Page 17 of Steeped In Problems

Tanner shrugged. “I know, but I do know what it looks like when someone gets knocked down and stands up anyway. Saw it on the force. Seen it in here with so many first responders.”

She wiped at her eyes, annoyed at herself. “I thought leaving him, leaving the hospital, would be a clean break. But he’s still in my head. Every mistake I make, every time I drop something, I hear him. Telling me I’m not cut out for anything good.”

Tanner said nothing for a long moment. Then, finally shared, “I used to be good at what I did, too. After the accident, Icouldn’t even make a sandwich without dropping the knife. It took months to do stairs without thinking I’d eat pavement.”

Kristy stared at him. “But you look fine now.”

He grinned, sharp and self-deprecating. “It’s all smoke and mirrors. You patch it up and move on. Some days, it works. Some days, not so much.”

They sat in the silence, not awkward, just shared. Kristy let the words soak in. She realized he wasn’t judging her. He wasn’t even trying to fix it. He was just...there.

She took a long, shaky breath. “He’s going to come back. He always does.”

“This is my place, which means I reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.”

She laughed, this time with some warmth. “What are you going to do, threaten to arrest him?”

“Only if he tries to mansplain how to prepare our lemon loaf again.”

She shook her head. “He’s a jerk but not dangerous.”

Tanner’s eyes flashed. “You don’t have to deal with jerks on your own. You’re not alone anymore.”

It sounded so simple. But it was the most radical thing anyone had said to her in months.

She pushed up from the chair. “I should get back to work. Daisy’s probably about to start a union if I’m gone too long.”

Tanner stood as well. “You good?”

She squared her shoulders and found her balance. “Yeah. Thanks.”

He nodded. “Anytime.”

They walked back to the counter together, and Kristy felt lighter than she had all day. She picked up a pitcher and went back to making life better, one cup at a time.

Chapter Six

Tanner prided himself on being first to the coffee shop. This morning, he went about his normal routine, opening the front door and clicking on the lights. But when he heard the familiar sound of Kristy’s humming drifting from behind the counter, he was startled. He found her underneath Daisy, curly hair bunched up in a bandana and cheeks already smudged with cinnamon. She didn’t notice him, not until he cleared his throat.

“You’re here before me.”

“Couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d get in here and do some detail cleaning,” Kristy explained, flashing a smile. “Daisy missed me, anyway.”

He didn’t smile back, but he didn’t have to. She went back to cleaning, and he made his way to the back to pay bills.

Then, at 6:01, the world changed. The front door banged open with a force that could’ve shattered glass if someone else was holding the knob. She was small, maybe five-three, and carried herself like she had diplomatic immunity from all social norms. Black hair, cut to her chin, with the kind of bounce that only comes from a salon or severe genetic luck. Her leatherjacket looked too expensive for Clear Mountain. Her boots, like they’d survived a motorcycle crash.

She paused in the entrance, scanned the shop, and zeroed in on Tanner like a missile. He stood behind the counter, braced for whatever came next.

“Hi,” the woman said. “You must be Tanner Blaze.”

“That’s me,” Tanner acknowledged.

He felt Kristy’s curious gaze from beside him and noticed she pulled off her bandana and patted her curls into place.

The woman smiled, sharp and fast. “Emily Merlot. Brave Badge corporate. I’m here to evaluate your location, make assessments, and provide recommendations.”

Tanner’s gut clenched. He’d gotten the warning from Joe Griffin—an “internal evaluator” coming to observe—but he had hoped it had been a bluff. Apparently, Joe didn’t make idle threats, and Emily Merlot standing in his coffee shop was proof of that.

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