Page 3 of Cedarwood Manny

Now Adrien had a divorce in his past, and he had Kyle and his practice. He should feel blessed. He had what he wanted in life. But he was lonely and scared. He’d hired Kelsi to be the parent he’d struggled to be because she’d gelled with Kyle. What if Adrien couldn’t find another nanny like her? He couldn’t reduce his hours at the office when he had to pay the bills.

A dull ache formed behind his eyes. He wanted to be happy for Kelsi and Mike. He wanted to keep a positive attitude about his son, but he wasn’t sure what to think.

No matter what happened, he wouldn’t accomplish anything at the office. His hours were over and even though he was on-call, he wasn’t chained to the building. He locked the front doors, then turned off the lights. According to Kyle’s daily schedule, Adrien had forty-five minutes before his son came home.

He should grab a coffee and allow the fresh air to clear his mind. He picked up his keys and shoved his phone into his pocket. Within moments, he left the office and strolled down the block to the Brews Brothers Coffee Shop. He loved the play on words and that Lee and Lorn were real brothers running the store.

The bell rang overhead as he entered the building. The strong scent of roasted beans lingered in the air, making his mouth water. The aroma soothed him, too.

He made his way to the counter. “I’d like a tall coffee. Plain, please.”

“Tall, dark and handsome coming up,” the barista said. “No caramel? Whip? Just plain?”

“Yes, plain.” The caramel and whip were bad for his teeth and he wasn’t wild about the added sugar.

She nodded. Seconds later, she handed him the cup. “Two dollars.”

“Add two more dollars for your tip.” Once she did, he swiped his phone across the reader and paid. “Thank you.”

“Thanks, Doc.” She fiddled with the register. “Refills are free today.”

“Aren’t they free every day?”

“On the regular roast, yes, but we’re offering free refills on the cappuccinos, macchiatos and everything else,” she said. “So, don’t leave before we top off your cup.”

“Will keep that in mind.” He turned on his heel to leave, but instead of walking away, he collided with a solid wall of male muscle. He grunted and heat seared him. From the man’s touch? No, from the coffee staining his shirt. “Fuck,” he muttered. “Are you injured?”

The man winced. “It’s not comfortable, no.”

He left his cup on the counter and retrieved napkins. The tips of his ears burned and embarrassment filled his brain. “Let me…” He dabbed the man’s chest. Was his face on fire? It felt like it.

“It’s not your fault.”

“I dumped coffee on you. It’s a miracle you’re not hurt.” He continued blotting. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” The guy closed his hand over Adrien’s. “Let me buy you a coffee.”

“I spilled mine on you. I should be buying you one,” Adrien blurted.

“Do that next time.”

He met the man’s gaze.Holy shit.He’d never seen such deep blue eyes. When the guy smiled, Adrien noticed his teeth. Nice, straight and seemingly clean. The man must practice good oral hygiene. “I love your teeth,” he said.Christ.If he was trying to be sexy, he’d failed.

“Thanks. I’ll tell my parents the years and cost of my braces were worth it.” He smiled. “I’m Nathan Gordon. You are?”

“Adrien.”

“Adrien the coffee spiller.” Nathan laughed. He took the cup from Adrien. “I’ll get fresh java and we can talk. Find a table.”

“Sure.” He should be on his way back to the office, not drooling over a younger man who might not even be gay. Why wasn’t he basking in his embarrassment and getting the hell out of there? Instead, he followed Nathan’s directive and selected a narrow booth along the bank of windows. He couldn’t chat long, but he owed Nathan some attention since he’d offered to purchase new coffees.

A moment later, Nathan showed up at the table. “Good choice. I like to watch the traffic.”

“Oh. It was open.” God. He sounded silly. No wonder Kelsi said he’d never get a date—he didn’t know how to make small talk with hot men.

Nathan sat across from him. “What’s wrong? If you’re upset about the coffee incident, don’t be. I’m not.”

“It’s embarrassing.” Among other things. When he met Nathan’s gaze, his blood sizzled. He wanted to say something intelligent and cool, but the words wouldn’t come.

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