Page 24 of Second Chance Fate

Caleb pulled up to Brewed Awakenings, feeling more focused and motivated than ever, and jumped out of the Jeep. Minnie followed and headed inside with him. When the bell dinged above his head, he was surprised to see Viv seated on a stool behind the counter. She was a co-owner of Brewed Awakenings with her sisters, but since she started her own event planning company, Broken Nail, she’d cut back on her hours drastically. And since she was growing a human inside of her, she’d been in less and less.

“Hey, Viv.” Caleb smiled, hoping to mask his disappointment that Audrey wasn’t there. “How are you feeling?”

Viv glanced down at her belly and then back up at him. “It takes me twenty minutes to get up when I sit down. I can’t shave my legs. I don’t know what my feet look like, and my bladder is being used as a speed bag.”

He just nodded, not sure how to respond.

“I feel fucking pregnant; that’s how I feel.”

“Right.” He nodded.

“Don’t get me wrong, I am very grateful to be a walking incubator, but also I am sooooo looking forward to evicting this tiny tenant so I can sleep on my stomach again.” She rubbed her belly, then sighed a huge exhale. “I know it’s ridiculous to say sleep is one of the reasons I am looking forward to ejecting this pint-sized human because historically, brand-new people aren’t known for their good sleep habits.”

“At least you know you’ll have a lot of help. I’m sure your sisters are going to be lining up for auntie duty. Speaking of, is Audrey around?” Caleb usually had much smoother transitions than that. This mystery woman thing was really messing with his mojo.

“Nope. She was in this morning.” Viv lifted her chin toward him and narrowed her eyes slightly. “Why? What’s up, Buttercup?”

He turned toward the couchshehad been seated on in the photo. “She was talking to someone earlier today, someone I’ve seen around town but haven’t?—”

“Taylor?” Viv interjected.

Caleb looked back at her. “I don’t know. I’m not sure what her name is.”

“Blonde. Blue eyes. Bangin’ bod. Been in town for about, hmmm, six months or so, but no one knows anything about her.”

“Yes.” Caleb pointed. “That’s her.”

“Taylor,” Viv repeated with more confidence. “She starts tomorrow.”

“Starts what tomorrow?”

“Working here. Audrey hired her this morning.”

“She did?” Caleb was a regular customer of Brewed Awakenings. He already came in once, sometimes even twice aday, so he’d run into her completely organically. And she’d be here tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

Crap. He had to be in Sacramento tomorrow.

“Uh ohhhhhhh.” Viv’s eyes widened as she drew out the vowel sound.

“What?” Caleb felt a wrinkle form on his brow.

Viv had a flair for the dramatic, but he had no clue what had caused her alarm.

“I’m going to need to set up another single event prrronto.” She rolled her r’s.

“Why?

“To quote Queen B herself, for all the single ladies?”

“Single ladies? Why?” he questioned again.

Was she trying to set Taylor up?

“To quote another legend, Meg Ryan in Top Gun, there are hearts breakin’ all over the world tonight because Hope Falls’ number one bachelor is off the market.”

“What are you talking about?” He assumed she was talking about him, but that was a huge jump to make from him just asking someone’s name.

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