Page 30 of Strong Coffee

Once I left Shane’s office, I went back out to see if more customers needed to be served. They didn’t, so I ended up checking in on them anyway to make sure they were well taken care of. I learned that while most wanted to be left alone, the regulars liked being asked if they were happy and if there was anything else we could do for them.

When I was making my rounds, I saw my dad sitting at one of the tables by the large window that looked out onto the street.

A man was sitting across from him, his back to me.

My dad’s head lifted, a wide smile forming on his face when I approached. “Hey, Son.”

The man he was sitting with turned his head, looking over his shoulder and right at me.

I stopped in my tracks, my mouth falling open at who was staring back at me.

Cam.

SIXTEEN

Brady

Cam’s eyes widened. “Son?”

“Do you two know each other?” my dad asked, his body stiffening.

“No, I guess we don’t.” I thought I was getting to know Cam but the fact that he was sitting with my father, made me wonder if it wasn’t him who was my dad’s silent business partner. “I have to get back to work. My staff will take care of you.”

“Brady,” both my dad and Cam called out, but I ignored them.

I didn’t know what was going on or how Cam knew my dad, but it didn’t sit right with me. Maybe I was overreacting but then again, maybeI wasn’t.

“Brady.”

Cam was following me.

Picking up my pace, I headed to the kitchen and rushed to the back of the building.

“Brady,” Cam barked, still following me.

When I reached outside, the cool evening air slapped me in the face much like the news that my dad and Cam knew each other.

“Baby, you need to stop and actually let me explain.”

“No.” I spun on him and shoved him hard.

He grunted, his eyes darkening.

“You don’t get to call me baby.”

“Let me explain then,” he insisted, reaching for me.

“Fuck you.” I stepped away from him, needing to put some distance between us.

“Fuck me?” He chuckled. “This isn’t fair. You have no idea what’s going on.”

“Oh, then please, why don’t you enlighten me? Did you know that he’s my father? Were you using me?”

“What?” Cam’s eyes widened. “Fuck no. I had no idea that Rhett’s your father and I sure as hell am not using you. Yes, the first time we fucked; I was using you then to curb an itch but it didn’t do shit. I needed more. I needed to see you again and again. Not just for sex but to get to know you, to actuallybewith you.”

I stared at him, the man I hadn’t known for long but could easily fall in love with. Maybe I already had. It was fast but at this point, I didn’t give a shit. You couldn’t help what the heart wanted. “How do you know my dad?”

Cam leaned against the wall opposite me. “I’ve known him for a few years now. Your dad is fucking awesome, so we became really good friends right away. He’s been private. I knew he had a son, but he never gave me your name. He didn’t tell me anything about his personal life.”

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