until tonight?" Juno asked, glancing at the growing line at the register. They were having supper together at Alex’s apartment.
"Of course." He released her arm. "Go do your thing. Lena and I have to get going. Thanks for lunch and for the shakes, if we don’t see you before we go. You’ve got a new fan."
As Juno returned to the counter, Alex's gaze once again followed Leonard's movements. The man was good—smooth and practiced in a way that suggested this wasn't his first time skimming tips. Most people wouldn't notice, distracted by conversations or their phones. But Alex was now watching for it, and even though he didn’t catch the man at it now, he knew what he’d seen.
"Daddy, I need to go potty. Miss Penny is going to take me, is that okay?" Lena asked, dragging Penny along in her wake.
Alex thanked Penny, then turned back to Leonard. Now would be a perfect opportunity to let the guy know he wasn’t fooling anyone. They were in a crowded room so no one would be suspicious, and Leonard couldn’t react inappropriately, or, if what Juno had said was true, the man would be fired on the spot. He wasn't going to wait for Juno—he was going to confront her father directly.
He stood, grimacing at the twinge in his ankle, and made his way toward Leonard, who was now refilling napkin holders at the empty tables.
"Mr. Thomas," he said quietly, positioning himself so his back was to the room, blocking the view of their conversation. "Could I have a word?"
Leonard looked up, his expression neutral, his voice smooth. "Of course, young man. Something wrong?"
"Maybe," Alex said, keeping his voice low. He’d decided to simply be direct, the way he thought Juno would be if she were in this situation. "It's about what I just saw. You pocketing tip money from those tables."
For a split second, something cold and calculating flashed in Leonard's eyes before he smoothed it over with a look of confusion. "Excuse me?"
"I saw you pocket bills from at least two tables," Alex said firmly.
Leonard's confusion morphed into understanding, then something like amusement. "Ah, I see the issue." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a several ones and a few fives, even more than what Alex had seen go in there. "My apron pockets are full to overflowing and I didn’t want any of this falling out of them as I worked.” While Alex watched, Leonard made a show of shuffling things from one pocket to another—napkins, receipts, straw wrappers—then depositing the cash into the now empty pocket. If Alex was guessing, he’d say that Leonard had purposely overfilled his apron so that he could use this very excuse if someone saw what he was doing.
The explanation was reasonable enough, Alex supposed, but something in Leonard's tone—that practiced smoothness—didn't sit right with him.
"So, you'll be putting those in the tip jar now?" Alex pressed.
"Of course." Leonard smiled, a tight expression that didn't reach his eyes. "And no hard feelings about your suspicions. I applaud you for your concern about my daughter's business."
There was a warning in the words, subtle but unmistakable. Alex watched as Leonard sauntered over to the tip jar on the counter and once again made a show of dropping in the bills he withdrew from his pocket.
Alex couldn't help wondering how many tips hadn't made it in the jar that morning. And on his first day working, too.
"Everything okay?" Juno appeared at his elbow, her expression concerned.
Alex hesitated. Should he tell her what he'd seen? Would she believe him over her father, especially when Leonard had such a plausible explanation? The last thing he wanted was to create tension between them just as they were finding their way back to each other.
"Yeah," he said finally. "Just chatting with your dad for old time’s sake."
Leonard clapped Alex on the shoulder, his fingers digging into his shoulder blade where Juno couldn’t see. “You’ve got yourself a fine young man here, Juniper.”
Juno's gaze moved between them, clearly sensing there was more to the story, but the rush of customers demanded her attention. She nodded slowly. “Yes, Alex is great. I’m glad you two are…" Her voice trailed off and she waved a finger back and forth. “Reconnecting,” she finally said. “I’ll see you and Lena this evening, Alex.” Juno squeezed his arm, her touch lingering. "Say hi to your folks for me."
As Alex collected Lena and headed for the door, he felt Leonard's eyes on him. He turned, meeting the older man's gaze directly. Leonard offered a slight nod, his expression unreadable, before returning to his work.
Outside in the truck, Alex sat for a moment, replaying the encounter in his mind. Leonard's explanation was plausible, but his instincts told him the man was lying, and it twisted Alex’s insides to think of what it would do to Juno if his suspicions were true.
"Daddy, can we come back tomorrow?" Lena asked from the backseat.
"We'll see, Lena-bug," Alex said, starting the engine. "Depends on what the day brings." Who knew? Maybe Melissa would get tired of pouting and be willing to talk. Or maybe J&J would need him to come in and give some input on the new jobsite, a kitchen remodel just west of Autumn Lake in a new housing development. It always confounded Alex when folks bought these cookie cutter homes at top dollar, only to remodel everything but the bones, but to each his own. It kept guys like him busy, that was for sure.
As he pulled away from the curb, his thoughts were in turmoil. He hadn't told Juno what he'd seen because he didn't want to upset her without more concrete evidence. But the protective instinct for Lena that had surged through him was now extending to Juno as well.
Leonard Thomas was up to something, Alex was certain. And he was determined to find out what before Juno got hurt.