Page 5 of Coffee Shop Cupid
The phone rang and I answered. “Jumpstart Cafe, Chase speaking.”
I listened for a moment, then laughed. “Ok, I’ll send him back.”
“Lemme guess,” Natalie said as I headed towards my friends’ table.
“No need,” I replied. “You already know.”
Lowell and Sean didn’t even seem to realize I was there until I knocked on the table.
“Oh, Chase,” Lowell said. “What’s up?”
I gave him a grin. “Elaine called. She said that she needs Sean back in the office for a meeting.”
Sean pulled out his cell phone, looked at it and sighed.
“How many notifications did you miss this time?” I teased.
He unlocked the phone and counted. “Eleven.”
I laughed. “A new record low. How important is this meeting that she would call so soon?”
He blushed. “It’s a budget meeting for the Fourth of July celebrations.”
“The fourth? Sounds like somebody’s moving up the events chain.”
“I’m only in charge of the parade.”
“Only?” I asked. “That’s a pretty big deal. That gives you two big events in a year, right? The Winter Village and now the parade.”
He smiled. “I guess. Maybe it’s just since the Winter Village is a longer event it feels bigger.”
I laughed. “The parade is only a few hours, but has to go off without a hitch because of it, and it has to slot into the wider array of events for the day. It’s a big thing.”
Lowell chuckled. “See, even Chase knows what a big deal this is.”
“Ok, ok,” Sean replied. “I get it.”
“Good,” I teased. “Now you should get to that meeting before you get kicked off it again.”
Sean turned bright red. “Ok, I’m going.” He stood, moved to kiss Lowell, then rushed from the cafe.
Lowell let out a happy-sounding sigh as he watched his mate leave, and I smacked his shoulder. “You’ve been mated for a year. How long until you stop acting like a lovesick idiot?” I teased.
“Never,” he replied.
I shook my head and snickered. “Well, at least you’re honest about it. But do try to keep the eye-fucking to a minimum in public.”
“No promises.”
I smiled and walked back to the counter, where Natalie was busy loading coffee beans into the grinders. “How late was he this time?”
“I didn’t ask, but he rushed out faster than normal so I bet he was cutting it close.”
“It’s amazing he manages to keep his job as often as he’s late going back.”
“Luxury of a government job. But he makes up for it too. Lowell says he stays late when major events are close, so he takes time in lieu for lunch dates.”
“Must be nice.”
