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“Does he treat you right?” She thought about it for a moment. Cassidy had been struggling with her trust issues. She was wary of Jacob. She’d just been thinking that he had the power to hurt her, but that didn’t mean he didn’t treat her right. “That hesitation right there tells me no. But I could be wrong.”
“You’re intuitive. I wanted to give you an honest answer.”
“Hmm.” He nodded. “But if you couldn’t tell me straight up that you’re the centre of his world, maybe you need someone else to show you just how well you should be treated. And you still haven’t answered me.”
The young lady handed her a takeaway cup and Cassidy nodded her thanks. “Well, maybe you should deliver the coffee to Jacob and tell me whether you think he’s cute tomorrow when I swing by.”
“I don’t work Wednesdays.”
“Well, see you on Thursday then.” She turned on her heel and added a swish to her hips when she left the store, sending him a smirk over her shoulder as the door closed. A few steps later—out of view of the coffee shop—she paused and fanned herself, gathering her wits and pressing a hand to her belly to calm the flutters that had erupted. He was…. No wonder Jacob had been completely tongue-tied.
Now the million-dollar question was whether he was straight or if he liked a bit of variety. Cassidy hoped like hell he did, because Jacob was smitten, and she found herself wishing Phoenix would want both of them. She smiled, a skip in her step as she ordered a rideshare to get to her appointment.
*****
“Why do I do this to myself?” Cassidy had barely put the phone to her ear when she heard Jacob’s question as a groan in her ear. She couldn’t help her bark of laughter. “I got my coffee, thank you. Then I decided I needed another one, so I went to Grounds.”
“And?”
“I’m like a goldfish around him. Completely incapable of anything except opening and closing my mouth. I must have made an impression, though; he remembered my order.”
“I gave him your name, so maybe.”
“Oh no, not today’s order. Yesterday’s.” Cassidy clamped her hand over her mouth to stop the giggles from erupting. Jacob was funny and sweet and so completely adorkable. “I ended up with the same hideous concoction that I couldn’t stomach yesterday when I couldn’t even get out one simple word. How pathetic is it that I can’t even ask for an espresso? No, don’t answer that.” Tears ran down her cheeks, and Cassidy tried to breathe while laughing silently. It didn’t work. One inelegant snort later, and Jacob groaned again. “You think I’m just as ridiculous as he does.”
“No, I don’t think you’re ridiculous. It’s adorable how tongue-tied you get.”
“Great, I’m adorable.” He sighed, sounding pained. “Exactly what I needed to hear.”
“Would you rather handsome? Sexy? Fantastic in bed?”
“Keep going. I’m liking this.”
Cassidy laughed and rolled her eyes. “He doesn’t work tomorrow. But he’s back there on Thursday. Maybe work on perfecting how to ask for your order in the meantime.”
“Ha ha. Hilarious.” He paused for a moment, then asked, “How did you manage to find that out?”
“I flirted with him. You were right, you know. He is gorgeous.”
“Did he flirt back?”
“He told me he was working Thursday, didn’t he?” Cassidy didn’t want to go out on a limb and guess Phoenix’s sexuality, so she didn’t share the last part of their conversation, but Jacob jumped to the most obvious conclusion with what he’d been given.
“That’s more than polite flirting, so chances are he’s straight.” He hummed. “If I can get my brain to function long enough to do more than stare at him, one day, twenty years from now, I might be able to ask him if I’d ever have a chance.”
Cassidy couldn’t help her laughter. The more she talked to Jacob, the more the desire to maim him faded. She had to face facts. She liked him.
*****
“Hey, you.” Phoenix greeted her with a smile. “You must really like our coffee. A whole week of orders and deliveries.”
“Can’t go past good coffee.” Cassidy shrugged as nonchalantly as possible.
“And does Mr Espresso appreciate it too? He’s costing you a fortune.” Phoenix tapped at the screen, ringing up Cassidy’s usual, but she saw straight through the feigned casualness with which he asked the question.
“He does. He’s asked me to say thank you for delivering it personally too. You should stick around until he can get to reception to collect it.” She paused. “But anyway, do you get the weekend off, or are you working?”
“I’ll be here on Saturday. Will I see you?”
