Page 27 of It Never Was

"Yes, ma'am!" Willow salutes me as she scurries into action.

"You are running a tight ship here," Alvin chuckles at Willow's response.

"Yes, she does, Al. Works us to the bone." Willow pretends to drag her body as she fills the cup of coffee.

"Aww poor thing, you go easy on this pretty one," Alvin's head motions towards the counter.

"Aww, thanks Al," Willow coos as she aims her damsel in distress look his way.

"I think he was referring to me actually," a voice interjects.

Parker has resurfaced from the kitchen with more breakfast items in tow. I meet his eyes that are already on me once again. He needs to stop doing that.

"Well…" Alvin says, looking at Parker, "your new pastry chef is rather nice on the eyes. Looks like you have some competition for the prettiest employee, ladies."

"Alvin, we just met yesterday, and you are making me blush," Parker talks to Alvin like they have been friends for years. Does he do that with everyone? He probably does.

"Like I said yesterday, Parker, in another life you and I would have been beautiful." Alvin and Parker break out in laughter. Goosebumps spread across my body as I absorb Parker's laugh. His small chuckles were intoxicating, but his laugh…holy shit, it practically makes my knees buckle. Bracing myself with the counter as I grab the coffee from Willow, I take a second to gather myself together internally before placing the coffee in front of Alvin, who is in his usual seat,

"Here." Parker's voice is coming from right beside me now, making the hairs on the back of my neck rise in response. His hand reaches across me, grazing my arm as he puts a fresh muffin in front of Alvin right next to the coffee, I just gave him. My heart speeds up and my stomach almost launches into my throat as the shock wave moves through me. The warmth that invades my body at the smallest touch has me flustered. I don't look at Parker but continue to stand in front of Alvin, hearing Parker walking away to what I hope is the kitchen and away from me.

What in the fuck was that?

"Rye, don't look now, but your new pastry chef seems to like watching you work." Alvin winks at me and then looks over my shoulder at Parker. He did not disappear into the kitchen after all. My cheeks turn pink, and I push a strand of hair from my face behind my ear, feeling the flutter in my stomach. "And might I say, he would be a far upgrade from Devon, hmm." And with that, he brings his coffee to his lips, eyes following in sync to watch his coffee instead of my response to his remark. Only the faint turn of the corners of his lips hint to his humor in our interaction.

Alvin doesn't like Devon either…interesting.

Alvin never expressed anything about Devon all the times he saw him pop into the shop to see me at work.

By the time I turn back around, I'm still wearing the pink of my cheeks. Willow is already helping another customer who has come in. I am relieved to see that Parker is no longer up front, thanking the lord he doesn't witness the overwhelming ruffled state that I am currently in.

How many more hours of this shift?

How many more shifts till his presence doesn't have my nerves on edge?

15

Parker

Ryen is talking to another regular at the coffee counter, looking over the espresso machine as she preps their shots. The customer didn't even have to put their order in with the moody cashier, Chrissy, when they first arrived; she just saw them come in, and all they had to do was wave hello. She knew exactly what to make. The way she smiles at them and bites down on her full bottom lip is causing my mind to wander.

It should not be wandering.

I told myself this the minute I saw her look up at me from her chair when I came for my interview that I would not cross that line, not in the workplace. But when she looked up at me through her lashes, the look behind her deep green eyes made my whole body respond.

Fuck, she is drop dead gorgeous, and she doesn't even know.

How can she not know how absolutely breathtaking she is? The way she smiles at the customers, her voice, the way her eyes light up when she gets in the zone making coffee orders, and how everyone is drawn to her. I mean fuck, the way she was moving her body this morning when she didn't realize I had come in for my shift. Even the way she was sipping her americano as she started her movements in work mode with her friend Willow. There is no way she can't see all this.

But unfortunately, I know she doesn't. I can tell by just looking at her right now as she is fixing her apron to cover her body or how she lets the loose strands of her hair cover her face like she is trying to shrink and hide from the world as if she is unworthy. God, I want to tell her just how worthy she is.

You just started working here, Parker.

You just moved here, and you just met this girl.

Relax.

I just can't help but picture my lips on hers when she makes my whole body vibrate just by being in the same building.

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