I groan, covering my face with my hands.“Even when I try to be smart, I mess it up.”
He quirks a brow, looking over at me.“You really think that?”
A frustrated sigh escapes me.“Kind of.Yeah.It’s just…it’s been a lifetime of stuff like this.”I gesture vaguely toward the farmer’s market.“Sometimes I think I’m cursed.You saw me spill the drink on myself the other day.You can’t deny it—I’ve always been Chaotic Casey.”
He shrugs, grinning.“I like it.It’s…you.”
I’m not exactly sure what to do with that comment.I’ve never had someone say that to me before.I blink a few times, turning his words over in my head, trying not to read into them.I’ve only ever been not quite right enough for most people, so this is clearly an example of an old friend trying to make me feel better.
“I think I need some coffee,” I blurt.“It’ll be a while before I can get in there and move my car.”
“I’ll come with,” he says, checking the time on his phone.“If you want company.I’ve got some time to kill before I head east.”
“Where are you off to today?”I ask, grateful for the focus on something that isn’tme.
“Cleveland,” he says.“I need to check in with my physical therapist.”
“Even on a Saturday?”
“Even on a Saturday,” he confirms before pushing open the door.I slide out of the truck and head to meet him at the front.He towers over me, jingling his keys in his pocket as he scans the area.Sunlight glints off his freshly shaved face, allowing me to see the sharp angle of his jaw.The backwards ballcap is hiding the waves of his hair, which I’m desperate to see again after the grand opening at Piper’s barn.
“Let me buy you a coffee,” I suggest.“I want to repay you for how nice you’ve been to me.”
“Or I’ll buyyoua coffee,” he returns, “because you’re an old friend who’s back in town.”
“Okay but what if I buyyoua coffee—” I begin, but Griffin laughs, squeezing my arm as he directs me toward The Daily Grind on the corner.
“We’ll figure it out when we get there,” he promises.
“Oh, and don’t think I’ve forgotten about your honey,” I say as we fall into step together.My mind sizzles on the brief squeeze he’d given my arm.“I just can’t bear to face my trapped car quite yet.”
“Understood.”
“Besides, I left an application at The Daily Grind and the barista was weird about it so I just want to go peek if the manager is there,” I add.
Griffin slows, and I can sense his confusion before he says, “You applied for a job there?”
“Well, yeah.My sabbatical in Bayshore is because I got laid off, so…”
Griffin’s face creases with sympathy.“Damn.I’m sorry, Case.”
“It’s okay.I’m already on the job hunt for my next job in Chicago.”My voice sounds hollow to my own ears, but I hope he doesn’t notice it.“I’ve been reaching out to my marketing network in the city, seeing who has any leads.In the meantime, I want something for the interim here in Bayshore.To keep me busy and, you know, not go crazy.”
Griffin nods as we resume our walk to the coffee shop.“Where have you applied?”
“Pretty much every food and customer service position available in downtown Bayshore,” I admit with a laugh.“No callbacks yet, but it’s still early.”
“Have you tried Brews on the Bay?”he asks, scratching the back of his neck.
“No.That’s on the other side of town, right?I’ve never been there.”
“Yeah, it’s a newer place.Like part open air beach bar, part fancy cocktail place.It’s really cool.I know the guy who owns it, and he mentioned recently that he was looking for a new bartender.”
My eyes widen.I like the sound of everything he just said.I could do that job for the summer, and I might even have fun doing it.“Could you let him know I’m his if he wants me?”
“Absolutely.”
We approach the front door of The Daily Grind, and Griffin pulls the door open, holding it open for me.A puff of coffee-scented air greets me as I breeze into the shop, Griffin behind me.I begin walking quickly toward the front counter, where there’s no line, eager to order our drinks and pay before Griffin does.
