Page 16 of One Whopper of a Love Story

“Thanks for getting the car.”

“No problem.” Brian ended the call, and I hurried into the meeting room for the shift briefing.

I leaned against the wall in the back, trying to think of someone else who would be willing to help Brian out. In the morning, I’d give my cousin a call. Maybe Dag would do it. He was as tall as me, and women liked him. He was a bit older, but that probably wouldn’t matter.

The captain walked in, and everyone quieted. All thoughts of dates and Layla were boxed up and put away.

I was now on duty.

Chapter 9

Layla

I walked from table to table, checking on customers. The first hour of business had flown by, but now that it was after seven, every time the door opened and a burst of air swooped into the shop, I glanced over to see who was walking in. Not because I wanted to welcome customers but because I wanted it to be Nico walking through the door. I’d spent half the night dreaming about how he’d look in uniform.

There were so many things about him I liked. He was tall and strong, which on my attraction scale rated him about fifteen out of ten. He had warm hands, which weren’t small. And even just the memory of those dark eyes set my heart fluttering.

But what had really won me over wasn’t his looks. And it wasn’t his kindness, even though he’d been very kind. What had me swooning was how he’d taken what felt like rushing water and calmed it. When he’d asked me out at the restaurant, I felt head over heels and discombobulated. Feeling out of control bothered me. But Nico changed all that.

His actions signaled he was interested in more than a quick fling. That was what had my heart doing back flips.

The best part was while I was excited about seeing him and talking to him, I didn’t feel dragged along by my emotions or the chemistry sparking between us.

Lettie called out from the kitchen that she had another batch of doughnuts ready, and I ran back behind the counter to load up the display case. It was good that Lettie had made extra today. We were busier than normal with people who wanted a doughnut and the scoop on Tessa and Garrett.

The door opened again, and a group of firefighters walked in. One of the guys veered away from the counter and lifted a woman off the ground, kissing her until the people around them laughed. I needed to get better with names. That was one of Tessa’s friends, and I was pretty sure she worked at the photography studio next door.

She and her husband were kissing almost every time I saw them together. Part of me was a wee bit jealous. Not of her husband, but of that type of relationship. In the month I’d worked here, I’d noticed them because the woman giggled. And when she did, her husband looked at her like she hung the moon. Honestly, he always looked at her that way. It was sweet.

The door opened again, and I whipped around, a smile at the ready. A middle-aged cowboy, who was built like Nico strolled in, holding hands with a woman shorter than me. They wandered up to the counter, and he stepped behind her, wrapping his arms around her. “What do you want, Joji? The usual?”

How sweet was it that he knew her usual? I’d seen her in before but never with him. With the height difference and the overall cuteness, they were my new favorite couple.

“Good morning, what can I get y’all?”

Joji leaned forward. “I’m so glad Tessa found you. She’s off happily enjoying her honeymoon, and I still get a doughnut.”

The tall cowboy patted her hip. “We’re both happy about the doughnut part.”

They ordered coffee and doughnuts, and I handed over their goodies. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

Joji grabbed her man’s hand. “Will do. But I think I have everything I need right here. Right, Clint?”

He nodded, a satisfied grin on his face.

The air changed in the room, and I glanced at the door. It was an older couple who, based on his scrunched-up face and her sour expression, seemed to be in the middle of a squabble. They sat at the table closest to the door without coming to the counter first, which wasn’t typical, but not exactly weird.

After giving them a minute, I walked by the table, headed to the coffee station. “Good morning.” I wiped up spilled sugar and drips of coffee. “The coffee is fresh. I just made a new pot.”

The man looked over his shoulder at me. “Sounds like just what I need. I’ll get some in a minute.”

The woman, who was presumably his wife, rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything. Not all couples made me jealous of what they had.

The door opened again, and my heart fluttered to a stop. My dreams didn’t even compare with reality. Nico grinned as he pulled the cowboy hat off his head. Like a dork, I fanned myself with a coffee cup sleeve.

He let the door close behind him and stepped toward me. “Hey.”

“I like your...” I glanced at the table with the bickering couple as the wife’s voice broke through the spell of my romantic slow-mo moment.

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