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“Same as usual,” I reply on a sigh. “Which is a big not at all.”
“Hopefully it will pick up now,” he says, making himself a cup of coffee. “Do you want me to do the stocktake today, or do you want to do it?”
I think it over. “I’ll do it. Christina and Tori can man the front, and you can make the sandwiches out back.”
“Sounds good,” he says, moaning as he takes his first sip. “This is definitely going to get me through the day.”
“Glad you approve of the product.” I grin up at him. I then dare to ask, “Hey, do you know anything about the guy who comes in every morning?”
“Which one?” he asks, arching a brow.
“The only man in town who has more tattoos than you.” I lean back on the counter.
“Oh, right, him,” he murmurs, shaking his head. “Nothing… yet. It’s only time before something comes out though.” He pauses, then adds, “Talk about stealing my thunder as the black sheep of the town.”
I laugh at that. “I can’t believe that thought even crossed your mind. That’s hilarious.”
He puts a hairnet over his dark hair then washes his hands with soap, getting ready to start doing some work. “It’s true though. Why are you asking about him? Got a taste for the bad boys, hey? If so, there’s one standing right in front of you that you could give a try.”
I roll my eyes. “Why, Elijah, are you hitting on your boss?”
He likes to play around with me, but he never crosses any boundaries, nor is he serious. In fact, I think he has a crush on Sharon, the girl who works for Paul, although he’ll never admit it.
He shakes his head no, then says, “Yes” out loud.
Laughter escapes me. “Come back when you’re grown, kid. So in about ten years.”
He sticks his chest out. “I’m twenty-three, not eighteen. I tie my own shoes and everything.”
“All the same to me,” I say with a cheeky grin. “I feel like all those piercings are compensating for a lack of something else….” I point to his lip ring and eyebrow ring.
He doesn’t get mad at my comment, he simply smirks. “Be more than happy to prove that theory wrong.”
I playfully nudge him. “I think I’ll just take your word for it.”
Christina and Charlie walk in, the two of them chatting with each other.
“Morning, Bree,” she says, smiling. She hands me a brown bag from a local fast-food restaurant. “I brought you breakfast. There’s some in there for you too, Elijah.”
I look in the bag and grin. We do serve food here, sandwiches, rolls, and cakes, but I do love something different, especially these hash browns and bagels.
“Thanks,” I say, placing the bag below the counter so none of the patrons can see it. It wouldn’t exactly be good for business if any of us are seen eating from elsewhere, even if we’re essentially just a coffee stop.
Elijah grabs the bag, grins, and heads into the back with it.
“You’re welcome!” Christina calls out after him, then brings her eyes to me. “Guess what just happened?”
“Fuck’s sake, don’t make me relive it,” Charlie grumbles, scowling at his baby sister of three minutes. He follows Elijah, disappearing into the back, while I lean on the counter, waiting for her to continue.
“We stopped to get petrol, and there was this hot-ass guy in the car behind us.” She puts up her hand when I’m about to ask a question. “No idea who he was, and haven’t seen him around town.”
“Passing through?” I ask, which is probable. All the good ones usually are.
“I don’t know,” she says. “But I quickly got out to put petrol in before Charlie did, and he was fully checking me out. So I smiled and wished him a good morning.”
“And?”
“And he told me that I have a beautiful smile and asked for my number,” she says, smiling dreamily, her hand on her chest. Her smile suddenly turns into a glare. “He was putting my number into his phone when Charlie started beeping the horn. It was so embarrassing!”
