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Ugh, Avery, you have no chill!
Me: Oh! You really don’t have to.
TG: You’re uninviting me now?
Me: No! I just meant I didn’t want you to feel obligated since I asked you. I understand you’re busy
TG: I’m not too busy to come see you.
Me: *heart eye emojis*
I press my phone to my chest and I know that I am visibly swooning right now.
I make it to the café and find street parking pretty easily despite the morning breakfast rush. WhileAvery’s is by far the bestandmost picturesque café, there are a few others down the block that compete for customers. There are six tables outside of the entrance that are full right now. Two moms with their strollers, two girls that look about college-aged, a guy on his laptop, a man and a woman who look like they may be on a date, and a girl reading a book all occupy tables with various drinks and breakfast dishes. I make my way inside and there’s a long line leading to where my mom is behind the counter along with the two college students she hired for mornings in the summer.
She has a staff of six, including someone who helps with cookingwhen my controlling mom feels the need to release some responsibility,two of the most chipper college students, an assistant manager, and an accountant. My job, for now, will be to assist everyone where they need help as I learn the ropes. Eventually, when my mom wants to step back and only work one or two days a week, I will fill her shoes. We also are talking about expanding so I would probably promote the assistant manager and assistant chef to higher positions.
I move to the back office and set my stuff behind my mom’s desk. I smile thinking about all the times I came here as a child and would sit here coloring or doing my homework as I got older while I waited for her.
“Hi, honey!” My mom pops in and presses a kiss to my cheek. “I saw you come in. You want some breakfast?”
“Maybe just a croissant. I drank the coffee you left in the pot.”
“Oh good, I was hoping you saw it. I do think Jordan is going to go on break in a few, so if you want to come help for a bit that would be great. I think you kids getting home from college has made us a little busier this week.”
“Yep. Let me just wash my hands.” I knew that there was a chance I was going to be getting my clothes a little messy today, so I opted for cream linen pants and a black v-neck wide-strapped tank top. My mom wanted the place to have a very Parisian feel so everything is black and cream, including the dress code. I pull my hair up with a claw clip and make my way out to the main floor.
It’s nearing almost two in the afternoon and I haven’t heard from Theo. Lucas has texted about having dinner later so I’m hoping that means we are moving past last night without rehashing it.Fine by me.But I haven’t had a chance to respond. We’ve been pretty busy all day and this has been the first lull in the rush. I’m actually sitting at a table with my laptop open doing some market research when the door flies open and the person I was definitely not expecting to see walks through the door.
My mouth drops open when I see Rebecca float through the room dressed like she’d just stepped off the runway at Milan Fashion Week. She’s wearing black shorts over a pair of sheer tights with her long lean legs attached to a pair of loafers, a black blazer with a white chiffon bow tied under her neck.God she is so fucking chic and it pisses me off.She’s been in Italy for the past few years, and has rarely come back, and even gave Lucas some half-assed excuse as to why she couldn’t even make it to his college graduation. She pushes her sunglasses to the top of her head and I notice her dark hair has been chopped into a short sleek bob and even that looks fucking good. She turns her head away from the counter to look in my direction, and when I try to avert my gaze she sees me and then she’s moving towards me.
Great.
“Avery! Oh my gosh!” I stand up just in time for her to wrap her arms around me. “Mwah, mwah.” She kisses my cheeks. “My God, you are more gorgeous every time I see you. You must have the boys fighting over you.”
“Rebecca! What a nice—surprise!” I laugh nervously as I cock my head to the side because I would definitely know if Lucas or Theo for that matter knew she was coming.They are both going to flip.
“I know! I figured it was time to come spend a bit of time with my babies.”
“Oh! Wow…that is…wow!” I put on my best fake smile becauseoh fuck.
“But I couldn’t come to town without stopping to get coffee first. I swear, the food here is just like it is in Europe. Your mom knows her stuff.” She scrunches her nose. “So, what’s new with you!?”
I’m sleeping with your ex-husband?
“Nothing!” I shrug. “I just graduated and now I’m going to be working here. Rebecca, you know Lucas is moving like…tomorrow, right?”
“I know. New York! So exciting. I actually have to pop up there before I go back to Italy. But I figured with this revelation regarding Raegan, we needed to have a family meeting.”
Family…meeting? Since when is that a Graham family thing and since when do you even consider yourself a part of their family?“Right…”
“I’m sure you know by now?”
“Well…I’m not sure.”What does she know?“I only know she’s seeing someone.”
“Oh my gosh, and she wants to marry this guy? I swear, if she’s pregnant, I am going to lose it,” she says with a huff. “Oh, Camille!” She waves and my mother gives me a look before giving her the infamous Camille Summers smile.
“Oh my gosh, Rebecca! Hiiiiii.” She smiles and I immediately drop to my table and text Theo and Lucas in a group chat because now is the time for everyone to be on the same page. I add Raegan as well.
