Page 29 of Love Fast

“You heard right.”

“It’s been a while.”

He sighs and ignores her comment. “Can I get a coffee and some scrambled eggs?”

He seems grumpy this morning. Maybe I should leave him alone, but I feel like I should ask if he wants to come sit with me and Athena. He’s my neighbor and my boss; I don’t like the idea that he’s in a bad mood and doesn’t have anyone to talk with about what’s bothering him.

Once again, I shove down the voice of doubt inside. I slide out of the booth and head over to Byron.

“Hey,” I say.

He flips his cell so the screen faces the counter, and turns to me. “Hey.”

“Athena and I have a lovely spot by the window if you want to join us?”

He narrows his eyes. “Athena?”

“The cat.”

“Oh yeah. For a moment there, I thought you were sharing your waffles with a Greek goddess.” His expression is blank, like he’s not trying to be funny. Is it weird that I find him hilarious?

I grin. “Uh-huh.”

He shrugs. “It’s a good name for that cat.”

“Right?”

“Look, you don’t have to invite me to join you because I’m your boss and you’re worried you pissed me off. I’m not going to have you fired.”

“The thought never occurred to me until just now, so… thanks? But for one, you need all the staff you can get. And two… I don’t believe that’s who you are.”

Something passes between us. Maybe it’s an understanding that we’re not whoever’s hurt us in the past. Maybe it’s the clarity that we’ll never be anything more than friends.

“I’m sorry,” he blurts. His words pass through me like an unexpected static shock. Apologies were never readily handed around in our family. My mother wore the fact that she never apologized like a badge of honor. “I should have been more open about who I was—you know, that I own the Club.” He’s adorably awkward and suddenly seems ten years younger than the man who walked in here.

I sigh because I’m not sure he’s done anything wrong. We had a couple of conversations and an almost-kiss. From the outside looking in, Byron never owed me anything. But maybe he feels our connection as strongly as I do, because I appreciate the apology. It feels warranted, despite the short time we’ve known each other.

“It must have been a shock. Given what you’ve been through with Frank?—”

“Thank you,” I say, interrupting him. There’s no point in rehashing anything. There’s a line in the sand that’s been drawn and now we can both see it—there’s no reason to make this bigger than it is. “I accept your apology.”

His blue-green eyes draw me in, and I can’t help but smile at him. Just being near Byron relaxes me, makes me more confident. I’m going to need to keep a close eye on that line in the sand.

I lift my chin toward my booth and Byron slips off his stool. We take a seat opposite each other.

“I haven’t seen you in a few days,” I say, trying to sound breezy, like maybe I saw him, maybe I didn’t. Like I haven’t been thinking about him every minute since.

“Busy,” he says. “There’s a lot going on. Like you say, we need more staff. We’re trying to finish off the staff housing and implement health and safety protocols. Avalanche and storm procedures. That kind of thing.”

“It’s a lot of responsibility,” I say. Byron always seems so cool, calm, and collected, but there’s a lot resting on his shoulders. “How come you’re not living up there? The cabin is cozy and everything, but I’m betting the chalets are a little more luxurious.”

He shrugs. “I like the cabin. My chalet isn’t ready yet. Anyway, sometimes it’s nice to get away from the… pressure. Being the boss isn’t always fun.”

My stomach dips. The boss thing is an issue for both of us, it seems.

“I’ll move up there eventually. Staff housing and the last few chalets are the priority at the moment.”

“You’re going to live in a chalet like a member?” I ask.

---