Page 84 of Not That Impossible

It was a positive sign, I decided. A sign of healing.

I’d taken a break and my ego (my heart, oh my heart) had got over itself. In another couple of weeks, I’d be back to wanting Liam in a totally normal and distant way, happily writing stories and knowing that I would never have him.

I might not be over Liam quite yet, but I was on the right track.

I was in a good mood.

Unlike Charlie, who was on the other side of the coffee shop counter, glaring at me. “You want what?” he snapped.

“A triple venti mochaccino frappe with extra ice, whipped cream, a squirt of the chocolate sauce, and a wafer, please. Oh. And can I have a smile on top?”

“Amalie!” Charlie yelled. “One of your idiot friends thinks he’s being funny. You deal with him.”

“I’m busy!” she yelled back. “Is it Jasper?”

He smirked at me, shouting, “What tipped you off? Was it when I said idiot?”

“Hey, now,” I said.

“Just give him a coffee,” she bellowed.

Charlie raised his eyebrows at me.

“And a smile?” I said.

“No.” He stalked off to make the coffee.

I bent my knees and leaned my forearms on the counter as I perused the chalkboard menu.

It was April, and they’d long phased out the wintery and Christmas-themed treats. They’d started selling Easter goodies last week. I was tempted to try a gingerbread Easter bunny with pink-and-white icing, or a Cadbury Mini Egg-studded brownie.

I decided to go for it. I deserved a treat. So did Adam, who was meeting me here in a few minutes.

Adam had been going through his own issues with Ray. Like me, he’d got close and had a taste of happiness, only to have the object of his affection shut him down. We were dealing with our disappointing love lives very differently. I moped over Liam; Adam flaunted himself at Ray.

A lot of Adam’s flaunting happened right here in the coffee shop. It was the only place Adam could engineer an ‘accidental’ meeting, since Ray came here at the same time every day.

It was stalker-level genius, I’d told him, and not as a compliment.

It was boring, he’d replied. But he was committed. He was playing the long game and waiting for Ray to come to him.

I envied his confidence. To be honest, it would probably work. Adam could smoulder like you wouldn’t believe. Sooner or later, Ray would cave, and jump him.

I was entertaining myself imagining how Liam would react if I ever attempted to smoulder at him, when something cold and wet pressed against the back of my knee.

I shuddered and lurched forward with a yelp, banging into the counter.

“Sorry, sorry,” a woman said. “Dougal! We’ve talked about this.”

Mrs Hughes stood behind me with Dougal. Dougal was wearing a little red harness and matching arthritis boots. I put down a hand to block him from licking my knee again. His tongue swiped my hand instead.

“I’m so sorry, Jasper. He has a thing for knees.”

I squinted down at Dougal. He smiled up happily at me. “You little pervert,” I said. “Knees? Really?”

Mrs Hughes laughed. “He can’t resist. If he sees a bare knee—front or back—he’s got to lick it. Makes for a lot of fun in summer when everyone’s wearing shorts or skirts, I can tell you. He’s very stealthy.”

“I had no idea.”

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