Page 1 of Game Changer
Chapter One
Tuesday, January 14, was the day Kip Grady learned that loud blenders and hangovers didn’t mix.
He hadn’t meant to drink so much last night, but Chuck and Jimmy had been in town and he hadn’t seen those guys in months. It wasn’t like he’d gottenwrecked. Hehadbeen aware that he needed to be at work at six the next morning, but he’d still managed to drink just enough to make the high-powered blenders his mortal enemy.
But he had a job to do. And that job was to make the best damn smoothie he could for the busy-looking woman waiting at the counter.
“Here you are, ma’am.” He tried not to wince as he handed the customer her order. “One Green Warrior smoothie with a wheatgrass shot.”
He glanced at the clock. Six-thirty. Jesus Christ.
There was no time to rest his head on the inviting pile of oranges that sat on the counter. The weekday morning rush at Straw+Berry tended to be steady right up until nine. Maria was working with him this morning, and that was cool. They worked well together because, while neither of them was particularly invested in this job, they took it seriously and did everything they were supposed to. Plus, she was funny.
“Which of these damn smoothies cures a hangover?” Kip moaned when the shop was briefly empty.
“Um, none. But allegedly the watermelon one.”
“Okay. I’m going to make myself a giant watermelon one with, like, five Advils in it.”
“I think you mean five ‘wellness boosts.’”
Kip did make himself a giant watermelon smoothie, and he did feel slightly better after drinking it. He tooktwoAdvil.
“So what were you up to last night, anyway?” Maria asked.
“Oh, just hanging out with some college friends.”
“Yeah? Are they cute?”
“Nah. I don’t know. Not my type.” Chuck was big, burly, and bearded. Jimmy was the complete opposite: short, slim, and looked about seven years younger than he actually was.
“Are they super-successful juice-bar baristas too?”
“Theygot jobs in their field. They’re both working in Boston. Business something? Insurance? Finance? I don’t know. They wear suits to work.”
“You wear an apron. That’s pretty great.”
“Yeah, I’m super proud.”
“And a ball cap with a little strawberry embroidered on it. Come on!”
Kip threw a chunk of frozen pineapple at her.
“Tell you what, Kipper. I’m going to be nice and do all the prep work in the back this morning so you can just rest your pretty head when the rush is over.”
“Yeah?”
“Yup!”
“You are the best and I love you,” he sighed happily.
“I know. Now look alive! We’ve got businesswomen coming in and they want liquefied kale!”
It was another hour of steady rush before Kip was finally able to enjoy the quiet that Maria had promised him. She went to the back room to chop fruit and vegetables, and he slumped onto a chair he had dragged behind the counter and pressed his face against the wall. It was a nice, cool wall.
He hadn’t even realized he had closed his eyes until he was startled by someone clearing their throat. Not aggressively. Just enough to let him know they were there.
He opened his eyes and stood quickly. “Sorry, sir,” he stammered. “What can I—?”
