Chapter 6 #2
Avery gives him a warm smile. “I think Laura Lynn would like you even if you didn’t like iced coffee.”
“But I don’t know how to talk to her,” Earl says.
“What do you mean?” Avery leans against the counter as if she has all the time in the world. Then again, this place is surprisingly empty for this early in the morning. I know there are more people in this town because I’ve seen a bunch walking around this morning.
“I don’t know how to get her talking,” the man says, pulling me back to the present.
“Earl, I’ve never known you to have trouble with words—and I’ve only been here for a few months. Just go have fun and find anything to talk about. Even if you have to start with the weather.”
“I thought talking about the weather was a bad thing for relationships.”
“Well, talking about anything is better than staring at each other awkwardly, don’t you think?”
I want to step around and see his expression, but I wait. I’m surprised by how invested I am in this conversation. Zero responsibility is turning me into a nosy neighbor.
“If you need to, Earl, you can practice with me. How about I help the customer behind you, and then we’ll run through a couple of scenarios?”
It’s like he grows two inches as his shoulders straighten. “That would be great, Ms. Avery. Thank you.”
He steps to the side, and Avery looks up at me. A small flicker of surprise crosses her features. I don’t know why that interests me, but suddenly I want to see that look again.
“Good morning, Max. It seems we keep running into one another. How are Brock and Chloe treating you?” Avery asks, her tone polite but layered with something that makes me curious.
“Another great night. I’ve slept better than I have in years, so I can’t complain.”
She gives me a bright smile. “That’s good. Chloe finally convinced Brock to buy all new mattresses a few weeks ago. She’s been after him to do it since they got married last year.”
“Oh, they haven’t been together very long?” I ask, confused.
“They’re one of those second-chance romance couples,” Avery says, her cheeks turning slightly pink.
“They dated in high school, then she left for a few years before coming back, and they rekindled things. It’s a story that could be made into a movie.
” She blinks and says, “Sorry, that’s what she shared with me. ”
“Isn’t there a popular movie about a second-chance couple?” I say, trying to connect to her words. “Sweet Home Alaska or something?”
She laughs. “It’s Sweet Home Alabama.”
“That’s right. I still struggle with remembering all the state names. My teachers never pronounced them correctly either, so it was like a German-English collision.”
Avery gives me a strange look and says, “Were you born in Germany?”
“Yes, I lived there until I came out here to Hawthorne University.”
“Your accent is very faint. I didn’t realize it was there until now.”
I shrug. “I do what I can.”
It’s only then that I see movement out of the corner of my eye. Earl is shifting from one foot to the other, looking almost like he’s doing a strange dance. “I apologize for getting in the way of your rehearsal. Maybe their romance will be another Sweet Home Mississippi?” I say with a smile.
She laughs, which only makes me smile wider. “I think there’s a chance there. They’re not the same, but it might work. Happiness is more important than perfection, or the typical, commercialized kind of romance.”
That’s not the answer I expected. Then again, hearing her perspective hits me.
I’m faced with marrying someone out of a mutual family contract, whereas she talks about love like someone who wants to believe in it, but either hasn’t had the opportunity, or has been jaded by a past partner.
I want happiness and for a relationship to feel less like my career and more like living my life.
“What do you think?” she asks.
“To be honest, I haven’t really given it much thought.
I’ve worked so much over the last ten years that dating hasn’t really been on my radar.
” I can count on my right hand the number of times I’ve been set up with someone, and those have all been through my mother, who invited a friends’ daughter or niece to dinner.
Would I like to have someone to come home to at night, even if it’s later than a typical nine to five job? Yeah, that would be perfect. But part of me worries that if I marry someone on my terms, she won’t survive the backlash from my parents or will be using me for clout.
“So, you didn’t come to Penrose Beach to avoid a breakup?” she asks. “I was at the grocery store last night to pick up a delivery for Midge next door when I heard that one.”
I laugh at the idea of it. “Not exactly. Wait, people have mentioned me? I’ve only been here two days.”
“You’re the new guy, and people are wondering why you’re here before The Season begins. You better watch out, or you’ll have the old ladies trying to set you up with their relatives.”
“It sounds like these people need something to do,” I say with a laugh. “How did your meeting at Lila’s school go?”
Avery sighs. “A boy has been bugging her for a few weeks, and she got in trouble for retaliating. She’s working on a few extra projects around the apartment as penance.
” She glances over and sees Earl before turning her gaze to the tablet in front of her.
“Oh, sorry. We got off track. What can I get you?” She grimaces before looking back up and making eye contact.
Her eyes are brown, but there are hints of gold in them.
I swallow, taking a slight step back. There has never been a time when I noticed a detail about someone as small as that. “Just a regular coffee. Black.”
She raises an eyebrow, a smile tugging at her lips. “Are you sure?”
I glance around, confused, then think about my usual order. “I’m very sure. No additives since I started drinking coffee.”
“Okay, I just wanted to check. Some people have been trying different concoctions the past few days and don’t like them.” She turns to smile at Earl, who laughs. He turns to look out the window and then walks out of the shop altogether.
“Do I not look like a black coffee kind of person?”
She laughs. “I’m not sure.”
“Aside from Earl?” I say.
“Definitely aside from Earl. Poor guy is hoping to catch the eye of a widow in town, and I don’t think copying her drink is going to do it.”
“You never know. Most people like to know they’re not the only ones who enjoy something.”
“If you knew this woman, you’d know she won’t be impressed by copying a beverage.”
I nod, realizing we’ve had an entire five-minute conversation while I ordered my coffee, which is both good and bad.
Bad, because there should be people lining up around the block. Good, because Avery is so easy to talk to.
Avery tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, revealing little coffee cup earrings. She rings me up, and I hand her a couple of bills. She gives me the change before she fills a cup with black coffee. The smell is already helping me wake up.
“Thanks for coming in,” Avery says.
“Thank you,” I say. I open my mouth to continue the conversation, but we’re interrupted by the reentrance of Earl, clutching his to-go cup and walking over to the counter again.
She smiles and hands the cup over, our fingers brushing slightly. I’m not sure if it’s me or her that shocks the other, but I frown. “I’m so sorry!”
“It’s fine. No worries here. Have a great day.”
We stare at each other for a second too long, and I pull my gaze away before I make things weird. Maybe I need more sleep than I originally thought.
I’m surprised by how quickly she moves back to Earl, as if he were a family member she needs to take care of. Then again, she’s a helper. A problem solver, just like she was for me when I needed help with the gas.
And here I am, two days after she said to pay it forward, and I haven’t done much more than exist. Is there a time requirement on a request like that?
I take my coffee to go, continuing my walk around town.
This area looks a lot older than the other sections.
It makes me curious where my property is.
I had taken the time to put the important phone numbers into a notes app when I got this burner phone, but I don’t have access to the files I would need in my email.
Could I log in to my work email? Sure. But that would trip all sorts of alarms for the company, and every minute I stay here, it’s like I need another. I’m breathing deeper than I have in months, and it’s all fresh sea air.
So, I take out my phone and check the app and scroll until I find Aiden Pearson.
It rings a few times before he picks up, his voice coming through with a cordial quality that I’ve never heard before.
“Hello, Aiden Pearson here. How can I help you?”
“Aiden, it’s Max.”
“Max?” His voice betrays doubt. We’re best friends, but now I’m wondering if he knows that many more Maxes in his life.
“Max Bauer.”
“Max Bauer? Did someone stalk you and now you’ve changed your number? Why are you calling me from this number? And where have you been?”
I blink a few times. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for the past twenty-four hours. It’s our turn to set up the club get-together this year, and we need to get things rolling.”
I chuckle.
This is just like Aiden. Very organized and always ahead of the game, making sure everything is prepared months in advance. Our usual group gathering isn’t until July, but with everyone’s schedules, it’s better to plan early.
“Why didn’t you contact me a few days ago?” I ask, teasing him.
“I didn’t get back from Italy until yesterday morning, and it was on my to-do list. Usually, I get an answer from you within an hour—and from your normal phone number.”
Blowing out a breath, I run a hand over my mouth, trying to figure out how to explain this. “Well…I needed a break. I left most of my stuff in New York and caught a flight west.”
“Are you close to me?” He’s lived in California for as long as I’ve known him.