Chapter 7
Evie
The weekend flies by, and so does my third week of classes.
I’m dragging today and wish I would have stopped for a coffee before class, but I shouldn’t spend the money anyway.
I’m not exactly loaded. Thankfully, it’s Friday.
I just have today's classes to get through before the weekend. Somehow, I make it through my morning classes. I meet Sam outside the dining complex. “Hey, how was your morning?” I ask when I get close. Her grunt makes me smile. “Yeah, that’s about how mine went too. At least it’s Friday.
” I follow her inside and over to the salad bar.
She disappears into the abyss of restaurants, but we’ll meet at our regular spot once we both have food.
When I walk back to the table carrying my food and water bottle, I’m not surprised to see Jace already at the table.
He’s been showing up more and more frequently.
“Evie,” he says when I get close.
“Hey, Jace.” I pull out the seat across from him, leaving Sam to sit beside him. I take in the food piled high on his plate. “Get enough to eat?” I tease.
He smirks before taking a big bite. “These muscles don’t grow themselves.”
I shake my head and roll my eyes. “You’re so humble.”
“When are you going to go to dinner with me?” he surprises me by asking.
I stop chewing and look up at him. “What?”
“When are you going to let me take you to dinner?”
“We’re literally eating together right now.”
He gives me a look. “A real date, not on campus and not with a bunch of students around.”
I level a look at him. “Are you asking me on a date?”
He stares across the table at me. “That’s what I would be doing, Evie.”
“Why?” I can’t help the question.
His eyebrows rise. “Why am I asking you on a date?”
“Yeah. I mean we already eat together several times during the week.”
He cocks his head to the side. “Let me guess. You didn’t date much in high school.”
I feel my cheeks heat up but don’t dwell on it. “Nope.”
“A date is different. It’s just you and me in a booth somewhere at a nice restaurant. Nobody around to bother us, or to take note of what we’re doing,” he says with a full-on smile.
“But why me?” I have to ask. I don’t really get it.
His eyebrows rise. “Aside from the fact you’re hot?”
I scowl at him. “No, I'm not.”
He smirks. “Okay. Agree to disagree.”
“Anyway, aside from that,” I push. I don’t really know why; call it curiosity.
He shrugs. “We fit together.”
“We fit together?” I repeat.
“Stop over-analyzing it. Just go on a date with me.”
“Well, since you asked so nicely.” I can’t help the snark in my voice.
He shakes his head and mumbles something being trouble, but I ignore it. Sam comes back to the table and sets her plate down. “Good grief, is every student enrolled this semester eating this hour?”
I look at the crowd. “Looks like it.”
“Are you working later today?” she asks.
I nod. “After my last class.”
“I expect it to be busy with it being the start of the weekend.”
I nod. “I’ll bring my A-game.”
“Good.”
I pull out my textbook for my Intro to Early Ed class next hour, because we’re supposed to have a quiz today. Sam and Jace talk, but I mostly tune them out. I only look up when somebody taps my shoulder. “Hi, remember us?” Sam asks.
I shake my head. “Yes. Remember my classes?”
She waves off my concern. “You’ll be fine.”
Jace stands up and picks up his trash and then surprises me by dropping a hand on my shoulder. I freeze at the contact, unsure as to what he’s doing. He ends up kissing the top of my head. “I’ll catch you later. What time do you work?”
I still haven’t recovered from his touch. “Uh,” my mind is blank. He runs a hand over my hair.
“Work. What time?”
“Two-thirty to ten-thirty.”
“Okay. I’ll stop in sometime during your shift.” He’s gone a moment later, but it takes me a minute to start breathing again.
“Not sure about you and Jace, huh?” There’s a wicked smirk on Sam’s lips. All I can do is shake my head, because I really hadn’t seen that coming.
We part ways after lunch, and I head to my afternoon classes.
By the time I get to the coffee shop later that afternoon for my shift, my brain is mush.
I push through the doors of the shop and am hit instantly with the scent of coffee beans and the sounds of casual flirting.
There are some students that try to study, but I feel like this coffee shop is the one for flirting.
I’ve stopped in two of the other coffee shops across campus, and they seem to be more for those students, like myself, that would come to a coffee shop to study.
This one, however, is the largest. It's super popular and always packed. It’s good for business and good for me, because I like to stay busy when I’m working. It helps the time pass faster.
I snag a navy blue apron from the back and pull my hair into a topknot on my head to keep it out of the way. “Hey, Evie,” Bisch calls out.
“Hey, Bisch, how’s it going?”
“Busy.”
I finish tying my knot and throw my nametag on before clocking in. “You’re looking good, Evie. You’re going to get extra tips tonight.”
Bisch, I’ve learned, is a harmless flirt. He’s a big guy with dark skin and an infectious smile who makes friends with literally every person that comes into the shop. He's also the most positive person I’ve ever met. “I’m telling you. We’re going to earn big tips tonight, Evie. I just know it.”
I grin. “I hope so.” I know reality. We won’t. College students are broke; I know because I am one. But one can hope. I get to work making drinks. We keep up a steady stream of customers, and I’m grateful because it helps the time to pass quickly.
“Hey, my people,” Sam says as she comes inside. “How’s it going?”
Bisch updates her on how the night has gone. I take a few orders while he catches her up, so she can work on the order for the week. “Hi, what can I get for you?” I ask a group of guys that approach the counter. The first one steps forward.
“Hey, I’m Christian.”
I smile politely. “Hi, Christian. What can I get for you?”
“Besides your number?” he asks with a grin.
I don’t let it faze me. After about two weeks of working here, I’ve started getting used to the brazen college guys; and there are a lot of them. “She’s not going to give you her number,” a new voice says.
I look up in surprise to see Jace standing next to Christian. “Sorry, Man,” Christian says, putting up his hands in surrender. “Didn’t know she was taken.” I open my mouth to tell him that I’m not, but he continues with his order before I can say anything. “Can I get a cold brew?”
“Sure.” I ring him up and try to ignore the awkwardness with Jace still standing right beside him.
I turn away to write on the cup and let my cheeks cool down and hopefully my embarrassment.
When I get through the rush, I finally turn to Jace.
But thankfully, he’s finally found a seat at one of the tables and is studying.
Or at least, that’s what I think he’s doing.
I don’t make eye contact with him when he looks over at me because I don’t really know what to say or think.
We get a few more rushes, and it keeps me busy.
I finally get a chance to look up at the clock and sigh in relief when I see it’s almost ten.
Only a few more minutes to go. I chance a glance over at Jace, but he’s no longer at the table.
I’m not sure when it was that he left, but I feel relieved that he’s no longer here.
I’m not really sure what that says about me, but I’m glad I don’t have to deal with him right now.
I see Rachel, one of the other baristas, carrying a heavy load. “Hey, let me take that top box.”
“Thanks; they’re a lot heavier than they looked.”
We carry the boxes to the back storage closet and head back out to the front. Before I can get to the front, Sam walks over to me. “Rachel, Evie, good job tonight; you can both clock out.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
Rachel’s already on her way to the front to clock out. I start to follow, but Sam shoos me away. “I’ll clock you out. You look dead on your feet. Head back to our room; I’m sure you still have studying to do.”
“I do.”
She waves me off. “I’m sure; go.”
I pass Will, another of my co-workers. “Night, Will.”
“You heading out, Evie?”
“I am.”
“Have a good night,” he calls back as he heads out to the front.
“Thanks, you too.”
I grab my phone and wallet and head out the back door.
I make it only a few steps before I realize I’m still wearing my apron.
I retrace my steps to the back door, but of course, it’s locked.
I walk around to the front of the building, berating myself for forgetting.
When I get close, I take in the two guys approaching the shop.
I’m not sure what it is about them that grabs my attention, but there’s just something about them.
They’re both tall and muscular; it’s obvious they play sports.
I wonder absently which ones they play. They’re both crazy good-looking, but the one on the left is.
..words fail me. I’m not really sure I’ve seen a better looking male.
Ever. He’s tall and really muscular with broad shoulders and obvious biceps, making me think maybe he’s a football player.
His skin is tan, and his hair is maybe a dark brown.
Embarrassment floods my cheeks when I realize I’m staring, and I glance away.
When I get closer, the one on the left suddenly lifts his head and locks eyes with me.
His gaze seems to burn into me and lock me in place.
My senses return to me, and I realize I’ve stopped moving.
I drop my gaze and walk the last few steps to the door.
When I look up again, I stare in shock as the slightly taller guy pins maybe football guy to the wall.
I take a step towards them, wondering if I should do something, but the taller guy nods his head at the door.
I meet the eyes of the guy pinned against the wall briefly.
Piercing green eyes meet mine, and I nearly stumble at the intensity of his gaze.
He shoves the guy pinning him to the wall away from him, with what looks like no effort at all.
The sudden violence propels me right into the coffee shop.
I nearly fling the door open in my haste.
I hear the door open behind me, and I hurry faster. Sam looks up and meets my eyes. Hers widen in surprise. “I thought you left.” I’m already pulling my apron off and over my head.
“I left wearing this.”
“Oh, go drop it off and get out of here.”
I hear a commotion behind me, but I don’t look back.
There’s something about that guy that makes goosebumps break out on my skin.
And it’s not just that he’s easily the sexiest male I’ve seen to date.
I don’t know what it is exactly. I push thoughts off of all college guys from my mind.
I’m not here to focus on guys; I’m here to get my degree.
I need to keep my eyes focused on the prize.