Page 1 of Heart to Heart

Chapter1

Liam

There she was.

I hovered in the back of the long line for my daily hit of caffeine surreptitiously watching as she bustled around the espresso machine. I caught her eye and grinned as her cheeks turned red and she quickly looked away.

Violet’s Café in Sweetbriar, Oregon, had become somewhat of a sanctuary for me since moving to town a few months back. The coffee was addicting, but that wasn’t the main attraction anymore. Holly Barrett, the little sister of the owner, had caught my eye at first sight when she’d returned to town soon after I’d arrived, and I hadn’t been able to look away ever since.

I refused to think about how many months I had been here or how long I’d been silently pining over the gorgeous blonde behind the counter. After my medical discharge from the Army, I vowed never to be bound by a clock or a schedule that I didn’t create for myself ever again. My therapist’s words floated through my mind as the line slowly moved through the shop.

To better spend your time, start by understanding where your time is spent.

Long line today or not, hopeless crush tearing up my heart or not, I liked it here. Time felt different here. Hours could pass and feel like nothing at all. Violet’s coffee shop was heaven on earth, especially to someone who’d been stuck in a desert and bound by somebody else’s rules for the last decade. The happy chaos of this place—not to mention the delicious smells, friendly faces, and homey feel—soothed me in a way I never wanted to lose. It was the polar opposite of the life I had known before I came to Sweetbriar.

Plus, as an entertaining bonus, this place had seen someshit.Town gossip, relationship dramas, jet-lagged travelers, ski-bums passing through on their way up the mountain, and the best part, the Barrett family themselves: boisterous, loving, and loud.

The line moved at a slow but steady pace. It was early afternoon, and Holly was the only barista behind the counter. It wasn’t usually this busy at this time of day, but I didn’t mind the wait, not when I had something as beautiful as her to look at.

“Finally,” a deep voice boomed, and I tensed, ready to—what?

Nothing, stand down. He’s probably harmless.

“I’ve been dying to see you all day, Holly.” His tone turned flirty, and the muscles in my jaw ticked as I listened to him hit on her, ready to step in if he took it too far. Or maybe I’d step in anyway. She was obviously not interested and there was something about him I didn’t like.

“Sorry for the wait.” She brushed her hands down the front of her half-apron, ignoring his come-on as she faced him. “What can I get for you today, Jared?”

“So many things, babe. But we’ll start with the usual, a cappuccino. And I’d like to add that date I’ve been asking about.”

Between my teeth grinding together hard enough to hurt and the possessive rage blinding me as I watched him chat her up, I knew I was only kidding myself when it came to beingjust friendswith Holly.

“I can’t. I, um—” she murmured while stammering over her words and avoiding his eyes. She was sweet and I had the sense that hurting someone’s feelings by saying “no” wasn’t easy for her.

“So, listen.” He barreled on, ignoring the not-so-subtle hints she was giving him. “I want your number, babe. I’ll take you to dinner in the city, then maybe to a club? I remember how much you liked to dance back in high school.”

“I—like I told you before, I’m not in the right head space for dating right now, okay? I have a lot going on. It’s not you, it’s a me thing. I need to get settled back in town, and I still—”

“Aw, come on. Any head space you’re in is fine with me, and I bet I can settle you down.” He reached across the counter and pulled her cell from the half apron tied around her waist. “I want your number.”

“Jared!” Shocked, she jumped back, and I lurched forward, snatching the phone from his hand before he could get her number from it.

“Watch it. She said no.” I passed it back to Holly, shoulder-checking him to the side as I stepped between him and the counter. She managed a tremulous smile as she mouthed, “Thank you,” and took it, tucking it into her back pocket with a pointed glance toward a deliberately oblivious Jared.

“Oh really? She did?” Huffing a humorless laugh, he glared at me. “Because I didn’t hear a ‘no’. I heard a ‘not right now’ or at the very least a ‘maybe another time’. He turned back to her with a smarmy grin that I wasthis closeto knocking off his face. “Sorry, babe. We’ll make plans later.” After stuffing a wad of cash in the tip jar, he took his order and stormed out.

I was last in line and despite the wait, the shop was fairly empty as most folks had taken their orders to go. A few customers lingered in the corner happily chatting. A quick glance showed they either hadn’t noticed what had transpired or didn’t want to intervene. “If I was out of line by stepping in—I mean, what he did is not okay, and if you’d wanted to tell him off yourself or maybe smack him around a little bit, I’m sorry—”

“Don’t apologize. It’s okay, I’m usually pretty good about taking care of myself. I wasn’t expecting him to do anything like that. I’ve known him since kindergarten, he’s always been pushy but harmless. Plus, I owe him for—it’s a long, dumb, convoluted story but you might as well hear it from me. Basically, he saved me from making a huge mistake. My fiancé was a cheater and he let me know about it. Hence the Holly-left-a-guy-at-the-alter crap that sometimes goes around town about me, among other things.” She stopped short in frustration. “I don’t want to talk about Jared.Gah,I’m sorry, Liam. What’ll it be?” she asked, as if she didn’t tease me every day about ordering the same thing.

I smiled softly. “Why don’t you surprise me this time?” I’d be keeping an eye on that prick. My protective hackles were up. But for now, I just wanted to make her feel better.

The heavy lashes that shadowed her freckled cheeks flew up in surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah, but nothing too sweet, I—”

Our eyes met. “Shh.” Holding up a finger, she grinned. “I know what you’ll like.”

She didn’t know even half of what I’d like from her.

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