When I came back, she was leaning against the counter, staring down into her coffee cup that looked untouched. “Leash? What’s wrong?” I set the cash drawer down and went over to her, lifting my hand to check her brow before she backed up a step. “Are you sick?”
“No. I’m just…” I watched in heartbreaking stillness as her blue eyes brimmed with tears. “My stupid boyfriend broke up with me last night.”
“What?” I braced a hand against the counter. “I didn’t know you were…well…that you even had a boyfriend.”
She nodded and sucked in her lower lip. “His name is—was—Brian. We met last year when he was a senior. He’s in college now.”
“What happened?”
She shrugged and a tear slipped past her lashes and made a streak down her face. She wasn’t wearing her normal face full of make-up and her cheeks were red and blotchy. “He texted me that he didn’t want to be long-distance all summer. This was supposed to be when we could finally spend time together and instead…I’m here.”
“I’m sorry, honey.” I pushed off the counter and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. To my surprise, she collapsed against me and seconds later, her body was trembling with sobs. I smoothed her hair back as it fell from the ponytail, the strands too short to stay contained, and tucked it behind her ears. “Maybe he’ll change his mind when you get back home. It’s only a couple months. Sometimes distance is a good thing.”
My sentiments echoed back to me and I realized how shallow they sounded. I was at a loss though. I’d never been in a long term relationship—well, at least not one that I’d count as successful or healthy—so while I was long on life experience, I fell short on helpful advice.
“I don’t know…” Alesha replied, her words punctuated with fresh sobs.
I backed up and took her face in my hands. “Leash, it’s all going to be okay. I know it doesn’t help right now and that it hurts like hell to go through this, but trust me when I tell you, it’s going to work out in the end. If not with him, then with someone else. You’re gorgeous and smart and determined. You’re going to be all right. I promise.”
She nodded but her eyes were still flooded with unshed tears. Finally, she sniffled and I left her long enough to grab a wad of paper towels from the dispenser above the hand washing station. “Here. How about you go back to my place, listen to music, watch TV, take a bath. Do whatever will make you feel better and tonight we’ll go out and have dinner. Your choice.”
“Is it okay if I stay here? With you?”
My heart twisted and I offered her a small smile. “Of course it is.”
She nodded and wiped at her eyes, trying to get herself under control. “I don’t really want to be alone right now.”
“Okay, then. Go get washed up and I’ll make us some breakfast sandwiches. How does that sound?”
She smiled and gave me another hug. “Thanks, Sis.”
4
Nick
* * *
Twenty-four hours had passed since my visit to Carly’s coffee shop and I hadn’t been able to get her bright blue eyes out of my mind. As eager as I was to get up to the air museum and start tearing apart the F-4, I made a detour through town and pulled into a spot right out front of The Siren.
I pushed out of my truck and my jaw nearly hit the ground at the massive line of people pouring out the front doors of the shop. I glanced around, looking at the parking spaces beside my truck, and wondered where the hell all the other people had come from. From the look of the parking lot, the shop should be empty.
I heaved a sigh and went to join the crowd, ending up halfway in and halfway out of the coffee shop until the line moved and I could fully wedge inside. The place smelled so good, it practically soothed my irritation. A sweet, cinnamon-infused with a nutty, rustic blend of coffee.
My mouth was watering already, but when I saw Carly, hustling back and forth behind the counter, her blonde hair pulled back in a high ponytail that hung halfway down her neck, it made it hard to breathe. Her cheeks were flushed, but her bright smile never left her lips as she handled each order, each customer with precise but affectionate care and attention to detail.
She knew all their names and their orders from memory. It was a small town, but damn, she was impressive. Her hips swiveled and rocked with each step, her moves lining up with the steady, pulsing beat coming through the speakers and made the entire thing like a performance.
And a sexy as hell one at that.