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13
Viv feltlike she was floating on cloud nine as she flipped the lights on in Brewed Awakenings bringing the coffee shop to life. It was still pitch-black outside because it was only four in the morning. Usually when she opened, she was fairly useless until at least eight. Her brain didn’t start functioning until then. But not today. Today she was firing on all cylinders.
Last night, after her evening on the deck with Glenn, she’d had an epiphany.
She was going to stop fighting her attraction to Glenn. It was a real, living breathing thing and she wasn’t going to deny it, or ignore it, or avoid it. She was going to embrace it. Whatever happened, happened.
As soon as she’d made that decision, it felt like the weight of the world had lifted off her shoulders. Life was about taking chances, risks. She was the jump out of the airplane and figure out the parachute on the way down kinda gal. That was why she’d been feeling so blue lately.
She’d been trying to be a new version of herself, which was good in a lot of ways. Being on time. Making sure to get back to people. Not flaking. Those were all characteristics she would continue to incorporate. But she was a rule breaker by nature. Yes, she’d had the No Kids rule and it had served her well. But that’s what rules did…until they didn’t. Just like laws.
In the ‘70s pinball machines were illegal in New York. So, yeah. Sometimes laws and rules become outdated. This was one of those times. Something was going on between her and Glenn, something she had never had with anyone before, and she was going to find out what it was.
The back door opened, and Carly walked in with sage. She liked to sage the store every day she worked.
“Morning!” Viv chirped brightly as she headed back to the office to grab the money drawers.
While she was back there she flipped on Spotify which played through the store speakers. Normally she didn’t turn it on until they opened but today she wanted some tunes.
When she came back with the cash drawers Carly was putting her bag under the counter. “You have such an amazing aura around you this morning. You are vibrating with life.”
Viv might not be into all the hippie-dippie stuff that Carly was, but she had to admit the girl knew her auras. She could definitely feel herself vibrating.
“Audrey’s coming back today,” Viv explained her glow. “I missed her.”
That was not the cause of her vibration but there was no way she was going to give the credit to the huge crush she was currently having for a gladiator. Viv had no problem kissing and telling, but she had no clue how to not kiss and tell.
Carly smiled and the two went about setting up for the day. The morning rush kept both women busy, and Viv had very little time to think about all things Glenn. But every single second there was a lull, or she was preparing a drink and not engaging with a customer, her mind went right back to the man.
The look in Glenn’s eyes as he’d stared down at her with so much emotion, it had made her heart explode in her chest right before they almost kissed.
The way Glenn had lifted his hand and rubbed his fingertips along her jaw. When she closed her eyes now she could still feel the feather-light sensation of a whisper of a brush of his work-roughened touch.
The fact that he’d told her that he wanted to box again. That one she had mixed feelings about. She didn’t want him to get hurt, for one, and for two, she’d seen the women that were in some of the pictures. She’d never felt jealous, protective, or territorial over a man before. Especially one she’d never even kissed. But that’s exactly how she felt about Glenn.
By ten o’clock Carly was grabbing her purse, done for the day. Viv had scheduled her for a short shift since Audrey was due back any minute.
“Here…” Carly dug into her purse and then handed Viv a light blue crystal on a string. “Take this. Hold it in your hands and let your mind drift to love, then put it around your neck. It will harness your light and keep it close to your heart and draw the love to you that your soul beckons.”
If a crystal held that sort of power, Carly wouldn’t need to work at Brewed, she could be a billionaire selling her love crystals.
Viv kept her skepticism to herself and accepted the gift. “Thanks, Carly Car.”
When Carly was gone, Viv opened her hand and looked at the crystal. She almost just put it in her purse, but then she heard her mom’s voice saying, “It can’t hurt to try.”
Cora Wells was the textbook definition of a hopeless romantic. She loved all things love. She believed in fate, in soulmates, and most of all in true, undying love. Even after her loser of a husband abandoned her with four girls ages five and under, Cora’s faith in love never faltered. She maintained that he was the love of her life until her dying breath. Literally.
“Okay, Mom. I’m gonna do this for you,” Viv said out loud.
She closed her eyes and held the crystal in her hand next to her heart. Even though she was alone in the coffee shop, she felt herself growing self-conscious but pushed those thoughts out of her mind. Instead, she did exactly what Carly had told her. She let her mind wander to love, and a certain man’s face popped up but she didn’t fight it, instead, she concentrated on infusing the rock with all of the energy in her body.
After a few moments, she placed the string around her neck and the crystal rested on her chest.
Well, that’s done. She thought to herself as she bent down to grab the table cleaner and a rag when the bell rang above the door. Viv straightened and saw Glenn walking in.
Holy shit. That crystal worked a hell of a lot faster than Uber or DoorDash.
Glenn hadn’t been to Brewed since the first day he showed up in town and came in looking for Bree. That was almost three weeks ago. Her heart started pounding wildly. This was the first time she was seeing him since her epiphany.
