Page 43 of Real Fake Husband

“Oh, no, no. He’s not a bad guy at all, Kaylin,” I clarify. “He just annoys the crap out of me, and his eyes haunt me in my dreams. I don’t know what it is, but most of the time, we just can’t seem to get along.”

“What about his friend?”

“Theo? Oh, he’s cool. Great guy.”

She perks up again. She looks over at him, and I notice her taking in the tattoos, leather jacket, and motorcycle helmet tucked under his arm.

“I think my water broke,and I ain’t even pregnant,” she jokes.

Huh. I know Kaylin likes the inked bad-boy type, but I never saw her going for any of them in real life, yet here she is, practically drooling. Theo and Kaylin. Wouldn’t that be so sweet? But in all honesty, the odds of that happening are as impossible as Cal and me.

Daphne sits them in my section,of course. As in, of course I would be the one to serve them. I’m in no rush to greet them. I know, I know. We’re not at war anymore. We’re on good terms now. But his nakedness threw me off.

I finish cleaning the other pots and get more coffee going while putting the freshly washed mugs on the shelf.

“Josie, they’re in your section,” Kaylin says, patting me on the arm to get my attention.

“I’m aware.”

“Are you going to serve them? Or can I—?”

Ha. Great idea. Why didn’t I think of that? “Knock yourself out,” I tell her.

“Yes,” Kaylin exclaims in a hushed whisper. She adjusts her already-flawless hairdo, takes off her glasses, grabs one of the fresh pots of coffee, and heads over. I watch her go in anticipation.

“Good day, gentlemen,” she chirps, slightly nervous. “Can I start you off with some coffee?”

“Yes, please and thank you,” Theo says with a lilt to his voice, eyeing Kaylin in appreciation. I can tell by the redness of her cheeks that she notices. Her smile says she doesn’t mind. She shyly doesn’t meet his gaze when she leans forward to fill his mug.

Cal declines the coffee with a gentle shake of his head. His eyes slide past her to meet mine, and he gives me a smirk and a wave. Waving back, I figure I should at least greet them now that we’ve made eye contact.

“Hello, gentlemen,” I say, coming to stand by Kaylin. Playfully—kinda—I say to Cal, “Any particular reason you have chosen to annoy me at work?”

Cal throws up his hands. “I literally haven’t said a word to you yet.”

“I know, and I appreciate it.”

“You see what I’m dealing with,” he says to Theo and Kaylin. “I don’t even have to say anything, and she gets annoyed.”

“Congratulations, Cal,” I say. “You finally understand me.”

“Don’t worry, they’re always like this,” Theo says to Kaylin.

“I gathered as much.” She giggles. “Do you guys need a moment with the menus?”

“I’ll take a beer and a burger,” Cal says and winks at me. “Medium, with the works on top.”

“And I’ll take the breakfast special,” Theo says, nodding toward the chalkboard on the wall. “Thank God you guys serve breakfast all day.”

“Good choice,” Kaylin says. “It’s thebestmeal.”

“Oh, absolutely,” Theo rumbles.

I raise my eyebrow, watching them. Honestly? They’re kind of cute. When I glance back at Cal, he also seems to have noticed the spark between them, and we share a smile. My annoyance doesn’t go away, but that shared smile takes the edge off.

“Seriously, though, what are you doing here?” I ask him.

“We were passing through,” he says, “and figured I’d stop by and see where you work.”

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