Page 25 of Tides of Discovery
Solo dance? The thought of slow dancing with Jack sent another flutter through my stomach. I pushed it firmly away.
The morning continued in that vein: a parade of customers offering congratulations, knowing looks, and, in some cases, explicit relief that Jack and I had “finally figured it out.” Each one compounded my confusion and the growing realization that our impulsive act had opened a Pandora’s box we might not be able to close.
I was sliding a latte across the counter when the bell over the door jingled again. I didn’t look up right away, but the mood of the chatter in the shop changed. Sharpened.
I glanced up—and my stomach dropped.Ben.
He sauntered into the shop like he still had a claim here, like the past ten months hadn’t happened at all. His dark eyes swept the room until they landed on me—and then flicked over to Jack.
The smirk that curled his mouth was a punch straight to the gut.
I watched in growing dread as Ben made his way across the shop with predatory grace. He paused at Jack’s table and leaned down to say something I couldn’t hear over the hiss of the espresso machine and the chatter of other customers.
Whatever Ben whispered made Jack’s face blanch stark white. Jack’s eyes darted to me across the room, and I saw something terrible flicker there—doubt, fear, maybe even betrayal. My chest constricted as if someone had wrapped steel bands around my ribs and was slowly tightening them.
Ben straightened up with that same satisfied smirk and sauntered toward the counter, hands in his pockets like he owned the place. Jack remained frozen at his table and stared down at his coffee as if he could find answers in the cup.
“What did you say to him?” I demanded the moment Ben reached the counter, my voice low and dangerous. My hand shook as I gripped a milk pitcher.
Ben’s smile widened, all teeth and malice. “Just the truth, Cooper. Someone had to tell him.”
“What truth?” The words came out as a snarl. “What lies did you fill his head with?”
Ben shrugged with infuriating casualness. “No lies necessary. The truth about you is damaging enough.”
In the middle of ringing up a regular, Jessica hesitated mid-tap. She glanced at me, questioning. I gave the smallest shake of my head. She turned back to her customer, but the tension in the air was palpable.
“Order something or get out of the way,” I ground out between clenched teeth.
He laughed under his breath, a low, unpleasant sound. “Heard the big news. You and Jack, huh?” His tone was heavy with derision. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You always did have a thing for…charity cases. Never could drop him, even when we were together.”
My hand tightened around the milk pitcher, but I forced myself to finish the drink carefully before sliding it onto the pickup counter.
Ben leaned closer and dropped his voice. “You’re gonna regret this, Cooper. You’ll wake up one day and realize you lost the best thing you ever had.”
I met his eyes then, my voice cold and flat. “I can do much better than someone who fucks around behind my back and is too stupid to think I wouldn’t hear about it in a town that likes its gossip even more than my impeccable coffee.”
Something dark flashed in his expression, and he pushed off the counter with a lazy shrug. “You’ll see.” His gaze darted toward Jack again, sitting stone-still by the windows, his jaw tight. “And by the way,” Ben added, voice low and cutting, “good luck keeping this place together without someone who actually knows what he’s doing.” He smiled as if he’d scored some kind of victory. “I always cleaned up your messes. Wonder who’s gonna do it now.”
He turned and sauntered out, the door jingling behind him.
I exhaled slowly, my hands braced against the counter.
At the windows, Jack glared daggers after him, murder practically radiating off him. He caught my eye, his fists clenched on the table like he was two seconds from charging after Ben.
I shook my head.Forget it. Not worth it.
Jack’s jaw worked, but he stayed seated, shoulders rigid with barely contained fury.
I turned back to the espresso machine, scrubbed at the steaming wand that was already clean, and tried to steady the churn in my stomach.
Ben’s words slithered under my skin, cold and poisonous.
Was he bluffing? Just bitter?
Or did he know something?
The thought curdled in my gut like spoiled milk. I didn’t want to believe it. Didn’t want to think he’d sabotage everything I’d built just because we were no longer together.
