AllFreeNovel
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It’s nearly nine o’clock, so the early risers have long since left, and those who come in for a coffee on the way to work have also been and gone. There are a few older couples and a younger couple who look like tourists, but otherwise it’s quiet and warm.
“Hey, Mack,” the Maori guy behind the bar calls.
“Morning, Jack,” Mack replies, lifting a hand. He directs me to a table by the window, overlooking the harbor and the ferries to-ing and fro-ing from the downtown piers.
“Can I get you a drink?” Jack asks, appearing at the table and holding out a menu.
“Trim latte in a mug for me,” Mack says, “and a veggie fry up.”
“I’ll have the same please,” I say, too nervous to look at the menu.
Jack nods. “Coming right up.” He walks off, leaving us alone.
I look around the café. Fairy lights twinkle above the counter, despite the bright sunshine. A Christmas tree sits in the corner, draped with red and gold tinsel, and hung with a set of decorations featuring kiwi birds wearing All Blacks rugby shirts similar to the one Mack’s wearing. The place smells of cooked food, warm muffins, and coffee. Slowly, my stomach begins to settle.
I look back at him. He’s sitting with one arm over the back of the chair next to him, watching me. His legs are outstretched, one either side of my right leg under the table. I get the feeling he’s the kind of guy who’s at home no matter where he is or whose company he’s in.
“Do you know everyone in Auckland?” I ask.
His lips curve up. “Almost.”
“How did you get the garage to come out today? We normally have to book weeks ahead to get anything done.” Then I realize how stupid I sound. “Oh, of course, money.”
But he shakes his head. “I’ve done a lot of favors for people on my way up. Phelps Automotive is part of a larger company owned by Pete Phelps. He’s got garages all over the North Island. Not long after I met him at Huxley’s, someone hacked into his computer and emptied his business bank accounts. He was able to get it all back on insurance, but he was terrified it would happen again. I took a look at his cyber security system and revamped it for him, free of charge. He was more than happy to help out today.”
“So it’s not what you know…”
“Kinda.”
Jack comes back with our lattes, then disappears again. I cup the mug in my hands and sip it, hoping the coffee will ground me. “This feels surreal,” I say, looking out across the water. “Last night, I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. And here we are, drinking coffee.”
“I can’t stop thinking about you,” he says.
Surprised, I look back at him. He’s not smiling. He looks perfectly serious. My stomach gives a flutter, and my face warms.
“But you owe me an explanation,” he continues, lifting an eyebrow.
“I know.” And I take a deep breath and begin to talk.
Chapter Nine
Sidnie
“It started a few months ago,” I say, speaking slowly. This isn’t easy for me. “My dad hadn’t been feeling well for a while. He had a pain in his pelvis, and problems peeing. He’d had it for a while, unbeknown to us. He went to the GP, who sent him to a specialist.”
I stop talking as Jack returns with our breakfasts. He puts the plates before us, then goes back to fetch ketchup and mustard bottles. “Can I get you anything else?” he asks.
“No, that’s great, thanks.” Mack smiles at him, and he nods and goes back to the counter.
I look down at the plate. It’s a great veggie breakfast—veggie sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, a fried egg, and herb-and-chili-flecked fried potatoes. “It looks amazing,” I tell him. “But I don’t know if I can eat anything.”
“Still feeling nauseous?” he asks.
“A bit. More because I’m… nervous.”
“What about?”
I stare at him. Is he serious?
