Page 2 of Broken Daddy
“Oh, yes, right. Wasn’t that what I said?” Sondra asked.
“Close enough.” Devi smiled at her.
“Not close enough,” he rumbled. “It’s not her name. You said Demi not Devi.”
“Um, right, yes,” Sondra said, looking extremely confused.
“Spiced Chai with oat milk?” Devi repeated.
“Yes. Thank you,” Sondra said with a stiff smile. “Devi is an unusual name. Is it short for something?”
“No, that’s just my name.” She shrugged. “My dad’s name is Derick and my mom was Violet. It’s a mix of their two names.”
“Really? How interesting. I’ll take my coffee in a to-go cup,” Sondra said before wandering off.
Devi didn’t bother to tell her that she knew that’s how she took her coffee since it was what she’d been ordering for the last three months.
Which was how long Devi had worked here.
“And you? Would you like a coffee?” she asked him.
He never said yes. But she always asked.
It was her job. Plus, she just felt the need to do something for him, to try and make him less sad.
When he didn’t reply, some sort of devil took hold of her. “Or a tea? I know, how about a green tea? Maybe chamomile. We have a nice ginger tea that’s good for digestion. You look like you might enjoy ginger tea. To help with any . . . you know . . . tummy pains.” She rubbed her stomach.
He raised an eyebrow, his face as stoic as ever.
Uh-oh.
Darn it, Devi. Why do you always push things a step too far?
Story of her life.
Her mom used to say that she had more courage than she did sense and she wasn’t wrong.
“To aid my digestion?” He glanced at Sondra and then around the room, as though searching for something before his gaze landed on her again. “Do I look like I need something to aid my digestion?”
Eek.
“Maybe? You kind of look like you . . . might be . . . blocked . . . um . . . I’m going to stop talking now.” She should have stopped a long time ago.
Sometimes, she just couldn’t help herself.
Mr. Tragic Eyes eyed her for a long moment. “Americano. No sugar.”
Right. Yep. He looked like a guy who liked things simple.
So he definitely wouldn’t like you, then.
Not that she was looking at him like that. Nope. She wasnotlooking at him and those sad eyes and that gorgeous body and stern face and wondering how she could make him smile.
Nope. Nuh-uh. Not her. Because she had some self-preservation left.
What are you talking about? You have none.
Zero.
