Page 16 of Jade Lion and the Witch Boy
CHAPTER 7- SEB
MY SHIFT ATBrew-Ha is a busy one. The morning rush typically lets up before the lunch crowd, but today it has felt like everyone in town needs coffee every ten minutes. I’m so preoccupied that hours go by and I don’t even think about…
“Kai?” I murmur. The man walks in through the front door, and daylight streams a silhouette around him. Time slows down as I take in his gorgeous figure. This morning I watched him conjure a corduroy jacket, a red-button down over a white tank, and jeans. Now he’s holding three large books in his left hand, and he looks so different than when I left him at the library. “Your hair…”
He grins and taps the back of his head. His dark hair is now cut short, framing his face in the most masculine, handsome way. “Oh yes. I noticed so many men have short hair in this era, so I cut it.”
He must have trimmed it with his claws or magic. “Do you like it?” he asks.
I’m suddenly at a loss for words. He was sexy with long, wet locks, but this dramatic trim is somehow more attractive. I don’t know how I’ll handle this six feet of temptation sleeping in my room.
“Wow, Kai. Don’t you look dapper with your new haircut!” Lisbeth approaches us with an empty tray. “Don’t you think it looks good, Seb?”
I nod, still dumbstruck.
“Thank you. Is it okay for me to sit and read in here?”
“Of course,” she replies. She leans in and whispers, “If you did that yourself, no one at the library saw you, correct?”
He shakes his head. “I used magic in the restroom on the way out.”
“Good man,” she says. “But don’t distract my best barista here too much.” She winks and wanders to the back to get more orders. Kai, meanwhile, takes a seat in a far corner. When he begins to read, my heart settles with contentment. He’s taken our suggestion seriously and is researching all the history he’s missed. A selfish part of me believes this to mean he’ll stay with us at Boysen House indefinitely.
Cool it, Seb, you’ve known him for twenty-four hours. He’s an all-powerful mage, and he’s trying to get his memories back. When the customer line forms again, I return to focusing on my day job as the unassuming Jade Lion hangs out in our coffee shop.
An hour of nonstop late lunch orders has me hustling to catch up. I’m making all kinds of brew and putting together sandwiches as Ashley and I trade off on the register. Lisbeth is making a bankroll run, so it’s on us to tend to the customers. I’m so preoccupied with cleaning a cup that I don’t notice the person placing a wad of twenty-dollar bills in the tip bucket.
My glee is short-lived when I look up to see the person who just contributed all the money. I frown and say, “Kevin.”
“Seb, baby. Working hard, I see.” He’s smiling with the kind of ease that only a rich, handsome, young man can carry. As always, Kevin is cocky, but admittedly, his spiky blond hair makes him appear handsome. We had some good times when I ran my fingers through those golden locks in bed, but those are long gone.
“Mhm,” I reply with a frown.He has the audacity to come to my place of work. I try to glance around to find someone to tend to, but alas, there are no other customers. I place the clean cupin the drying rack, wishing Ashley were here to distract me with anything.
“That massive tip is for you, my sweet thing.” He follows me when I go to the register, and I grit my teeth. Where was this affection all the times he stood me up for our dates?
“Welcome to Brew-Ha, sir. How can I help you?” I make sure he can see my gritted teeth. He is not welcome here, but I can’t let my shitty love life get in the way of the café.
“Oh, don’t be so formal, I just want to chat. That’s what people do when they’re in love.” He leans forward and grins. “And I still love you, Seb.”
I bristle. “I doubt you ever did.” A small part of me is thrilled to hear him say what I always wanted. Then I recall the night I told him off over the phone, how good it felt to cut him off. That was right before I met the Jade Lion.
“Don’t be like that, Seb. Remember all the gifts I got you?”
I flex my fingers on the counter. “I didn’t want gifts. I wanted someone to be there for me, to respond to my texts, to go on trips like they promised,” I say in a low tone. I shake my head. “Wait, what am I doing? I owe you nothing.”
Kevin huffs. “But what about all the money I just gave you?”
I quickly take the tip bucket and shove it underneath the desk. “Thank you for the tips, but if you’re not ordering anything…”
“Oh, don’t be like that, my sweet,” he says with another fake smile.
“Is there a problem here?” We both turn to the booming voice standing next to us. Kai is here, and he doesn’t look pleased.
Kevin bristles. “What’s it to you?”
“Kevin was just leaving,” I say firmly.
“I only wanted to chat with my boyfriend.”
