Page 53 of Coffee Break with the Billionaire

“My mother thinks we should get Wyatt to talk to someone,” I tell her.

“Because he’s gay or because he has mother issues.”

“He’s handling the gay thing really well. He came out when he was eleven to his best friend while they were playing video games. Wyatt told me he seemed unimpressed but beat him in Fortnite so things went well.”

She frowns. “As opposed to Wyatt beating him?”

“His way of thinking was that if Jack had issues with him, he would have let Wyatt win or not played against him at all. I can’t say I understand his logic.”

“As long as it makes sense to him. I’ve never understood the draw of Fortnite either.”

“You’ve played?”

“Twin brother, remember? I bet you’re a gamer.”

“Board games, actually.”

“You should have board games in your coffee shop. Bring in the non-coffee crowd.”

“That’s… a good idea.”

“I know. Don’t sound so surprised. You should know by now that I’m full of them.”

Fenellalaughs. I like the way it sounds. I like hearing it. Her straight-out belly laugh is contagious.

Sometimes I forget to laugh with her because I’m smiling at her so much.

“I probably shouldn’t have said anything about Wyatt,” I muse.

“I let it slip that my mother values her handbag more than me, so we’re fair. I don’t mention my mother to anyone, but listening to how Wyatt sounds so hung up about an absent mother who never should have gotten pregnant in the first place— Sorry,” she checks herself. “That’s your sister.”

“It is.”

“I’m sure that is pretty tough for a sixteen-year-old to deal with, but the kid seems to have everything else going for him. I like him.”

“I’ll be sure to tell him. Like I said, he’s your biggest fan.”

Eventually, I wrap Fenella in the blanket and tuck her under my arm, but I can still feel her shivers.

She’s so cold, but she’s just as reluctant as I am to end tonight.

Eventually, I make the call and we head back to the car. The heat goes on full blast, but she keeps the music quiet.

“You need a warmer coat,” I say after her teeth have stopped chattering and we’re almost back to town.

“It’s first on my list. I’ll have to give Coy back his blanket.”

“I wouldn’t bother. You might need it again.”

“Does this mean we can do this again?”

The hope in her voice makes my heart stutter; seriously stutter like it needs a kickstart. But I keep my voice even like she didn’t just rock my world with a simple question. “You want to work for me,andhang out? That’s a lot of me,” I warn her.

“I think I can handle it,” she says with all the confidence of knowing what she wants.

Or maybe it’s knowing she can have what she wants.

I’m not sure that’s going to work out for me.

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