Page 52 of Forget Me Not
“A mista-apologized?! Baby girl, with all due respect, what the fuck?”
“Aimi. I’m married.” She dragged out the last word, thinking her friend obviously forgot to pack her brain cell when she left for work, because that was not new information.
Pity instantly flooded Aimi’s features. “Oh, love.”
“Don’t look at me like that. I know, okay? I just…can’t do that to him. It’s only barely been a year—I shouldn’t have let it happen.” Her voice cracked.
“Syve.” Aimi leaned across the couch to tightly hug her friend. “I understand.” She squeezed Syve once and then let her go, sitting back into the cushions. “So, is it super-weird now between you two?”
“That’s just the thing,” Syve replied, wiping the inner corner of her eyes to wick the tears she managed to prevent from falling. “I freaked out, he changed the subject and then it was like it never happened.” She shrugged. “We’ve even been texting all morning and I was planning to take him coffee after this…”
“God you guys are so cute.” Aimi groaned. “Okay, I have to get inventory done. Let me get you a coffee for Butcher Boy and then you can get out of here—but you have to text me later! No more waitingdaysto fill me in on things! I’m too nosy, I’ll wilt away.” She swooned dramatically.
In no time, Syve was headed out the door, with an Americano in one hand and a deli bag in the other. Aimi insisted on sending the sandwich along, prattling about extra brownie points and how Bas never got coffee without one.
When Syve opened the door, hollering goodbye over her shoulder, she stepped right into a wall of a man. Unable to prevent it, a little of the espresso she was holding splashed onto the man’s crisp white shirt.
“I am so sorry!” She looked up and all the guilt she felt immediately faded. “Cyrus? What are you doing here?”
“What is it with you Timberfall girls and coffee?” he teased, wiping uselessly at his shirt. “I’m not here to cause any trouble, Doe Eyes—you can relax.”
She felt the blood drain from her body.
“What did you just call me?”
“Ah, so the pup didn’t tell you?” He stepped closer to whisper, “You and I have more in common than just a java addiction.” He pulled back, winked, and then slipped past her into the shop.
Bastien’s coffee would now be delivered with a side of interrogation.
Syve made her way across the street to Hal’s, carefully juggling the deli bag to push open the door. The shop’s namesake was standing behind the counter with Bastien, the two men appearing to be in the middle of a serious debate. Bastien was the first to look her way when the cowbell above the door rang out her entrance.
“Bambi.” His entire demeanor brightened as he made his way around the counter.
“Hi, Bas.” She smiled in return, adding over his shoulder, “Hey Hal!”
“Hey, pretty girl! What brings you here of all places?” the older man asked, leaning across the counter.
“I was leaving The Glass and thought I’d bring this one some coffee.” She shrugged as she handed over the coffeeand sandwich to Bastien, who was now standing just to her side. “I saw Cyrus, by the way. You failed to mention that heknows,”she whisper-hissed. Bastien had the decency to grimace.
“Shit, sorry Bambi, I wasn’t sure if he wanted me to share that—it’s okay though, he’sone of us,” he murmured back, booping Syve on the nose as he lifted the deli bag to inspect. “What’s this?”
“Oh, Aimi sent that. She said you usually get it with your coffee?”
Hal gasped and dashed from behind the counter to snatch the bag out of Bastien’s hand. “You tell Aimi she’s a real gem, will you?” he said enthusiastically, then leaned over and kissed Syve on the cheek. “You’ve just made my whole day!”
Bastien rolled his eyes.
“Not that you were having a rough day anyhow, I just agreed to close up so you could go home early.”
“You did, and Hattie will be very happy to have extra help with the ducks—but you still haven’t agreed to buy me out.” He looked pointedly at Bas.
“Buy you out?” Syve interjected, “Why would you need someone to buy you out, Hal?”
“I’m no spring chicken; I need someone to take over so I can retire—which I’d like to do by the end of the year. I’ve been trying to convince Bastien to be the one to do it. Maybe you can persuade him?” Hal raised an eyebrow at Syve, both of hers raising in return.
“I don’t know how I could do that.” She laughed.
“Hal, you really don’t have to tell everyone that you’re trying to bully me into buying.”
