Page 33 of Back to You

Ethan’s phone chimed, and he checked the text message, then barked a laugh. “Nia said I better get a negative flu test before I bring my contagious ass into work.”

“That’s a good idea, actually. You can hit up the doctor’s office before work tomorrow, if you still insist on going.”

“I’ll do that.” He texted the same to Nia, then set his phone back down to pay attention to the movie. It was a cheesy disaster movie, which he loved. “Now quiet, the unnecessarily random wolves are about to show up.”

CHAPTER 8

BRANDON LOOKED UP from his phone to find Marcus glaring at him.

“What?”

“You’ve been playing on your phone for like 30 minutes, and I need to use the bathroom.”

“I’m watching videos of angry kittens. Only they understand me.”

“Yeah, well, take over the counter for a second, I have to pee.”

“Thanks for sharing,” he called as Marcus rushed to the bathroom. Marcus flipped him off over his shoulder.

Heaving a sigh, Brandon took up residence behind the counter and surveyed his kingdom. Not much happening — couple of moms chatting by the play area, old lady book club in the cafe. Brandon tuned in to the book club meeting and wished he hadn’t.

“It didn’t have enough sex in it!” yelled one octogenarian. “I like my books hot!”

“Rhonda, we can’t read smutty romance novels every week.”

“Why not?” Rhonda said. “It’s better than this high-falutin’ drivel you picked out.”

“This is an award-winning novel!”

“Award-winning is just code for boring,” Rhonda stated. “Come on, Evelyn, live a little! We’re too damn old to waste time on boring books. Let’s get something with naked men on the cover.”

Brandon leaned on the counter and briefly wished for the sweet release of death as the senior citizens continued to bicker.

Marcus came back just in time and Brandon practically bolted for the kitchen. Bored with kitten videos, he was putting in a supply order when Marcus stuck his head back in.

“Hey Brandon, the over-caffeinated twink is out here asking for you,” Marcus said in a bored voice.

“He has a name.”

“My way is more accurate. I’ll let you decide if he can have his usual or not.”

“Hey Lake,” Brandon said as he ducked out of the kitchen.

“Hey Brandon! I’m out of coffee at home and at work, which is so crazy because I swear I just bought more. But then again, the other day I went to the store and forgot two of my grocery bags there because I realized I was looking at my latest research all wrong, so I had to run home and get started on this new angle, and that took me like three days, so I might have drunk all the coffee and I just didn’t realize it. Or I left it in the store, whichever. Obviously the groceries would have been gone by the time I went back since it had been three days, so I just didn’t bother. I think I should go buy more groceries. Hey, I haven’t eaten today! I just realized. Can I have a muffin?”

“Lake, how much coffee have you had today before you ran out?”

Lake tilted his head to the side as if calculating. When he’d been silent for a full minute, Brandon looked back at Marcus. “One-shot latte with a blueberry muffin.”

“Awww. Can’t I at least have two shots?”

“No.”

“Rats.”

A man entering the shop caught sight of Lake. He tripped and caught himself, still staring. Lake waved.

“Hope you’re okay,” he chirped sunnily.

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