Page 28 of Feverburn

“Yes, exactly like the tales of Camelot.”Her smile deepened.

“Mists of Avalonis one of my favorite books. That’s such a beautiful name.”

“Why, thank you! So is Rosie!”She flashed another look at the Kouris group. Carson saw us talking and jerked his head away.“Do you know how to make a London Fog?”

“I sure do! It's Earl Gray tea, foamy milk, and vanilla. We planned on naming a drink after you. Did you want that to be yours?”

“Yes!”She let out a rickety laugh that sounded almost like an owl.“Can we name it Mists of Avalon? Fog, mist, why thehellnot, eh?”

“Ilovethat idea!”

“By the way, Rosie, I have something in my shop I’d like to show you. Can you visit me soon?”

I could’ve sworn I caught the granny checking out my ass as I turned to get milk.“Absolutely. I will head over when I get off here.”

We shared a smile as I slid the drink to her. Dani and Poe made the drinks for the Kouris crew since I was helping Viviane. When I looked up, as if feeling my gaze, Carson looked over his shoulder as he exited my shop. My whole body hummed with nerves while I checked the recent drink orders, only to see aDirtyReno.

Fuckinghell, I was in over my head! I wanted to sit on that man’s face already! But I had to contain my whoredom. Seeing Mama and Papa Kouris days after sending their grown-ass son a topless selfie wasn’t something I was hoping to endure. I wasgratefulViviane was there to distract me. I needed to stop being such a horny hag and get my shit together. I had a business to run.

“I need a cup of coffee blacker than iron,” a man said with a deep Southern drawl. I looked up from my tablet just in time to see the old guy pop out his fake eye. He held it up casually, “And a cup of water for this son of a bitch.”

“Um…” I stammered. “Of course. Room for cream and sugar…in the coffee?” I clarified awkwardly.

“Nah, I brought my own.” He fished inside his leather jacket and pulled out a bottle of bourbon, undoing it with one hand while holding his prosthetic eye with the other. “Don’t judge me, hon. I’ve been on the road for days.”

“No judgment here.” I slid the coffee across the counter, gesturing between it and the bourbon. “It’s a balance of sorts.” That got a chuckle out of him as he poured. I put the lid on the coffee cup while he put back his bourbon. “Are you on a road trip or something?”

“Nope. I’m a long hauler. I drive a semi from here to Florida.”

My gaze bounced between the fake eye and bourbon with mild anxiety. Reading my mind, he offered, “Don’t worry, hon. I’m off the clock now. I’m heading to Viv’s to get a book to head home and ‘crap out’ as my daughter would say. I’m sorry, I left my manners at the door. I’m Otto, Otto Harrington,” he extended a hand for me to shake.

“Rosie Hayes.”

A sizeable turquoise cuff was on his left wrist, the skin of his hand three shades darker than his right side. It clicked in my brain because the sun had beenbeatingdown on his driver’s side window for decades. It etched more wrinkles on the left side of his face, too. I found that fascinating.

“You know, Otto, you might want to check out the crystal side of our shop. Kaylee got some Bisbee turquoise last week.”

His eyebrows lifted to the bill of his trucker hat. “No shit?”

I smiled. “No shit.”

He scanned me up and down, considering. “Are you the new owner? The little gal who moved in above Kouris Hardware?”

I leaned against the counter nervously to make our conversation more intimate. “Yeah, I am. Why?”

He looked around, ensuring we had fleeting privacy, before he leaned in. “You let me know if that Carson gives you any trouble,” he whispered.

An icy shiver went up my spine. “What do you mean?”

“He is who he is, and God love him. But that man is crankier than a three-legged dog trying to bury a turd on an icy pond.”

I stood there speechless.

He batted the air. “He’s a grouch. You let me know if he makes you feel unwelcome. I’ll talk with him.”

“Okay, so far so good.” I gave him a pathetic smile, feeling a little jittery. Hearing it from Kaylee or Frankie was one thing, but from a stranger hit harder. I stuffed down my worry and went back to helping the other baristas.

Our first day was a hit and went by quickly. Afterward, I walked next door to All Booked Up. Opening the door, the calming scent of books,richwood, and a hint of leather signaled a slowdown in my nerves. Dim lights filled the shop, along with floor-to-ceiling shelves of dark wood. Rounding theentrance, to the left, was a long desk with a twisted brass candlestick with a yellow taper candle topped with a dancing flame.

---