Chapter 2
Luke
Five weeks ago...
The sun woke me, shining right into my face through the window. At first, I wondered where the hell a window this close to my bed had come from, but then I remembered.
Oh, right. I’m not home. I’m at Vanessa’s.
I opened my eyes, still battling the sun blinding me on a Sunday morning. I stretched, slipped out of bed without waking the long-legged goddess beside me, and headed straight to the bathroom. My bladder was killing me—probably from those whiskey sours I had yesterday.
I wasn’t staying long, though. Vanessa and I hooked up occasionally, so I knew my way around the apartment.
As ridiculous as it sounded, the world was my oyster, full of incredible, sexy women, but I couldn’t deny the comfort of hooking up with someone I knew, who didn’t expect anything more from me.
And Vanessa, a med student, was exactly that.
She wasn’t looking for a relationship, nor did she have time for one. We got along just fine.
My head was pounding. I needed coffee fast. I didn’t usually drink that much, but last night’s celebration was too much, so a hangover was inevitable.
Alex finally got the promotion. He’d been busting his ass since landing the marketing job, and now his boss was retiring, leaving the position open for him.
I didn’t want to think about where his head was this morning or what he was doing to recover from the shots he’d downed so enthusiastically.
I made a mental note to check in with Ava to make sure he was still alive.
As I tried to piece together yesterday’s memories, two hands wrapped around me from behind, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I instinctively stopped them, gently untangling myself.
Suddenly, I became acutely aware that the night had ended, and I needed space.
I glanced at Vanessa, offering her a polite smile.
“Good morning,” I said, releasing her hands and stepping to the other side of the counter to get my coffee.
“Morning!” Vanessa replied cheerfully, looking in much better shape than I expected, considering how much she drank last night.
“How are you so energetic this morning?” I asked, genuinely surprised by her cheerful mood.
“I always drink water between drinks. Besides, who wants to have sex with a corpse?” she said sarcastically. That’s a good point.
“Last night was fun, as always,” I replied, almost following the usual script I played out, trying to make them feel good. But I remembered—Vanessa wasn’t one of those girls. She didn’t need the sweet talk, and I didn’t have to pretend. It was comforting, in a way.
“Do you have cinnamon?” I asked, scanning the cabinets.
“No, sorry! Still haven’t restocked since the last time you were here,” she replied almost coldly.
I exhaled heavily, already knowing I’d need another cup of coffee once I left.
Should I buy some, along with better coffee, for next time?
Hers was disgusting. How could I even bring that stuff here without looking like some creep packing his own supplies?
Like a wannabe boyfriend with a toothbrush.
No, you’ll survive.
As I gulped down the bland coffee, I watched her hop up and sit on the kitchen counter, letting her long, slender legs hang over the edge.
Yes, Vanessa was hot, but it was the kind of hotness you’d see on magazine covers.
Her face said it all—you could imagine the rest of her body without a second thought.
No surprises, so to speak. Not that it was a bad thing. I got what I asked for.
I placed my cup in the sink and went to the bedroom.
“Hey, I’m gonna use your shower, okay?” I said, gathering my things.
“Be my guest,” she replied casually, already starting to prepare breakfast for herself.
I quickly pieced together an action plan for the day, pushing through the fog of last night’s chaos. It was Sunday, and despite the heavy partying, my ritual remained non-negotiable. I wasn’t a lunatic.
I left the apartment with ‘See you next time, V!’ and once out of the building, breathed in the fresh spring air.
After two unanswered calls, I finally gave up.
Alex was probably passed out. In college, we partied constantly, and after he offered me a joint during my first week at Columbia, a brotherly bond was formed.
I stopped at O’Riley’s, the place with the best coffee I knew, only to find the door locked. “Damn it,” I muttered. I checked the time—9:45 AM. I jerked the door a couple of times, expressing my desperation when I heard a familiar voice.
“We’re still closed, you weirdo!” I saw a figure heading toward the door.
“Hazel, please, without my morning coffee, I’m just like a dried-up piece of roast goat,” I begged, hoping to evoke some pity.
“Did you just... quote Bach for me?”
How did she know that? “Maybe.” I gave her my most charming smile.
“All right, come in, but don’t think I’ll open early any time you please.”
“Thank you. You’re the best. No, you’re an angel.”
She chuckled at my empty compliments as she closed the door behind me. Just then, my phone rang. I checked Hazel out as she walked behind the counter, unaware of my gaze. Her lovely figure left much to the imagination.
“Hey, buddy, you alive?” I asked, tearing my eyes away but still catching glimpses of her as she prepared for her shift.
“Hey, man,” Alex replied, his voice hoarse. “I’m not so sure. I’ll need a ton of Aspirin and some of Ava’s pancakes to confirm it.”
‘I’m not baking you anything until you clean up your vomit in the bathroom from last night,’ Ava yelled in the background.
“Damn, I’m so screwed. I think I broke a lamp, too. She’s gonna throw me out,” Alex whispered into the phone. I laughed so hard it startled Hazel as she turned on the coffee machine.
“You’re lucky. She loves you too much to do that. But you’ll probably need to bring her some O’Riley’s chocolate croissants,” I said, glancing at Hazel, who gave me a thumbs up. “Hazel will set some aside for you.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow. Great party by the way. Just like the old days,” Alex rasped.
“Of course, man. You’ve earned it—the promotion, not the hangover.
Honestly, with the night we had, I’m surprised we didn’t end up with a ‘Brand Overlord’ tattoo or some shit on your stomach,” I teased, knowing it was only because I got him into a taxi in time.
“Go beg Ava for some breakfast and coffee.”
I hung up and saw a cup of coffee already on the counter. “Large black coffee,” Hazel said, cleaning the coffee machine.
“Oh, thanks!” I reached for the island next to me when Hazel stopped me.
“I already added cinnamon. And an extra shot of coffee, by the way. It looked like you needed one.” Damn. A girl who anticipates a man’s needs.
It seemed like I had become a regular here, which wasn’t surprising since Alex, Ethan, Logan, and I visited often.
I met Ethan and Logan when I joined the firm five years ago.
Ethan and I worked in Sales, while Logan was in Legal.
Over time, we became close friends, attending games, parties, and annual trips together. They are like brothers to me now.
“Well, it’s not my first rodeo with you guys,” Hazel said, placing a cheese croissant on a plate, avoiding my eyes but smiling warmly.
Hazel had been working here for about a year.
From the first time I saw her, I could tell she’d catch attention with her long blond hair, turquoise eyes, and petite frame.
She was naturally beautiful, rarely wore makeup, but her warm smile and kind eyes stood out most. She had that ultimate girl-next-door vibe.
I flirted with her now and then, enjoying the way she blushed—proof she wasn’t used to the attention, despite how many men found her attractive.
But with Hazel, I couldn’t talk the same way I did with other women.
Sometimes, I sensed a faint sadness behind her smile.
She hid it well, though. The moment I saw it, I knew I wouldn’t want to be the cause of it.
Plus, all the guys knew her, and she knew us.
It would make coffee mornings awkward. Without realizing it, I had mentally marked her as ‘off-limits.’
“Thanks! You’re going to make me fall in love with you someday if you keep spoiling me like this.”
“Ha! Funny! I’ll open my own bookstore with all my student loans before you fall in love with anyone.
” She was right, but it stung more than I expected.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t love—I just chose not to.
Despite her rosy cheeks, a tiny spark of happiness grew inside me, realizing she wasn’t this naive little girl.
“If my hunch is correct, you’re doing the walk of shame this morning, huh?”
“Hey, I’m walking, but there’s no shame. This is a physical world, baby. We only live once, right?”
“Sure, sure, I’ve heard that one before,” Hazel replied dismissively. I looked at her, tempted to keep the banter going, but chose to drop it. She’d already saved me with caffeine.
“So, Alex got that promotion?”
“Yeah, we celebrated yesterday.” I sipped the heavenly liquid in my cup.
“Hence, the walk!” Hazel said, raising an eyebrow. I grinned, letting her assumption hang in the air. She rolled her eyes in response.
“Hey, babe, we can always do this walk together,” I teased, leaning against the counter and biting my lip. But Hazel wasn’t one to back down easily.
“Ah, Luke, if only you had the maturity of a man your age instead of being a sixteen-year-old who just realized he’s starting to get hot.”
“So, you think I’m hot,” I grinned, already knowing the answer. I’d noticed how she responded to me.
Hazel opened her mouth to speak, but looked momentarily stunned, unsure of what to say next. Suddenly, I noticed a book on the counter.
“What are you reading?” I asked before she could answer.
She looked at me, confused, then glanced behind her.
“Oh... yeah. It’s All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven.”
“Can I see?”
I noticed that fleeting look in her eyes—sadness, tinged with melancholy, hardly there but enough for me to catch it. She quickly masked it, though, handing me the book. It was well-worn, suggesting this wasn’t the first time she’d read it.
“I enjoy revisiting my favorite books among the new ones I buy. It gives me comfort,” she said as I skimmed the synopsis. “Sadly, I have to admit—the movie was better. Even though the book has more content, it somehow lays the emotions out right there in front of you.”
Suddenly, the oven timer went off, signaling that the croissants were ready.
Hazel disappeared from my sight. Whenever I saw her, she was always carrying a book.
Sometimes I tried to sneak a peek at what she was reading.
Her choices mostly surprised me. I flipped through the book in my hand, noticing multiple colored quotes marked throughout.
One was about the pain of watching someone you love suffer and knowing there’s actually nothing you can do to ease the pain, to make it better.
“Oh... this is a sad book,” I muttered. I made a mental note to check it out later. Meanwhile, Hazel returned, but strangely, I didn’t want to leave just yet.
“What else is on your ‘favorite books among the new ones’ shelf?” I asked.
“Well, unfortunately, I won’t surprise you since I’m a reading geek.” She paused dramatically.
“Austen novels,” I guessed just as she spoke, and we both laughed.
Ahh, that sound. Like a rush of dopamine. I wanted to ask which one was her favorite, but she was halfway to the door.
“It’s 10 AM. I have to open now.” She unlocked the door, greeting the waiting customers. I thanked her for the coffee and left.
In a freshly acquired good mood, I strolled downtown to my favorite spot and weekend joy—the bookstore.
I wasn’t ashamed of it, but I kept this pleasure to myself.
It didn’t fit the persona that people around me assumed.
After all, a party boy didn’t usually spend his free time in bookstores. But whatever.
Fifteen minutes later, I stepped into the brick building, already familiar with the scent of new arrivals.
“Ernesto, my man,” I greeted him as he was moving boxes around the shop.
“Hey, man, the new ones are on the second floor,” he said.
I was probably one of the most frequent visitors here.
After helping him hook up with some of my female acquaintances, he probably knew me better than I knew him.
Plus, I had a suspicion he worked every shift, given that the counter never had another face behind it, no matter when I came by.
After hours of browsing the shelves and fueled by coffee, I returned to the first floor with the zillion items I’d chosen.
I had more books than time to read them or space to keep them, to be honest, but I refused to learn from my mistakes.
I paid for the books and headed back to my apartment, already preparing for the workweek ahead.