Page 15 of Britta & the Beach Boy
Sometimes work is rest.
Things slow down around one, and Annie hands me an iced chai tea latte. “Time for a break. Your friend needs some attention.” She points to Stella sitting at a table in the back, looking bored with whatever book she’s trying to read.
I take the seat next to her. I’m about to apologize when I notice a wall of photos behind her. There are a dozen of them, all different-sized, framed and signed by the people in them. But my eye is drawn to the one in the middle of four people on the beach holding surfboards with the titleSurf City Highscrawled across the top.
I vaguely remember an old TV show with that name. A teen-drama kind of thing that I never watched. That’s not what’s got my attention, though. It’s the guy standing on the left side of the group.
“Is that…” I squint and step closer. “Dex?”
Chapter six
Britta
Stella and I both study the picture like it’s a famous piece of art in a museum. The guy in the picture is definitely a younger, much, much blonder version of Dex, even though the printed name at the bottom of the picture identifies him as Liam Dexter.
“Dex is Slater?” Stella says excitedly.
I whiplash between her and the picture. “I have no idea who Dex is anymore.”
“Wait! Did you say his friend who came over was Archie?” Her voice grows more excited as she points to the tall auburn-haired surfer next to Dex in the picture. “Like, Archibald Forsythe?”
I look closer. “Yeah, that could be him.”
“Britta!” She grabs my shoulders, her face inches from mine. “If Dex knows Archie, then he knows Frankie Forsythe, too. They’re twins on the show and in real life.” She suddenly goes still, her hands dropping from my shoulders as she pivots back to the picture. “And if he knows them, he knows Rhys James,” she says reverently.
“You mind taking this order out, Britta, while I help Diva make an Americano?” Annie says from behind me over the clatter of coffee cups clinking, espresso machines hissing, and customers chatting.
“Of course,” I answer before taking a second look at the picture.
“If Dex is in the picture with Rhys and Frankie,” I say to Stella. “He’s met them at least once. I think he said Archie’s his manager, so he obviously knows him well.” I grab the cups from the counter and carry them to the table outside that Annie points to.
Stella follows me, talking the whole time. “How are you not freaking out right now? We aredefinitelygoing to that surf competition. Rhys James could be there. Archibald Forsythe will be for sure. No one’s seen Frankie in ages… but, oh my gosh, what ifRhys Jamesis there?”
I walk back to the counter with Stella still trailing behind.
“Why would Rhys James be there?” That’s the one name I recognize. I don’t listen to his music, but everyone knows who Rhys James is, and I’ll admit to feeling a whisper of excitement at the possibility I might meet him. I’m not getting my hopes up or anything, but I’ve never met anyone famous in Paradise. Rubbing elbows with celebrities is kind of the dream for anyone who comes to LA, and I might actually get to do it.
Wait…
Technically, I already have. Because, apparently, Archie, at least, is famous, and Dex may be semi-famous himself.
“This order goes to the Gupta family over there.” Annie says when I return to the counter. She points to a mom, dad, two young girls, and a poodle-looking dog. “The cookie is for the dog.”
“They were onSurf City Hightogether,” Stella says behind me, and I realize she’s still talking about Dex’s connection to Rhys James. “But they were friends before that. All four of them, if I remember right.” Stella helps me carry the order to the Guptas, setting the dog treat in front of Yogi.
When our backs are to the family, we exchange a look, and I’m sure we’re thinking the same thing; a dog is being served food in a restaurant that’s for people? We arenotin Paradise anymore.
We both pull back a laugh before Stella picks up the thread she’d set down long enough to play waitress to a dog.
“I can’t believe I never made theSurf Cityconnection before. I thought Dex looked kind of familiar when he came to Paradise, but he was only in the show for one or two episodes. I’d kind of forgotten about him.” She wags her finger toward the photo, then goes back to stare at it up close again.
I leave Stella to study theSurf City Highcrew and return to the counter where Annie is taking orders again. When Stella notices I’m gone, she finds a table close to the counter and pulls out her phone.
Annie moves away from the register and motions me to her. “You seem to know what you’re doing. Can you take orders while I do a little training? Neither of these gals has done the espresso machine before, so I’m having to do all those orders. The point of sale is pretty intuitive. If you have time to make the orders yourself, great. If not, send them back here and we’ll get them.”
“No problem.” I take her spot, and she gives me a thirty-second tutorial on her system. When she turns back to the staff, I smile at the waiting customer. “What can I get for you?”
“A flat white,” he says, and I breathe a sigh of relief that it’s a simple order and, thanks to Dex, I’ve had plenty of experience making it. But then he adds, “Quad shot, extra hot, extra foam, lactose-free milk.”
