Page 19 of Coffee Break with the Billionaire

“Doesn’t your dad live there?” I’m not sure what his exact title is, but if this were Washington, Duncan Laz would be Chief of Staff, Secretary of State, and VP combined. I’ve met him a few times, and he’s incredibly attractivefor an older man. He doesn’t have the charisma of King Magnus, but in my opinion, Duncan is better-looking.

I’m not about to tell that to his daughter though.

“Yes, but I don’t,” Sophie says. “Stella practically does though with Gunnar when they’re in town.”

Stella, Prince Gunnar’s new girlfriend, is Sophie’s sister. I like to think I had a hand in them getting together during my earlier visit.

“They’re cute together.” And they are. I’ve never stayed on good terms with any of my other ex-boyfriends, but my friendship with Gunnar has lasted longer than our relationship and I value it a lot more. It’s easy to be happy for him because of that.

There is no way I will be staying on good terms with Tiger.

It’s annoying how he floats into my mind at random moments, like a falling leaf. Leaves in October are colourful and beautiful but essentially dead as soon as they disconnect from the tree, and that’s what I consider Tiger. He’s dead to me.

“Does it bother you?” Sophie wants to know. I push the basket toward her and she takes a French fry. One piece of fish is huge and there’s no way I’m going to be able to finish this order. Although, my appetite seems to be growing since I’ve come here. Maybe it’s something about the sea air.

I take another bite of fish before I answer. “No. I was over Gunnar before we broke up.”

“Really? I always thought you and him…”

“It was good while we were together, but it was years ago. We were different people. All he wanted to do was race cars and I wanted to be with my friends.”

“I’m surprised no one is here with you. Your brother—”

“Ashton can only take the quiet life for so long. He needs to be constantly moving.”

“He’s really cute.”

“I’ll tell him you said so.”

“No, don’t.” She giggles and I laugh because she seems so much younger than me.

Sophie goes back to work and I finish my meal alone, watching the steady line of customers come to pick up their dinners.

I picture them taking their fish and chips home to their families—middle-aged women, fishermen weathered and tan from being on the ocean for days at a time, and one little boy who runs in to pick up three bags of food. Sophie talks to him for a few minutes and walks him to the door.

It’s all very homey.

I’m not sure I can get used to that.

Silas crosses my mind, and I wonder about his home. I’ve never seen him outside the coffee shop but he can’t be selling coffee all the time.

Unlike my floating thoughts about Tiger and our breakups, thinking about Silas doesn’t annoy me. At all.

The man is attractive. There’s no denying that—tall, broad, and green-eyed with no visible tattoos, exactlywhat I need after the debacle with Tiger. But something about him tells me to stay away. Far away.

I’m not sure if it’s because Silas seems like a genuinely nice guy or if behind the cheerful grin, I get the sense there is some hidden baggage.

I could be imagining things, or else the baggage I sense is mine.

Either way, I won’t be around here long enough to find out for sure.

But in the meantime, I need to see someone about a car.

Sophie was right; there is a car rental place, if that’s what you can call a building lot full of cars, most of them trucks. I’ve been waiting here for ten minutes and no one is around. I even knocked on the front door of the house next to it but no answer.

No car for me. I glance down the street; it’s about five blocks away from the centre of Battle Harbour and the homes seem to get more rundown the further away I walk. I should go back to where I came from and call for a ride because I have no idea of street names around here.

Something tells me to keep walking.

---