Page 42 of Give Me Love

His lip lifts. “That’s it? No questions asked. No time to hear excuses?”

“Nope.”

His eyes dance between mine. “Does he listen after?”

I lift my left shoulder. “Sometimes.”

Bryce smiles. “Is that a normal thing for you? You just go around smacking things that don’t jump when you say?”

I laugh. “Only electronics. I usually don’t hit people.”

He nods. “Good to know.”

This close, I notice a small beauty mark on his neck and that his blue eyes have flakes of gold in them. The bell behind him dings and I’m swept out of my trance. Jesus, was I just standing here staring at him?

“Hey,” I say to the young guy. “What can I get ya?” He’s obviously in college. Band shirt, saggy pants, backpack lazy over his shoulder, and staring at his phone.

He hardly looks up as he shoots off his order. My eyes dart to Bryce who watches him with an expression I can’t read.

“Hey,” he says over to the kid as I turn around to prepare his coffee, but I peek behind while I’m working.

“Hey,” Bryce repeats and flips the bill up on the boy’s hat when he doesn’t look up, but that got his attention.

“Chill, dude, a’ight?”

Bryce narrows his eyes. “Why don’t you look at her next time, yeah? It’s fucking rude to stare at your phone when someone is talking to you.”

“What?” the boy says.

I intervene. “Bryce. It’s fine.” The machine stops working again and I sigh before I hit it.

“It’s not fine. It’s disrespectful and that thing is a piece of shit.”

“Hey, don’t talk about it that way,” I say, looking between him and the college prick.

“Come on,” Bryce says.

“What?” I ask as I hit it again. The hell giver gurgles once more, but nothing else happens. I exhale.

“We’re going to get another.”

“What about my coffee?” college kid asks.

“You aren’t getting coffee here. Go to Starbucks,a’ight?” Bryce emphasizes the last word, making me laugh as he tosses a few dollars onto the counter for the shocked kid.

“Bryce, I don’t have the money for a new machine.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m not letting you pay for that,” I say, removing my apron. He rolls his eyes as he stands by the door. The kid walks through, still looking at his phone, and now I notice he has an earpiece in. Probably half-listening to us and half-listening to music. To be so nonchalant.

“Plus, I can’t just leave the shop.”

“Kat, you have a broken coffee machine.” He points. “No one can get coffee. Let’s go get a new one and the problem will be solved.”

He’s right. How can I sell coffee with no machine? I have a regular one, but these kids don’t like regular coffee. They want espressos and lattes and every other delicious thing.

I give in. “Okay. There’s a place a few blocks from here that sells them.” I slip my phone out of my back pocket and shoot Karen and Becca a text to let them know.

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