Chapter 1
I was a strong independent woman who didn’t need a man. I maintained that as I cursed the bag of sugar resting on the shelf six inches higher than my outstretched fingertips. I grumbled every curse word in the book as I shuffled my feet to the front of the café to steal a metal chair. Its feet scraped against the sealed concrete floor as I pulled it back into the kitchen through the swinging door.
“Yo, V,”
Mae’s loud voice carried through the building.
“In the back,”
I called as I climbed the chair and snatched the bag of sugar. I was going to need to have a discussion with Erica about putting things where I could reach in the future.
Mae barged through the swinging door and hopped onto the metal prep table acting as an island in the center of the kitchen.
I blew my hair out of my eyes as I set the sugar on the counter. “Get your ass off my table, you unsanitary queen.”
Mae smirked as she stole a cookie from the baking sheet, hopping off the table. “Where is Erica? Isn’t she supposed to help out on Tuesdays?”
Crumbs fell as she took a huge bit of the chocolate chip cookie.
I sprayed the counter with disinfectant as I shook my head at the woman who was the definition of a bull in a China shop. “She has midterms this week. It’s just me.”
She hummed around her mouthful of food. “Well, the kids are out of school today. Want me to hang out? Pull some espresso shots?”
I sighed, throwing my hands on my hips, considering Mae’s offer. If I didn’t have an exhibit this weekend that required me to finish several paintings, maybe I would have declined the offer.
“Fine, but if you’re back here, your hair is in a ponytail and gloves are one your hands.”
Her blue eyes sparked with joy, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t smile right along with her. That was thing about Mae, her happiness was ridiculously contagious. I pointed a finger at her chest. “And absolutely no sitting on food prep stations!”
Mae gave me a lousy salute and headed toward the front of the café. “I agree to your terms, but I am going to make myself an iced latte.”
Rolling my eyes, I began gathering the rest of the ingredients for the raspberry lemon bars. One could argue that was a summer dessert, but this is my café and lemon is a year round treat.
I cranked the volume on the speaker, getting lost in what the music app deemed “divorced dad rock”
as I pureed the raspberries. Mixing them into the batter brought me to pause. The dark pink mixing with the cream colored batter was exactly the inspiration I needed for my painting. Quickly, I whipped out my phone and took a picture of the mixture. Tonight was going to be productive. I just knew it.
“Hey Mae, what are you doing behind the counter?”
No…not him. I peeked through the window between the front of the house and kitchen, standing on my tiptoes just in time for those vibrant, green eyes to meet mine with a wink.
“Morning, V,”
Josh called through the window.
I groaned, wiping my hands on the rag before joining Mae.
“What are you doing here, Josh?”
I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to appear not so tiny in front of the behemoth of a man in front of me.
His crooked grin forced his dimple to pop, and that backwards baseball cap did nothing to diminish his attractiveness. I mean… ew, gross. He was a gross man. Australian spider storms held more appeal than Joshua Walters.
The fact that he was my personal trainer held absolutely no sway over my feelings. Certainly, not the fact that I knew what he looked like after taking an opponent down in the boxing ring, or the sweat that ran down his temple. Nope, that was absolutely repulsive. Gag.
“You’ve got some flour,”
he said with a smirk as he gestured to my forehead.
Mae was leaning against the pastry display, with a raised brow and a shit-eating grin.
I huffed as I rubbed the flour off and demanded, “What can I get you?”
“Luce is coming home tomorrow. Brett and I just finished getting their rooms ready. I was going to get some coffees and muffins for everyone.”
We do not swoon for men who show basic kindness. The bar is not that low. We. Do. Not. Swoon…
I was swooning. Dammit. “Sure. What kind of coffees?”
He listed a slew of coffee orders, ending with a tea, which I knew was for him. I couldn’t explain how I knew, there was just something about his vibe.
Josh paid, leaving a generous tip.
“How is Lucy?”
Mae asked, grabbing the muffins from the display.
Josh sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I think she’s okay?”
It came out as a question. It was a hope. “I don’t know. We went up there shortly after David passed and helped out best we could. God, I hope I never see her that broken again.”
He shuddered. “I just hope the kids feel comfortable here. They moved around so much.”
“I’ll be sure to watch over them,”
Mae said as she handed him the container of pastries.
Josh nodded, absently watching me as I made the drinks.
“It will be good for them to be around you all again,”
I offered, filling the drink carrier with the finished coffees. “She loves you all so much. I’m sure she needs you just as much as the kids do.”
Josh swallowed. “I’ve just… I missed her, you know? She’s the baby. Brett and I helped raise her and Dylan once Dad left. I worry that I didn’t do enough for them in the past year.”
Mae placed a hand on the glass counter, reaching towards him. “Lucy knows you love her. She’s strong.”