Page 20 of Fresh Tracks
He grabs a rag, laughing to himself as he polishes a wine glass. “I still can't believe you offered her a job. Way to be subtle there, big guy.”
“What happened to this being a safe space to talk? I didn’t order a side of judgement with my lunch.” The look I'm giving him is probably conveying that I wish there wasn’t a counter between us so I could tell him how I really feel about this conversation. “And I didn't offer her a job because of whatever crush you think I have on her. I did it because I wanted to help her.”
But Sutton is always going to be Sutton, enjoying himself at my expense. I swear he always has a playful joke or witty comeback queued up. “Yeah. Keep telling yourself that. And for the last time, I’m a chef, not a bartender. I don’t know how many times I have to explain that even if I bring you a drink and you sit on a stool at this counter, I'm not a bartender. So you don't just get to dump your drama and baggage on me like I am one.”
“I take it back. Thisisthe worst pasta you’ve ever made.” Istand, putting on my jacket. I take a look around the restaurant, seeing the lunch crowd has cleared out. “Now come on, let's go get a coffee.”
“How’s it going, Kelsey?”I say before looking up to the menu board at Cowgirl Coffee. I don’t know why I even bother though. After Veronica wouldn’t stop talking about iced Honey Badgers, I’ve been addicted to them. It's one of their speciality drinks with espresso, cayenne, honey, cinnamon, and milk. She was right. They’re too good and now I get them every time I'm here.
“Same old, same old,” she says, seemingly unamused by us and unfazed by the busy coffee shop around her.
She might be a Jackson local, but she's got the grumpy, edgy feel that would be right at home in a Seattle coffee shop. I almost feel honored that I even get a smile from her most of the time.
“Having your usual?”
I nod. “Plus whatever Sunshine back here is having.”
I step aside and when she sees Sutton, any sense of that soft smile from earlier vanishes. She rolls her eyes, enters something into the point of sale, and flips the tablet for me to pay before turning away to make our drinks.
I look over at Sutton with a questioning glance. He frowns, something I rarely see him do and mumbles. “She already knows my order.”
I look back to Kelsey, who’s facing away from us and making our drinks before looking back to him. "Do I want to know what that’s about?”
“Maybe, but I'm not telling you,” he says, his tone regaining its normal playful luster.
“Right. Whatever. I’m go—” A bright laugh from the back ofthe coffee shop catches my attention and I instantly forget what I was just thinking. I step to peer around the corner, but I already know who I’m going to see.
I freeze like a statue when I see Grace, facing away from me, her brother and Veronica on the other side of the table.
A hand rests on my shoulder and I feel Sutton peek around me. “Oh shit. Dude, she’s here. Go talk to her.”
I step back closer to the counter to wait for our drinks, hoping they didn’t see me. All the while though, I can still hear parts of their conversation.
I look at Sutton. “Didn’t you say I should avoid her because she’s very off limits and her brothers will kill me?”
He snorts a laugh. “Well yeah, then you spent all lunch telling me how bad my pasta was. And while I know that’s a lie, right now I kind of want to see you get your ass kicked.”
“One large iced Honey Badger and one black coffee with three sugars.” Kelsey hands me my drink with the same soft smile from earlier before glaring at Sutton and setting his down on the counter.
He carefully reaches for it like it might be poisoned and something about this entire interaction between them is instantly fascinating. I’m definitely going to give him shit about this later.
“Thanks,” he mumbles under his breath before looking at me. “Seriously, go talk to her."
I sigh. I guess Chap and V are there too and we’re all friends. It would be weird if I kept hiding from them.
“Fine. I will.” I look to Kelsey. “Please keep being mean to him until I'm back.”
Her soft smile turns into a mischievous grin. “With pleasure.”
I step around the corner and start to walk to their table. My eyes are fixed on her though.
Her long, colorful hair is hanging out from underneath her black baseball cap with her sunglasses resting on the brim. Ilearned in Bend that was her normal après ski look, much like her oldest brother.
But that's not what gets my attention. Even from behind, I can tell her posture is off. Her shoulders are sagging and she’s fidgeting with her hands in her lap, just like she was at the bar when her grandparents were peppering her with questions. And that’s when I hear her brother ask why she’s still in town.
Shit.
CHAPTER 9
