Kyrin swallowed whatever words were teetering on his tongue, and I took the silence as agreement. Dipping my chin at him in approval, I moved my attention back to my files.
“And throw that godforsaken card in the trash on your way out.”
Chuckling, he snapped his Volunteer mask back on. “Sure thing. I’ll be around if you need me.”
2
Ember
The scent of espresso, cinnamon, and warm pastries filled the air around me. The aromas here were one of the things I enjoyed most at Clove. The coffee shop was rather new, and the only one built within walking distance from my house. Between the aesthetic and the short distance, it took me all but one visit to fall in love.
Because of the popularity, Clove was always slammed. I probably should've considered this before coming in today. Even the familiar smells did little to ease my anxiety as I tapped my foot against the tiled floor. My eyes flicked up toward the counter and around the crowd of people waiting for their orders.Was I a patient woman? Yes. Was I about to be incredibly late to my job over a drink? Also, yes.
Adjusting the intertwined straps that hung off my shoulder as I fidgeted with the keys to the bookstore. My brown hair, the barely tamed mess that it was, fell around my face in loose waves as I looked around at the horde of waiting people.
In hindsight, I’d accepted the photoshoot this morning knowing I would be pushing the limit with time already. When I got the text asking if I was available to take pictures at a dog’sbirthday party, I assumed it would be quick. The owner ended up wanting their dog to change intomultipleoutfits, and I had, of course scheduled it right up against my evening shift.
Not only had I seen no rush in going straight there, but my fat ass also thought it was the perfect time to get a sweet treat. That was a sick joke because I didn’t even register the amount of people untilafterI had ordered.
I crossed my arms and straightened as the black leather jacket I wore made a strange sound. I prayed it hadn't ripped. This day was already shaping up to be a rough one, and I didn’t want to end it by being choked.
Well, not bymy roommateanyway.
“Excuse me,” I said, stepping closer to the counter where a barista stood. “Hi. Sorry to bug you, but do you happen to know how much longer the chai for Ember is going to be?”
He didn’t even have the decency to look up from the cups he was marking as he responded. “It’s in the queue.”
I blinked. “Okay. Well,” I gestured broadly to the crowd packed shoulder-to-shoulder behind me, “I’m just wondering if ‘in the queue’ means it’s coming up next or if I should just take the loss.”
That got his attention, because he looked up at me. Well, for a split-second anyway. “Can’t you see how busy we are. You aren’t special, lady. Go back in the line.”
My eyebrows shot up in surprise.
Oh hell no.
I wouldn’t have dealt with that on anormalday, andespecially not on a day like this one.
I yanked my bag from my shoulder and threw it down on the counter in front of me. The items clattered loudly against the white granite, but I didn’t care. The sudden movement claimed the attention of the patrons around me, so I exaggerated even more to make sure everyone noticed.
I pulled my purse to me and opened it to reach inside. The barista froze as he watched my hand search around, not exactly sure what to expect. After another moment, I raised my hand out and showed him exactly what I was looking for—my middle finger, which was now raised directly at him.
“Keep the chai and the money, asshole,” I announced, grabbing my things and hoisting them over my shoulder.
Ignoring his widened eyes, I walked to the door and glanced down at my watch.
Shit! I was definitely going to be late now, and it was all for nothing.
I huffed and pushed into the blinding sunlight. As I lifted my hand to shield my eyes, my phone started buzzing in my pocket. Groaning, I used my chin to keep the straps in place, one hand still raised against the glare while the other fished around in my pocket. My keys threatened to slip through my fingers as I fumbled inside my pocket, finally pulling my phone from the depths. By the time I answered, my voice was tight with anxiety.
“Hello?” I said on a quick breath.
A male voice answered. “Hi, is this Ember Vale?”
“Yes?” I replied, exasperation creeping intomy tone as I hurried down the sidewalk, desperately trying not to drop anything.
“This is Kyrin Solstice. I got your name from a friend. They said you’re good with photos and can handlenontraditionalshoots.”
His voice was deep, catching slightly on the second-to-last word. Curious, I stopped and resituated everything I was holding. I cradled the phone between my cheek and shoulder as I separated my bag, purse, and camera sling. “I mean”—my hip caught the corner of a brick wall, sending a sharp pain into my side. I sucked in a breath, my words coming out in a rushed jumble. "I do all kinds of shoots.” I let out a small sigh as the pain subsided and refocused on the conversation. “This morning I was even able to capture a Great Dane in a bikini. What exactly are you looking for?”
