“That’s right. I still struggle with remembering all the state names. My teachers never pronounced them correctly either, so it was like a German-English collision.”
Avery gives me a strange look and says, “Were you born in Germany?”
“Yes, I lived there until I came out here to Hawthorne University.”
“Your accent is very faint. I didn’t realize it was there until now.”
I shrug. “I do what I can.”
It’s only then that I see movement out of the corner of my eye. Earl is shifting from one foot to the other, looking almost like he’s doing a strange dance. “I apologize for getting in the way of your rehearsal. Maybe their romance will be another Sweet Home Mississippi?” I say with a smile.
She laughs, which only makes me smile wider. “I think there’s a chance there. They’re not the same, but it might work.Happiness is more important than perfection, or the typical, commercialized kind of romance.”
That’s not the answer I expected. Then again, hearing her perspective hits me. I’m faced with marrying someone out of a mutual family contract, whereas she talks about love like someone who wants to believe in it, but either hasn’t had the opportunity, or has been jaded by a past partner. I want happiness and for a relationship to feel less like my career and more like living my life.
“What do you think?” she asks.
“To be honest, I haven’t really given it much thought. I’ve worked so much over the last ten years that dating hasn’t really been on my radar.” I can count on my right hand the number of times I’ve been set up with someone, and those have all been through my mother, who invited a friends’ daughter or niece to dinner.
Would I like to have someone to come home to at night, even if it’s later than a typical nine to five job? Yeah, that would be perfect. But part of me worries that if I marry someone on my terms, she won’t survive the backlash from my parents or will be using me for clout.
“So, you didn’t come to Penrose Beach to avoid a breakup?” she asks. “I was at the grocery store last night to pick up a delivery for Midge next door when I heard that one.”
I laugh at the idea of it. “Not exactly. Wait, people have mentioned me? I’ve only been here two days.”
“You’re the new guy, and people are wondering why you’re here before The Season begins. You better watch out, or you’ll have the old ladies trying to set you up with their relatives.”
“It sounds like these people need something to do,” I say with a laugh. “How did your meeting at Lila’s school go?”
Avery sighs. “A boy has been bugging her for a few weeks, and she got in trouble for retaliating. She’s working on a few extra projects around the apartment as penance.” She glancesover and sees Earl before turning her gaze to the tablet in front of her. “Oh, sorry. We got off track. What can I get you?” She grimaces before looking back up and making eye contact. Her eyes are brown, but there are hints of gold in them.
I swallow, taking a slight step back. There has never been a time when I noticed a detail about someone as small as that. “Just a regular coffee. Black.”
She raises an eyebrow, a smile tugging at her lips. “Are you sure?”
I glance around, confused, then think about my usual order. “I’m very sure. No additives since I started drinking coffee.”
“Okay, I just wanted to check. Some people have been trying different concoctions the past few days and don’t like them.” She turns to smile at Earl, who laughs. He turns to look out the window and then walks out of the shop altogether.
“Do I not look like a black coffee kind of person?”
She laughs. “I’m not sure.”
“Aside from Earl?” I say.
“Definitely aside from Earl. Poor guy is hoping to catch the eye of a widow in town, and I don’t think copying her drink is going to do it.”
“You never know. Most people like to know they’re not the only ones who enjoy something.”
“If you knew this woman, you’d know she won’t be impressed by copying a beverage.”
I nod, realizing we’ve had an entire five-minute conversation while I ordered my coffee, which is both good and bad.
Bad, because there should be people lining up around the block. Good, because Avery is so easy to talk to.
Avery tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, revealing little coffee cup earrings. She rings me up, and I hand her a couple of bills. She gives me the change before she fills a cup with black coffee. The smell is already helping me wake up.
“Thanks for coming in,” Avery says.
