Page 14 of The One Who Never Left: Colter

Sutton blinked. "I just said white chocolate⁠—"

"You want white chocolate, go to Starbucks. I don't take orders, I read people. You'll thank me in about four minutes."

"That's—not how coffee shops work," she said.

"This one does." Jo leaned over the counter to look at Lynlee. "How about you, Half Caf?"

Lynlee pressed her sweaty little hands on the display case that housed all kinds of bakery goodies, her nose fogging up the glass with every breath.

“Can I haves a slice of that?” Lynlee pointed.

“The banana nut bread or pumpkin bread?” Jo asked.

Her mini-food critic poked her tongue out the side of her mouth, deep in thought. After much consideration, she exclaimed, “I wants pumpkin, cause orange is my favorite color.”

“Pumpkin it is.”

“I’m Lynlee and you’re Jo.”

Jo looked at Sutton, brow raised. “She can read?”

“I can spells too so trying to spells out dirty words will still cost you a dollar.”

“Good to know.” Jo looked genuinely unsettled, which Sutton suspected didn't happen often. “I’ll bring your order to your table when it’s done.”

Sutton handed over a twenty. When Jo passed back her change, Lynlee slipped a piece of construction paper onto the counter like she was presenting evidence to a very important judge.

“What’s this?” Jo asked.

“It two horsies.”

Sutton smiled despite herself. Horses were her emotional support animal.

“Two horses? Wow!”

“Uh-huh!” She presented a second drawing. “These are dragons. Parker says my dragons are the bestest dragons ever in the whole wide world!”

“I’ll bet they are. Do they have names?”

“Sparkleflame and Smiles, cause she smiles insteads of growling.”

“Well, these deserve to go up with the other art.” Jo pointed to a wall covered in pieces of art from local artists. “Come on.”

Before Sutton could even protest, Jo effortlessly hopped over the counter like a pro vaulter and Lynlee’s mouth fell open. She looked up at Jo like she had just witnessed an Iron-Man-level feat of strength and bravery.

Jo walked over to the wall, Lynlee following her in a near trance, feet barely touching the ground. After handing Lynlee a piece of tape, Jo hoisted her up on her hip and steadied the first picture with her free hand. Lynlee concentrated hard, tongue poking out again, as she pressed the tape into place. They did the same to the second one.

“Perfect.” Jo set Lynlee back on the ground. “I bet they’ll sell by the end of day.”

Lynlee wrapped her arms around Jo’s legs and swayed back and forth, all instinctive affection and zero hesitation. Jo froze, then gave an awkward pat to Lynlee’s head like she was unsure what the appropriate protocol was for spontaneous child affection in a public space. Tattooed, unbothered by nothing, and apparently allergic to being hugged by a four-year-old.

“Um, how about we have a secret handshake instead,” Jo said.

“What’s that?”

Jo launched into creating their own handshake, and said, “Tap-tap, spin, pinkie lock, and a dramatic double clap.” It took three tries but eventually Lynlee mastered it. “Now, point at me with two fingers, like you’re watching me.”

“How’s this?” Lynlee pointed to her own eyes, then Jo’s.