Page 47 of We Shouldn't Be Together
“Fred, just drive me home, would ya?” Drew complains.
Freddy ignores him, tilting his head to view me. “Pleeease, Tabby. Say you’re not mad.”
I groan at his constant need to have everybody like him. “Fine, Freddy. You’re forgiven.”
Freddy pulls back to sit properly in the driver’s seat. “Sweet. Let me know when you need a ride home.”
I wave my brothers off and keep moving toward Village Coffee.
“He’s needy,” Kai murmurs beside me.
“Don’t talk about my brother.” I push ahead, reefing open the coffee house’s door. “Either of them.”
I march into the coffeehouse and snag an empty table in the corner. I don’t need someone from school eyeballing me with Kai.
With a screech, Kai drags one of the café chairs backwards. He dumps his backpack down, pulls out his stuff, and then dumps the bag onto the timber floorboards.
He sits down and frowns at me. “Must you scowl at me?”
“What? Am I supposed to be jumping for joy at this arrangement?”
“It’s not my fault we’re here. Thank your brothers.”
“My brothers won’t take your crap.”
Kai huffs. “Oh, I’m aware.”
Soon, a server comes by to take our orders.
“Peppermint mocha,” I order.
Kai shrugs. “Can I just get a coke?”
“Sure thing,” the server says, scribbling on her pad and then leaving our table.
“A coke? This is, like, one of the best coffeehouses in the mountains. How could you just get a coke?”
He deadpans me. “And exactly how much coffee is in your fru-fru order?”
“At least it’s something the barista can make. All you’re getting them to do is open a bottle.”
He shrugs. “So, big deal? They probably like not having to go to any trouble.”
“Whatever, I’m not arguing with you.”
“Ah, you have been,” he says flatly. “You can’t say you’re not doing something when you clearly are.”
I lift a palm at him. “I’m trying to end the argument.”
“Yeah, right. You’ve said that before, and every time, you continue to argue.”
I plant my hands on the sides of my head, trying to squash the raging headache pulsating inside. “I’m not doing this. Just stop.”
When I lower my hands, a server comes by and places Kai’s coke on our table. “Thanks,” Kai tells him, and then nods at the space in front of me. “Looks like you have to wait.”
“Good things come to those who wait.”
“Sure,” he drawls. “How come you like this place?”
