Page 20 of The Hookup Situation
“Get it together,” I tell my reflection as I pull on a cute black sweater that swoops down in the front and some jeans that make my ass look perfect.
Last year, Blaire made me some super-cute black cat earrings with dangling legs and arms, and I slide them on. After a touch of lipstick and some mascara, I’m ready to leave. I grab a jacket and hurry out the door.
The streetlamps lining the sidewalk are still lit, casting pools of soft golden light against the lingering darkness, but the sun will rise at any moment. Several people jog through the town square’s park, others stroll with their dogs, and in the distance, tiny headlamps bob rhythmically as runners scale Lookout Mountain’s trail.
Autumn used to be obsessed with jogging, and I’d always be so worried about her. She and Zane now run it together. The two of them are just a reminder of how much can change in a season.
When I arrive at Cozy Coffee, I slip inside quickly and lock up behind me again. Blaire has keys and will arrive in about fifteenminutes, giving me enough time to collect myself and start our opening tasks.
I start in the office, counting the cash drawers, then move to preheat the ovens. As soon as Blaire arrives, she’ll dive straight into pastries and brewing coffee. When the doors open, we’ll be slammed with the morning rush for hours. Lately, we’ve been running the day shift with just the two of us, except on the weekends, but I’ll eventually have to start scheduling someone else to help us once fall kicks off.
After I quickly finish my opening checklist, I carry the cash drawers to the front and slide them into the registers. When I glance up, I spot Blaire strolling past the large front windows that line the sidewalks, already giving me a curious look. A few early customers gather in line by the door outside, eagerly waiting for their caffeine fix.
Blaire enters, locks the door behind her, and immediately tilts her head, eyes sparkling with suspicion.
“Good morning,” she says, her gaze locking on me. “Someone looks super guilty.”
“Who? Me?” I ask.
“Who? Me?” she repeats in a high-pitched tone as she walks to the back. I hear baking racks clanking as she quickly makes croissants. “Who else would I be talking to? The Ghost of Christmas Past? Let me guess. You had dinner with Nick after all.”
I snicker as Blaire continues running her mouth.
I grind the beans for the coffee makers. When she returns to the front, she adjusts her quartz crystal necklace. It’s the exact one she always wears to repel crazy ex-boyfriends with bad vibes.
“So,” she says, lingering long enough for me to fill in the silence, but I don’t say a single peep.
She groans. “Are you gonna tell me why you’re glowing like a human lava lamp, or do I need to read your tea leaves before I unlock the door?”
I busy myself stacking pastries that don’t need arranging. “Nothing to tell.”
“It’s so weird, but for some reason, I don’t believe you.” She leans against the counter, studying me like I’m one of her tarot spreads. “Your aura is screaming in vivid colors. Bright orange.”
“Before you even say it, nobody got laid.” The to-go cups suddenly need to be reorganized.
“Maybe not, butsomethinghappened.” She checks the napkin holders and the receipt paper. “And not to mention, you keep chewing on your inner cheek.”
I didn’t realize I had been doing it.
“Nothing happened. I swear. We watched a movie. I fell asleep on his couch. End of story.”
She grins. “Oh. What movie?”
“When Harry Met Sally,” I say.
Her jaw falls to the floor. “You gave him your relationship test.”
I make a face at her. “What? No.”
“Yes, you did. You make every guy you might be into watch that sucky movie. You didn’t finish it?”
I shake my head. “Nope.”
Blaire moves closer. “You know it’s okay to have a crush on him. No one cares.”
“He’s fun, but he’s not long-term-relationship material.” I fidget with a loose thread on the corner of my apron.
She elbows me. “Not everything has to be long-term. Live a little. You can have an autumn hookup.”
