Page 25 of Coffee Break with the Billionaire

What I don’t know about is howcoldit is here. When the sun disappeared, it took every last bit of warmth with it, and that wind blowing from the ocean would freeze the balls off a buffalo, as Gunnar used to say. I can see why he’d say that now. It’s only October butbrr.

I’ve never been to Laandia in the winter—and I don’t want to. “My father makes toy cars. I can find my way around an engine,” I tell Silas proudly, beginning to button my jacket with chilled fingers.

“Those are model cars. I don’t think they have actual engines,” he points out. But he’s smiling as he says it—at least I think it’s a smile.

It’s nice; people are usually too intimidated or afraid of me to let their guard down so quickly. I smile in return and tell myself it’s only to make Silas more comfortable. “Yes, but my father commissions Ford and Dodge to make life-sized models of the best-selling toy cars.” Silas raises his eyebrows like that is news to him. Doesn’t everyone know that? “There are some collectors who want to drive the real thing.”

“I’m sure they do.”

People always underestimate my knowledge about cars. I get it—this outfit is not what a grease monkey would wear. “Now, your turn,” I say to get back to the question at hand. “Do you often steal away and go parking in the middle ofnowhere with…?” I glance at his… son? Both have curly hair and wide eyes and the same smile. They could be father and son.

Silas has a son?

Silas might have a gaggle of sons with three different wives for all I know.

“This is Wyatt. My nephew.”

Nephew is better than son, and the news steals the prickle of unease. “Hello, Nephew Wyatt.” I smile at him. “So, what are you boys doing up here? Wherever here is? That’s why I stopped. I might be a little lost.”

“Has Gunnar never taken you up the coast?” Silas asks.

“Gunnar has taken me to the bars in Battle Harbour. That’s about it.”

Silas shakes his head. “There’s a lot more to Laandia than what you can find in Battle Harbour.” He points to the lighthouse in the distance. “That’s the Double Island Lighthouse. I’m trying to get it recognized as a Dark Sky Location so we can create the first Starlight Reserve in Laandia.”

“Dark Sky what?”

“It’s a light-pollution-free zone. If you notice, all the outdoor lights face the ground and the bulbs are yellow. Also, this light doesn’t flash. It’s better for the nocturnal animals in the area, but also—” He points up. “Stars.”

Stars. So many stars, and it’s still only dusk. There are so many that it’s like they’re hanging from the ceiling in a cheesy teen rom-com prom movie.

I stand, head tilted back, and take them in. Looking up at them kind of takes my breath away.

“Pretty,” Wyatt says. He even sounds like Silas, except his voice isn’t as deep yet.

“There are places up the coast that you can see the aurora borealis,” Silas continues.

I bring my attention back to him. “I’ve seen them in Iceland. Beautiful.”

“Of course you have.” But there’s no condescending note in his tone. “I think it would bring in more tourism to the country if we had someplace like the observatory in Nova Scotia.

“Does the country need more tourists?”

“More tourists mean more business and that’s always a good thing.”

For the first time, I look at Silas as a business owner, rather than the good-looking guy who makes me coffee. “I guess so.”

“You can see Neptune tonight,” Wyatt cuts in. “Want to check it out?”

“I’m sure Fenella has better things to do,” Silas tells him.

“Actually, I don’t.” I have a new car and nowhere to go with it. It’s a little pathetic. “I’m ready to check out anything.”

Silas studies me. And I study him right back, the lights from the lighthouse giving the scene a yellowish glow.

I didn’t think he was so tall. Not as big as the princes, but they really grow them big herein Laandia.

Silas fits into Coffee for the Sole perfectly—the flannel shirts rolled up to show strong forearms, the smile that’s not quite perfect but still causes a flutter, and the ease at which he tops a latte with his special unicorn foam. He’s the perfect hero for a small-town coffee shop.

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