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She had her own online business for handmade wedding announcements and so on but had also taken a job working for our public relations department with our sister McKenna who headed that up. Before that, she’d been working here at the café to supplement her income from her online art business and kept the chalkboard menu bright and whimsical.
We were at the counter a moment later, and Hazel smiled at us. Hazel owned Spill the Beans Café with her best friend, Phyllis. I didn’t remember not knowing them, as this café had been around since I’d been a little boy.
“Well, hi there,” Hazel said, her warm gaze flicking from Rhys to me. “What can I get you guys today?”
“I’ll take a plain coffee, the darkest roast you have,” I said.
Rhys chimed in, “Same for me.”
Hazel began prepping our coffees, asking, “Anything to eat?”
Just then, a voice came from behind us. “I want something to eat.”
Rhys and I glanced back to find Blake there. Blake landed behind Rhys in our line of siblings. Seven of us were left after our eldest brother, Jake, passed away during his senior year in college from alcohol poisoning. Our family had some skeletons in the closet. Although I supposed none of them were secrets because most people knew. Secrets weren’t easy to keep in a small town.
“Hey, dude,” I said with a grin as Blake cuffed me lightly on the shoulder.
He greeted Hazel and Rhys before pointing out, “You didn’t answer Hazel.” He gestured toward her.
She chuckled as she handed me my coffee.
“I do want something to eat. Actually, why don’t we share one of those new pizzas?” I glanced back and forth between my brothers.
“Sounds good to me. I’m starving,” Blake replied.
“Fiona not feeding you well?” I teased.
Fiona was Blake’s new love and the chef at the Fireweed Winery restaurant.
Blake ran the production and distribution arm of Fireweed Industries, which was attached to the restaurant. In all honesty, the restaurant was basically a passion project. Oh, it made us money, but it was the smallest part of our business and managed entirely by the prior chef, David.
Blake cracked a grin, his gray eyes twinkling. “Fiona always feeds me well even though I try to make sure she doesn’t cook for me too much. But there’s a big event today at the winery, so I’m staying out of the fray. It’s not locals’ night, so it’s not my gig.”
Rhys and Blake shared the same coloring of dark blond hair and gray eyes, just like my twin brother, Adam. I got my dark hair and blue eyes from my mom. Aside from me and Wyatt, the rest of our siblings all shared the same coloring.
“Pizza works for me,” Rhys said.
Hazel handed him his coffee, asking Blake, “Plain house coffee?”
Blake flashed her a grin as he dipped his chin. “Always.”
Just then, a teenage guy came out from the back door. Hazel called over. “They want the pizza special today.” She looked at us for a beat, her gaze calculating. “I’m going to say they need two large pizzas.”
“Of course we do,” I quipped. “One large is not enough. That’s only eight pieces.”
“Just what I thought,” Hazel replied with a wink as she handed Blake his coffee.
“Just put that on our tab,” Rhys said.
We each stuffed bills into the tip jar as Hazel tapped on the keyboard on the register. She smiled at us. “Boys, you don’t all have to tip.”
“Yes, we do,” Blake returned.
“Especially if you’re gonna call us boys,” I teased with a wink.
She waved us away when the bell chimed over the door. I knew before I even looked over my shoulder that Quinn had just entered the café.
“Well, hey there, Quinn,” Blake said as he turned to smile at her.
