Page 52 of Cups of You

Lindsey nodded smile still firmly on her face. “Yes, but Avery and I were a few years behind if I remember correctly. You’re Ms. Jones’ niece, right?”

“Yes.” Amber’s eyes drifted up and down Lindsey’s frame and Benjamin was amazed just how much could be put into a look. He couldn’t take his eyes off the two women even though he knew he should have been making drinks. Amber paused for a moment and something seemed to shift behind her gaze. “You said you and Avery? Avery Meadows?”

“The one and only.”

Amber pulled her hand back and her smile changed to something less sharp and more genuine. “I’ve emailed with her a few times about reading lists for the kids. She’s got a keen eye for literature.”

Lindsey chuckled her smile morphing into something less friendly and more not safe for work. “She’s got a keen everything.”

Now Benjamin was even more confused, but the strange tension in the air seemed to dissipate with Lindsey’s words so he made himself move to start the drinks as the two women continued chatting.

He glanced up every now and then and each time he seemed to catch Amber’s eye. She would smile at him leaving him helpless to do anything but smile back and try not to forget what he was doing.

By the time he was done and bringing the drinks back to the front counter, she and Lindsey were smiling and laughing like they had been friends forever.

Sometimes women confused him, but he wasn’t going to bring up the weird tension from earlier. He knew well enough to count his blessings and move on.

“Here you go Lindsey. I double-cupped Avery’s so it would still be nice and hot by the time you get it to her.”

Lindsey nodded. “Thanks for that. I’m headed straight over there so I can catch her during her lunchtime.” She looked back at Amber. “We should get together sometime. I’d love to hear about your time in Chicago.”

“Absolutely. I’ll text you and we can have drinks. I’ve yet to find anyone else who enjoys a good martini in this town. Even Willie refuses to drink them with me.”

“She doesn’t know what she’s missing.”

“On that, we agree.”

Lindsey picked up the two cups and said her goodbyes before giving Benjamin a look and walking out the door. He wasn’t sure what that final look was about, so he just raised a hand and waved an awkward goodbye before his focus drifted back to Amber. She was watching Lindsey walk down the sidewalk with a small smile on her face.

He wasn’t sure what had occurred while he was making drinks, but when Amber turned her smile on him, it didn’t matter.

The day was already looking up just having her here.

NINETEEN

Amber threw her shirt on the floor and stared down at it.

Two months.

It had been two months of living out of two suitcases that did not contain one thing to wear that would make her look like a put-together thirty-something and not an undergrad with too much time and not enough fucks to give.

The days were getting warmer as Georgia marched towards spring and Amber had finally had enough. She had started to come to terms with the fact that she was staying in Millensville for the foreseeable future and the thought didn’t even inspire panic from her anymore.

It was still strange to pass certain places and there were some areas outside of town that she flat out refused to go to. But that was no different than being in Chicago and staying away from certain neighborhoods for whatever reason.

She was fine with never being able to visit certain towns without feeling the need to breakdown, so she would just avoid them. It wasn’t that hard. What was hard was trying to find a decent outfit with most of her shit not available to her.

“I have to go back.”

The idea of seeing Josiah again made her see red, but it was necessary. Deep down she knew that. She had gotten assurances from him that he hadn’t touched her things, but she still didn’t trust him. She didn’t want to make Tasha deal with him though. Tasha would, no doubt. But it wouldn’t be fair to her and Amber was a grown ass woman. She could handle seeing her ex just long enough to collect her things and put him in her rearview mirror once again.

She wasn’t looking forward to that drive though.

“Amber. Bennie is here.”

Shit.

She had spent so much time thinking that she had damn near forgotten what she was supposed to be doing in the first place. With a groan, she bent down and picked the shirt back up. It would have to do for now. Plus, it was just Benjamin. There was no need to get all dolled up to meet a friend.

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