Page 42 of Coffee Break with the Billionaire

“That was Jonathan,” I say unnecessarily as he heads out of the door.

“Officer Jonathan.” Fenella wipes up the droplets of coffee he spilled. “One of Battle Harbour’s finest?”

“Yeah, well… I apologize for him. He’s a friend of Kalle’s and has always thought he was a bit too big for his britches.”

“Youshouldn’t have to apologize for anything. Besides, I can handle little men like that.” There is no one in line, and Fenella leans her hip against the counter close enough for me to notice how thick her eyelashes are. It’s a strange thing to notice, but it’s better than staring at her mouth and the fresh coat of glossy plum she’s applied. “Not a friend of yours?”

“I never ran with the royal crowd.”

She holds up the business card Jonathan passed her. “It might be handy if I get pulled over for speeding, but that’s about it. Not my type,” she says matter-of-factly as she tosses the card into the garbage.

“Not upstanding citizens? You go for more of the rock star type?”

“Tiger.” Fenella blows a raspberry. “That was not a good type for me.”

“So if the rock star isn’t your type…” I trail off, wondering what the heck I’m doing. Am I really asking Fenella what her type is? Am I really doing that?

“What type of guy do you like?” Thank god for Leodie. “Because Jonathan is considered a catch in Battle Harbour. Not for me,” Leodie quickly adds. “But for a lot of girls in town.”

“I think Iwould throw him back,” Fenella says in a prim voice. “If he’s a catch? Fish? This is a fishing village,” she demands when neither of us reacts. “C’mon.”

I groan and Fenella laughs. “I’ve never really had a type,” she admits. “Considering it never works out with the guys I’ve been hanging around with, you’d think I should try someone different. Don’t you?” She looks at me.

“Don’t I what?”

“Think I should try someone different, not the selfish, egotistical type like Tiger. And that’s not a rock star thing—it’s just a him thing. I think I should haveconsiderateat the top of my list now. Kind.” She drops her voice. “I thinkkindcan be very sexy.”

“Nice guys are the best,” Leodie agrees. “A good cinnamon roll hero.”

“I don’t know what that is but it sounds delicious.”

“You know,” Leodie says. “In books or rom-com movies where the guy is good, and sweet and caring. A decent guy. Often goes along with friends falling in love because the girl finally sees what a great person he is.” She elbows me. “Like Silas here. Prime example.”

I swallow at the way Fenella studies me. “I can see that. Sweet on the outside, but even softer in the middle. I like the description.”

If that’s so, does that mean she considers medelicious?

Chapter fifteen

Fenella

Iwork forfour hours.

It’s not that I’ve never worked for that long before—photoshoots can go for eight hours, and once, shooting a video, I was there for fourteen hours.

This was four hours of dealing with people—customers—and doing things for them and being nice. I can be nice with the best of them, but I learned that even in a place like Laandia, there are quite a few people who don’t deserve my niceness.

Silas doesn’t have that problem. He just keeps smiling, keeps asking everyone how their day is, any big plans, and what’s going in with their kids/grandkids/dogs.

He knows a little about every single person who comes in.

It might be a small-town thing or it might be a Silas thing. Leodie is great. but she doesn’t interact half as much as Silas does.

I keep finding new things I like about Silas. First, it was his coffee, then it was his cuteness. Now he’s just…nice.

It’s not a word I like to use, but it fits Silas perfectly.

It fits him like those jeans fit him. That’s one more item on the list of things I like about him.

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