Page 12 of To Love the Stars too Fondly

Alex nodded, though she didn’t seem convinced. “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but who was that guy to you? Cliff. Is he your boyfriend or something?” She paused. “Hopefully ex.”

With a pour of the milk foam, the latte was complete, and I set it proudly on the counter. “No, just a bad decision. I have a lot of those.” Yikes, I’d just admitted a lot with so few words. “I don’t have a boyfriend,” I added, but then came a Hail Mary pass that shocked even me as the words tumbled out of my mouth. “Or a girlfriend.”

Judging by Alex’s slight eyebrow raise, the message had been received. Whatever…it had been. Tension radiated in the ensuing silence, but I was both on the clock and….

I couldn’t. Not now. Not ever. Certainly not here on the counter—

Well, fuck.

Alex sipped at the to-go cup, immediately perking up. “I never drink coffee this late, but you’ve successfully charmed my taste buds. Congrats.”

“Glad to know my personal coffee skills are up to your standards.”

“I think I’ve more than proved I don’t have standards.”

I chuckled but shook my head when she pulled out her wallet. “It’s on me,” I said. “For yesterday. I really appreciate what you did.” When Alex’s expression softened, I couldn’t bear to see it. “Besides, making you a real latte was risky. Your taste in coffee is considered highly questionable among the staff.”

What a lovely sound, Alex’s laugh. Dusty and awkward, perhaps not often used. “I’m wounded, truly. I suppose you’ll have to pick for me every time.”

The clock said 8:40. Rain was falling outside, so I moved to clean the espresso machine. No one else was coming in. “If you don’t mind me asking,” I pressed, a mystery that had been plaguing me for years, “why do you come here? This seems a little plain for an heiress. And isn’t your mom a senator or something?”

Alex scoffed. “My name does come with some weight, but I’ve pretty much abandoned it. I work at the gym down the street.”

“You work at a gym?” I asked and narrowly bit back the follow-up of I thought you were rich.

“I co-own it, sorta. It’s more of a hobby than a job. Keeps me sober.” Alex shrugged as she sipped the latte, but the feigned nonchalance was painfully obvious. “My actual ‘job’ is managing real estate investments, but there comes a point where you essentially just pay other people to manage it while you reel in a paycheck. Not much for me to do. So, I’m both trainee and trainer at the gym.”

Oh, she was hella rich, then. Yet I still knew so little about her, aside from her poor taste in coffee and that her tattoos hid a hideous scar. “That sounds fun.”

“It’s humbling,” Alex said, though she kept her gaze to the drink. “What about you? Who is Terra when she isn’t my favorite smartass barista?”

I scowled at the backhanded compliment. “Terra Stern is a broke college dropout trying to find her place in the world. She lives with her mom in a two-bedroom apartment while working full-time to pay off her unfortunately considerable debts and apparently has issues with stalkers.”

I grabbed a damp rag and quickly wiped down the counter, hopefully for the final time, then moved to the nearest table, all while Alex watched and sipped her drink. “I know it’s not the dream, but are you happy working here?” Alex asked.

“I am. Barbs—Barbara is a good manager, and I actually have a real friend. Liam’s great, plus he’s married, so it’s never weird.”

“I was curious if he was your boyfriend. That explains it.”

I failed to hide my smirk, amusement rising. “Since you keep bringing up my romantic status, I’ll say it less cutely: despite my ill-advised hook-ups, I’m chronically single. Or perhaps Schrodinger’s single, because my romantic life is dead in a box—or is it?” Dammit, that hit a bit too close to home. I shook my head as I continued wiping tables, discarding straws and other bits of trash along the way. “Anyway, I’d be too exciting for Liam even if he were single.”

“Pray tell, what does ‘exciting’ mean?”

“Well, he has a husband and one more year left in his degree, after which they’re going to adopt babies and travel the world—his words, not mine. Whereas I dropped out of college but still attend college parties because I have nothing better to do.”

It sounded pathetic when I said it aloud.

But Alex chuckled from her place at the counter. “Been there. I get it.”

I was sure saying an awful lot…. It felt so natural. Alex even reciprocated, so I hadn’t stepped too far. Hopefully.

As I returned to the counter to grab a broom next, I caught a glimpse of her phone background, revealing a thinner Alex posing beside a small child. “Who’s that?” I said. “Secret love child?”

Before the impact of how risky that jab had been could truly strike—what if she actually did have a secret kid?—Alex smiled faintly as she shook her head. “Niece.” She swiped the phone screen back on, showing off the photo once more. “My sister’s a piece of shit, but she did make a very cute human.”

The kid could’ve been Alex’s, with her dark hair and matching eyes. But I was more keen to notice Alex’s bare arms—devoid of tattoos, scars, and any notable muscles. Still hot, but I could buy this younger Alex as a socialite instead of a gym rat. “She’s adorable. How old is she?”

“She’s three in this photo.” A pause; Alex’s expression fell slightly. “She’d be almost seven now. Guess it’s been a while.”