Page 23 of Give Me Redemption

“Yep. The cup slipped,” she says. I peek over the counter at her and see she’s soaking the coffee up with some towels. I look back at my brother, who’s obviously still ill with me.

What’s new?

He stands with a straight back and lifted chin, and then he says, “Are you finished?”

I narrow my eyes at him. Rude ass.

She stands upright, wiping her hands on her apron and blowing a piece of hair from her face.

Damn, she’s gorgeous. Her cheeks are slightly flushed, but she’s got narrowed eyes looking at my brother like she could smack him. I want to laugh. He needs someone to smack him around.

“Umm, yeah. What can I get you?”

“Large coffee, black,” Bryce says. “We’re in a hurry.”

Why the hell is he in such a hurry, and why is he being a douche to this chick? Something’s going on here. I’m lost.

“Brother, chill,” I say, reaching over and slapping his chest. I look back at the girl. “Sorry about Mr. Dickhead here. He’s not always this unfriendly.”

She lifts a brow, clearly not believing me. She’s right not to. He is always this unfriendly.

Bryce exhales, obviously annoyed. “Can you just order?” he says to me.

“I’ll have the same.”

“Coming right up,” she says, grabbing two paper cups. My eyes roam over the place, checking out the bookshelves, the worn chairs, and the small leak in the ceiling.

“What kind of books do you sell here?” I ask her.

“Thrillers, mysteries, romance,” she replies. I scan my eyes over a book with a couple on it.

Love Conquers All.I smile and pick it up. “Here. This might help you with your love life,” I say as I toss it to Bryce. He catches it, eyeballing me before looking back at the cute girl. She was smiling until he did that. Now she looks guilty. She wipes a towel across the countertop, her cheeks turning pink again.

I look between the two. My brother watches her curiously. Something is surely hot in here, and it isn’t the coffee.

Bryce seems to snap out of whatever haze he’s in. “Let’s go,” he says, taking a sip from his cup and placing the book onto the counter.

“Ahh, I was just starting to have fun,” I reply with a smirk. Man, I’m so fucking with him about this. He likes this girl. Have they seen each other before? I walk up to her and stretch my hand out for her to shake. “I’m Jace Grant.”

She takes my hand and I bring it to my lips—to fuck with him and to make her blush again.

“Kathrine Harrison,” she says.

Harrison.

“Good to meet you. I’m sure we’ll be back. This is good coffee,” I say, lifting my brow and taking a sip. I don’t bother sayingwe’ll be back because my brother clearly likes you. And I do, too, but not like that.She laughs.

“Come on, brother. Let’s go see what Pops is up to.” I walk to the door before turning around. “Until next time, Harrison.” I salute her and exit the shop. The day’s still early and I squint my eyes from the sun, waiting on Bryce to come out. For someone who was in a hurry, I can’t believe he stopped and talked to her. I look across to the park, and holy shit, it’s her again. Freckles.

I step off the sidewalk, heading in her direction. I need to say something to this woman. I mean, this is three times I’ve seen her, but then Bryce walks out and she keeps running.

Damn.

We walk to the car, and after Bryce gets in, I look over at him. “That woman do something to piss you off?

His body tightens.

I’m loving this.

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