Page 3 of Cups of You

“Well, I haven’t seen you around before.” When she didn’t offer anything, he shrugged. “I was curious if you were new to town. I tend to know everyone who comes in.”

Amber took her time responding and looked him up and down.

“Do you?” She opened her mouth to say something else when her phone rang. She dug in her purse for the phone hissing when a splash of hot liquid fell on her hand. She hit the connect button and put the phone on speaker.

“Hey Aunt Jackie. What’s going on?”

“Hey sweet baby.” Her aunt’s voice rang out. “Where are you? Are you close?”

“Yes ma’am. I stopped at this coffee shop in town to grab a—”

“Oh wonderful! Can you get me my usual? I could use a little pick me up.”

Amber glanced up at the man before quickly looking back down at her phone. “Well, sure. What’s your fav—”

“She wants a cinnamon hot chocolate.”

“Is that my Bennie?”

Amber frowned not recognizing the name. “Who?”

“Me,” the stranger replied again pointing at his broad chest. He was already moving picking up a large cup. “My name is Benjamin, and if that is the delightful Ms. Jacqueline Jones, then I know exactly what she wants.”

“You always do,” Jackie called out. Amber’s frown deepened as she watched the man—Bennie, Benjamin—work. “Maybe you can throw in a couple of those banana nut muffins you know I like so much.”

“You got it Ms. Jay,” he replied. “I’ll pack them up and give them to…” His voice trailed off as he looked at Amber from over the machine.

“Amber.”

His smile was bright as the first ray of sun after a heavy rain as he nodded. It threw Amber off and she found herself standing there blinking dumbly trying to understand when she had lost control of the situation.

“Amber. I’ll make sure she gets them to you lickity split.”

Lickity split? What the fu—

“Be careful on the back road, baby,” Jackie said pulling Amber’s attention back to the phone in her hand. “We had a little ice the other day and the trees kept patches of it from melting. I know you are used to snow and ice up there in the city, but I don’t want you slippin’ into a ditch on your first day.”

“Yes ma’am,” Amber answered dutifully gaze still locked on Benjamin as he set another large coffee cup on the counter. He looked up at her from beneath envy-inducing eyelashes as he reached for a blue box that matched the colors in the shop. “I’ll come straight there once I get your order.”

“Oh good. I do so love those muffins. Give Bennie my love and I’ll see you soon.”

Yeah…no.Amber ignored that last request and said her goodbyes before putting the phone back into her purse. Benjamin set the closed box on the counter before gracing her with another wide smile.

Why is he smiling so damn much?

“Thank you,” she said begrudgingly voice pitched low. Amber knew it would not do for her aunt to hear on the gossip grapevine that she had been rude to her ‘Bennie’. Aunt Jackie was known as feisty for a reason.

She reached into her purse to grab her card to pay but was stopped when Benjamin spoke up again.

“Don’t worry about paying. I got it.”

Amber frowned. “I have money. I don’t need your charity. How much do I—”

“It’s not for you,” he interrupted. “Ms. Jay normally leaves a big tip every time she comes in even though I tell her not to, so this is to pay her back.”

“Oh.”

“And maybe it’ll help her feel better.” His expression was so open and earnest that Amber felt a sliver of guilt at how chilly she had been. Maybe he was just being nice. That had her thawing slightly and she dipped her head murmuring her thanks before she slid her wallet back into her purse.

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