Page 3 of Lucky Mother Pucker

“I apologize. I’ll have a talk with my employee.”

I walk over to the trash can to throw away my napkins.

“Lucy! Get in here!”

I whip around at the sound of the guy yelling at someone in the back room of the coffee shop.

“How many times do I have to tell you to check the dates on all dairy products before you stock them?” the guy snaps.

My brow lifts. Jesus. He’s a little intense.

I turn to look at him, but all I can see is his back. He’s standing in front of someone, but I can’t see her face. Just her shoulder and a ponytail of long, red hair.

When he moves to the side a little, that’s when I see her.

Damn. She’s really pretty. Big blue eyes and perfect, glowy skin.

She bites her plump bottom lip. “I-I’m sorry. I could have sworn I checked it.”

“Well, clearly you didn’t, seeing as I just served rotten milk to a paying customer.”

When he starts to lecture her, a pang of guilt hits me. I didn’t mean for him to rip into her like that.

I start to walk over to them. “Hey, you don’t need to go off on her like that,” I say.

He turns around to me, dialing back his angry expression. The pretty redheaded barista looks at me with wide eyes. A second later, she glowers at me. Shit. She’s pissed. I mean, I get it. I’m the reason she’s getting yelled at by her boss.

I open my mouth to apologize, but then my phone buzzes. When I see it’s a text from my sister, I check it.

Zoey: Hey, my car battery died. Can you give me a jump on your way to class?

Me: Jeff can’t do it?

Zoey: We had an argument, and he left.

Anger and frustration swoop through me. And protectiveness. I fucking hate my sister’s boyfriend. He’s a deadbeat loser who doesn’t deserve her. All he does is make her feel bad and start fights with her.

My focus shifts entirely to her. I head out of the coffee shop and walk to my car, which is parked in the front. I’m gonna be late to class to help her, but I don’t care. She needs me.

Me: Okay, I’m on my way.

Zoey: Thanks. Sorry about this.

Me: It’s fine.

As I drive, I quietly hope that my sister finally breaks up with him this time. He doesn’t deserve her. She’s smart, kind, and loyal. She has the biggest heart of anyone I know. She works at a daycare because she loves kids. Jeff doesn’t have a job. He’s not in school. I don’t know what the hell he does all day. He should be tripping over himself to help her whenever she needs him.

A sinking feeling hits my gut. I know she’s not going to break up with him. This is their pattern. They fight, then make up. It happens every couple of months.

I tug a hand through my hair and exhale sharply. What a fucking mess this day has been. And it’s not even nine in the morning.

I think about that barista getting chewed out. I feel bad that she’s in trouble because of me, but I can’t stress about that. Not when I’ve got a million other things to worry about.

Like how I’m gonna be late to class. And how I’m pretty sure my sister’s boyfriend is using her for a free place to live. And how I’m supposed to show up to some benefit with my dad in a month and pretend like we’re this perfect, happy father and son.

I tug a hand through my hair and exhale sharply. Whatever. I’ll figure out a way to deal with it, like I always do.

Chapter 2