Page 82 of Surprised By Her

“It’s going,” she said with a laugh. “Sydney told me you and Ryan went on a private whale watch yesterday?”

I showed her some pictures as I told her about it.

“That is really cool,” Lark said, and Mia leaned over the counter.

“Hey, can you cover me for my fifteen?” she asked.

“You got it,” Lark said. “Duty calls.”

I finished up and was looking at the drink menu when a woman with honey-blonde hair approached the counter.

“This isn’t a caramel macchiato,” she said, setting a cup on the counter. The only thing left in it was ice. “I’d like a replacement.”

“If you knew it wasn’t a caramel macchiato, then why did you drink the entire thing?” Mia asked, her voice sharper than the edge of a knife. I’d never heard her speak like that before. Being a barista couldn’t be easy. She probably dealt with assholes all day every day.

“I needed the caffeine,” the customer said, pushing the cup at Mia. “And now I’d like the macchiato I ordered.”

I pretended I wasn’t eavesdropping as I flicked my eyes to Mia to find her clenching her jaw so hard, I could almost hear it.

“I’m not giving you a free drink,” Mia said.

“Then I’d like to talk to your manager,” the customer said, and I couldn’t see her face, but I could hear the smugness in her voice.

Mia closed her eyes and took a breath. “Tenley, you do this at least once a week.”

“I know, and you get annoyed every time and then give me my drink, so why don’t you just go ahead and do that,” the customer said.

Oh. They knew each other.

Mia took the cup from the counter and threw it in the trash.

“Don’t forget the extra caramel,” the customer said in a sweet voice. “Thank you.”

She went over to wait and then it was my turn. Mia made the other drink and then came over to me, her face red and splotchy.

“Sounds like you’re having a rough one,” I said.

“It’s fine. That’s just Tenley. We went to high school together and let’s just say she hasn’t changed. What can I get you?” I ordered three drinks and pulled some cash out of my wallet to shove in the tip jar.

I saw the infamous Tenley get her drink and then go back to her table, where she had a laptop open and a bag on the other chair.

“Thanks, Mia,” I told her when I picked up my order.

“Thanks for not being an asshole,” she said in a low voice.

“When is Mia moving in?” I asked Sydney when I got back from my trip.

“Next week, actually. Lark somehow convinced me to help, and I don’t really know how she did it except that she takes her boobs out and I will agree to just about anything,” Sydney said and I snorted. The shop was empty for the moment, so we didn’t have to worry about offending any customers.

“I know what that’s like,” I said. Ryan had absolutely fantastic boobs.

“Things are going good for you two?” Sydney asked.

“They’re going,” I said. “We’re just dating and taking every day as it comes.”

“So you haven’t talked about the future,” Sydney said, and I really wanted to get up and leave this conversation.

I didn’t answer.

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