“Why?”
“Because no one in this town wants to see you kill yourself working.” At my silence, she paused. “Is that hard to believe or something?”
“N-no.” Sometimes it was. “It’s just that I like being here.”
“And so do I,” she said while she clocked out. “Seriously, it’s not that big of a deal. Maybe when you ask Piper out, I can take over a little more.”
“Yeah maybe.” Then I realized what she’d said. “Hey, I’m not asking?—”
“Bye!” Kelsey was already running out the door.
She’d gotten me, and she would never let me forget it.
I let out a breath when I was alone, hoping Piper really did come in.
Someone did walk in right at her usual time, but it wasn’t her.
Instead, it was someone much worse.
Time slowed as I watched my worst nightmare walk through the door.
It had been eighteen years since I’d associated with my family. I’d left them the moment I was legally able to and never looked back. So far, I’d not run into anyone from my old life.
But that streak ended today.
Arlo was my family’s pride and joy. While he wasn’t related to us, he may as well have been with how much he was around. His lack of morals meant he would do anything my parents asked. He was everything I wasn’t.
And with the way Arlo’s eyes landed on me, I knew why he was here.
He’d found me. Just like I hoped he never would.
“Theodore Murphy.”
My full name hadn’t been uttered in so long, and I was grateful Kelsey wasn’t here to see this.
“It’s Theo now,” I said. My fists closed behind the counter. “Theo Murf.”
“Yeah, right. You’ll always be Theodore Murphy to me.” He laughed and his eyes raked over everything I’d worked so hard to build. “So, this is what you’ve been doing since you bailed? Working in a coffee shop in the middle of nowhere?”
“How did you find me?”
“This little place is pretty popular. Some blogger came in and got a photo. You were in it.”
Fuck.I was still not used to Strawberry Springs being of interest to anyone, so I hadn’t noticed someone coming in to take photos. If I had, I’d have made sure Kelsey was the one visible.
That itch hit me again, the one I’d almost given in to many times. I was never supposed to stay in Strawberry Springs for long, and I wanted to run.
“What? No love for your almost brother?” He laughed. “You act like I’m a criminal.”
“Youarea criminal. All of you are.”
Arlo’s smile faded. “So I see that you still think you’re better than us. All that judgment, and you’re serving people coffee in the middle of nowhere.”
“I want nothing to do with any of this. Get out.”
“I can’t get any coffee? What would your boss say?”
“Iammy own boss. This ismyshop.”
