Page 6 of By Any Beans Necessary

Michelle felt something tug inside her chest—a blend of compassion and curiosity. Had yesterday's encounter been a catalyst for this introspection? He appeared more grounded, a stark contrast to the Jeff she'd dated a year ago.

"Hey, if you can survive Michelle's glares, you can survive anything," Hunter teased, earning an eye roll from Michelle, which didn't go unnoticed by Jeff.

"True. Her coffee's strong, but her scorn? That's lethal," Jeff replied, his gaze flickering toward Michelle, a silent acknowledgment of their shared history passing between them.

A sense of familiarity washed over her. She found herself wondering about the man he had become, the one she saw sitting before her now. It would have been easy to overlook the subtle changes that had taken place over the past year if she hadn't been looking. It almost made her wish things had gone differently between them, at least, until she remembered how he dumped her so unceremoniously through a two-line text of all things.

"I don't know about that. Jenesa and Avery have become good friends with her. She's a pretty great person," Danny pointed out. "It's all you if you get on her bad side."

"I know," Jeff agreed, his voice softer than before. "She was always too good for me, and I only proved that by how I ended things between us."

"If I didn't know any better, I would think that sounds like regret, Jeff," Hunter pointed out.

"Can't undo the past, so it really doesn't matter. Besides, I have to admit her coffee is something special, and at least now I can finally come back in here and get a cup again."

Michelle couldn't help but blush a little at the unexpected compliment, her heart thumping in her chest. She remained quiet; however, pretending that she didn't hear the conversation, she was pretty certain Jeff knew she was listening to.

"Well, we better get going if we don't want to be late for the second day," Danny said as he stood up and stretched, prompting his K9 partner to jump up from the floor.

"Today is the first day we teach practical skills in the testing grounds. You better be ready," Hunter warned Jeff as he joined his friend with his own canine companion. "It's going to be grueling."

"Then I better finish this cup before we go," Jeff said as he threw back the last of his coffee before jumping up to place thecup in the dish receptacle above the trash can. "I'm going to need all the help I can get."

Jeff stood there with Winston at his side. His posture was less of a swagger now, more of a contemplation. Michelle found herself oddly invested in whether this change was genuine or another shift in the winds of Jeff Parker's ever-fluctuating personality.

Okay, so he's thinking. People think, she rationalized to herself, but there was a niggling sensation that urged her to keep watching—to see if the growth she glimpsed was real.

"Focus, Michelle," she whispered, turning her attention back to her work.

Yet, as Jeff's friends made their way to the door with their K9 partners by their sides, and it was just him alone against the backdrop of her coffee shop, Michelle's resolve wavered. Without fully understanding the impulse, she found herself calling out to him. "Hey, Jeff."

He turned toward her, surprise etching his features. Jeff's eyes met hers, and for a moment, his gaze lingered on Michelle, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "Yes?" he replied, his voice softer than she had ever heard it.

Michelle felt a flush creeping up her cheeks, but she held his gaze, determined to see this through. "I, uh, I just wanted to say that I'm glad you're back. And I hope, well, I hope you liked the coffee."

Jeff smiled a genuine, warm smile that transformed his face. "I do. I really do. It's the best coffee I've had in a long time."

Michelle felt a ridiculous surge of pride and happiness at his words. "I'm glad. Good luck today," she said, her voice steady despite the sudden fluttering in her stomach.

"Thanks, Michelle." His voice was vulnerable, lacking the usual bravado. "Means a lot."

"Doesn't mean I'm not still mad at you," she added quickly, the words tumbling out before she could stop them.

"Wouldn't expect any less," he chuckled, the sound reaching her across the distance, disarming her with its sincerity.

"Go on, get out of here," she teased, though her heart wasn't quite in it. "Don't want you to be late because of me again."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he replied, a half-smile playing on his lips as he turned to leave.

"Idiot," she murmured to herself, but her heart wasn't in that either. There was a warmth spreading through her, unbidden and unexpected. It left her questioning everything she knew—or thought she knew—about Jeff Parker and about herself.

The bell above the door jingled, signaling the departure of her ex as he reached his best friends. They breezed out the door with their trio of canines, their banter fading into the morning air. Michelle stood rooted behind the counter, a cleaning rag forgotten in her hand, pondering the subtle shifts in the man she once thought she knew so well.

Michelle busied herself with wiping down the already gleaming counter, her movements robotic as she kept a side-eye on Jeff, who lingered just outside the shop. The morning sunlight caught in his tousled brown hair, casting a halo of warmth that belied the coolness she once felt from him. She shook her head slightly, chiding herself for noticing.

"Really?" she muttered under her breath, her hands pausing their circular dance on the countertop. "Watching him like some angsty teen with a crush?"

"Everything okay, Michelle?" a regular called out, snapping her back to the present.

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