You Mocha Me Crazy (Coffee Loft: Fall Collection)

1. Aurora

Chapter one

Aurora

Excitement pulses through me as I push open the glass door of the Coffee Loft. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the hum of conversation always feels like home, but today, there’s an anticipation in the air. I look at my watch, relieved to see I’m not too late. “Hey, Ashlan. Thanks for opening for me.”

“Good morning, Aurora,” Ash says, wiping coffee grounds from the countertop. “It’s been steady this morning. Lacey’s already on her second cup over there.” She nods to the corner booth where Lacey’s surrounded by colorful brochures and stacks of papers.

As if she heard us talking about her, she looks up and spots me at the counter. “Aurora! You’re here, finally!” Lacey waves me over, her grin stretching from ear to ear. She waves her hands over the mess on the table. “I’ve been here for a while.”

I shake my head. “Of course I’m here. I told you I’d be here at nine.”

Lacey points to the clock above the counter. “It’s 9:20.”

“Close enough,” I say, stepping behind the counter to make myself my favorite White Chocolate Mocha Latte. “Besides, Ashlan was opening. I didn’t have to be up at the crack of dawn today.” I yawn, covering my mouth with my shirtsleeve.

Lacey laughs. “For someone who owns a coffee shop, you sure aren’t a morning person. Come on, Reid will be here soon, and I want to go over these plans again.” Lacey’s eyes gleam with excitement. “I’ve been up all night rethinking what I want. Look at these designs. What do you think?”

“I think you should have gotten some sleep,” I say, winking at her. I lean in and examine the pencil drawings on the table. “These are amazing, Lacey! I like the addition of the check-in area. That’s a great idea to keep the kids from running out of the building without an adult.”

“I was thinking of adding some little tables here for the parents who don’t want to be in the play area at the front. They can grab a coffee and danish from the Coffee Loft, and then have a seat and enjoy their treat while watching their kids.” She sketches a few round tables in the currently empty space. “Is it too much?”

I shake my head. “No, I think it’s all great.”

She sighs and leans back in the chair. “Do you think I’m crazy? This feels crazy.” She reaches for her coffee mug and moves to stand. “I’m getting another coffee.”

Laughing, I grab the mug. “I think that’s enough coffee for now. You already can’t sit still. Seriously, Lacey, this is a great idea and you’ve got some really great plans here. It’s going to be perfect.”

Lacey sits back in the booth and lets out a shaky breath. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous. I’ve dreamed about this for years, and partnering with you—joining the spaces—it’s better than I could have ever imagined.”

“We’re doing something special here. I just know it.” Piney Brook could use an indoor space for preschoolers to play. The only indoor playground is at the local fast food joint, and it often smells like pee.

Opening a learning space where kids can do art, play dress-up, take music and science classes at an age-appropriate level will be an enormous benefit to the community. Attaching it to the Coffee Loft is just icing on the cake. Parents won’t be able to resist grabbing a grown-up treat while their kids are playing. A winning combination . . . or at least, that’s what the financial advisor my dad hired to go over the plan said.

“Absolutely,” Lacey agrees. “Here’s to the Coffee Loft and Matti’s Playhouse—the start of something extraordinary.”

Just then, the door chimes and in walks a man who’s dressed to the nines in an impeccably tailored suit. Its sharp lines emphasizing his broad shoulders. He’s handsome in a conventional way, and I wonder why I haven’t seen him before. Quickly, I run my fingers across my lips to make sure I’m not actually drooling.

“Reid,” Lacey calls, jumping up from her seat and waving. “Over here.”

Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome makes his way over to our table. Figures he would be the guy that Lacey says is in love with her friend Briella.

One of these days, my prince charming will walk into the Coffee Loft and sweep me off my feet. I just know it. Apparently, today is not that day.

“Reid, this is Aurora. She’s the owner of the Coffee Loft.”

“Majority owner,” I interrupt. Dad’s an investor, and a partial partner. I was hesitant to agree to involve him at first, preferring to stand on my own two feet, but his business knowledge and experience has turned out to be incredibly helpful.

“Aurora, this is Reid. He’s the best architect in the county.” Lacey points to the empty booth across from me and gives me a pointed look. “Sit, I’ll get you a coffee.”

Reid slides into the booth and smiles. “It’s nice to meet you, Aurora.” He glances at the table and his eyes go wide. “I see you two have been doing some pre-planning.”

I laugh. “You could say that. Lacey’s been agonizing over what she thinks will be the perfect layout.” I wave my hand over the table. “As you can see, she’s been busy.”

He chuckles. “I see that.”

Lacey walks up and sets a coffee mug in front of Reid before sliding into her seat with a glass of water. Thank goodness. If she has any more coffee, I’m afraid she’ll be bouncing around the dining room like a jumping bean.

“So,” Reid says, after taking a sip of his coffee. “Why don’t we walk through the space next door first? Lacey, you can tell me what you’re thinking as far as layout. We can decide where the best place to create the connection for the two spaces will be, and we can go from there.”

Lacey grins. “Sounds good!” She slips out of the booth and gathers up the papers and brochures she’s laid out, tucking them under her arm.

“While you two do that, I’ll be in my office doing payroll.” I slide out of the booth and wait for them to move toward the front door.

“Oh, no! You need to come,” Lacey says. “We need to figure out the best spot to put the doorway. You heard the man.” She pauses and sticks out her bottom lip. “Please?”

I shake my head. “Did you learn that one from Matti?” Lacey’s boyfriend, a doctor, has guardianship of his four-year-old nephew after a tragic accident left him all alone, and she’s his nanny. Little Matti is just adorable, and I love when he comes into the Coffee Loft.

“Hey, don’t knock it,” she says, laughing. “Matti gets away with a lot just by poking that little lip out.”

“I’m sure he does, ya big ole softy.” I sigh and look around for an excuse. It’s not that I don’t want to be there for her, I just don’t think I need to have input on her side of the business. My eyes finally meet hers, and I cave. “Okay,” I say. “I’ll come.”

“Yay!” Lacey says, doing a little dance. Her excitement is contagious, that’s for sure.

“I’ll let you lead the way,” Reid says, motioning for us to go ahead of him.

Lacey talks a mile a minute about her different ideas as we walk towards the front door. I’m laughing when, through the window, I spot a well-built man with a head of sandy blonde hair and broad shoulders across the street. My heart stutters in my chest. I don’t know that I’ve ever had such a powerful reaction to a man before, let alone one I’ve only seen from afar . . . and across a street.

The handsome man turns, giving me a better view of his face. He looks so familiar. I squint my eyes and try to get a closer look. It looks just like a grown-up version of a twelve-year-old . . . No way. It can’t be! My stomach knots in panic. This cannot be happening. Why is he here? He turns his head toward the café, and I drop to the floor on my hands and knees.

Please don’t come in here.

I start to crawl out of the walkway when Reid, distracted by Lacey’s chatter, snags his foot on my leg and goes down. Hard. Narrowly missing falling right on top of me by spinning around to land square on his bottom, his legs dropping heavily on my back.

“What in the world?” Lacey shrieks, spinning around and seeing us both sprawled out on the checkered linoleum. “What happened?”

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” I say, trying to assess the damage and wiggle out from under him.

Reid groans, moves his legs, and pushes to standing. “Aurora, are you okay? I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there.” He brushes himself off, and pulls his suits coat sleeves down before reaching a hand out to help me up.

“What are you doing on the floor?” Lacey asks, her face a mask of confusion. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine,” I say, frantically trying to think of a reason I’d be on the floor. “I thought I saw a piece of broken glass. Mr. Sanders dropped his glass yesterday, and you know you can never get it all.” I take Reid’s proffered hand, push to my feet, and brush my hands on my jeans. “Looks like it was a trick of the light.” I risk a glance out the door and am relieved to see Gorgeous—I mean, Bradley is nowhere in sight. “Sorry about that, Reid.”

“It’s okay,” he says, looking over the floor. “Is it safe to keep moving now?” His face reflects the confusion that’s rioting in my head.

I nod. “Yep,” I say, popping the p. “Let’s go.” How can I be attracted to Bradley Jameson? I shudder. No way.

Reid chuckles, the sound startling me. “It seems we’re all jumpy today.”

Lacey grins. “No more dropping to the floor without warning. You’re gonna give someone a heart attack, or a broken neck.”

I laugh, grateful for the tension to be broken. “Let’s get back to work,” I say. “We’ve got a dream to make come true.”