You Mocha Me Crazy (Coffee Loft: Fall Collection)

16. Bradley

Chapter sixteen

Bradley

“It’s a shelf for your mug wall.” I grin and point to the empty expanse above the back counter. “I figured it could go right there. Customers would see it when they come up to order, and you can showcase all the unique mugs you find.” It feels like my heart and lungs have paused, like some weird video game moment, waiting for her reaction.

Aurora’s eyes snap to mine. “Where did you get this? It looks expensive, Bradley. I can’t afford this.”

Heath laughs. “That’s a good one.”

I clear my throat. The last thing I want to do is embarrass her. “Why don’t you grab my tool box from the truck, Heath?”

“Sure thing.” He grabs the keys from my outstretched hand. “Where’d he get it?” He shakes his head and laughs as he pushes through the door to the street.

“What’s so funny?” Aurora asks, confused.

“It didn’t come from a store,” I say, tapping the top of the wooden structure. “I made it.”

She steps back and takes it in, looking at it as if it was the first time she’s seen it.

I’m pretty proud of this project. The exquisite walnut-stained shelf will be perfect for the back wall. I designed it so that hexagonal spaces, which match the design on the flooring, join together to make up the shelves where the coffee mugs will sit.

“You made this? It’s stunning.” Aurora runs her hand over the smooth finish.

I can’t contain my smile. “You like it?” I’ve been so nervous she might not like it. Especially because she didn’t have any input into the design.

She nods. “Of course I do, but I’m serious. I can’t afford this.”

“Sure you can,” I say, lifting it and moving it closer to the counter. “It’s a gift.”

Lacey claps her hands together slowly, gaining speed. “Well done, Bradley. Well done.”

Ashlan giggles. “That’s a grand gesture if I’ve ever seen one.”

I take a little bow, grinning at them. “Thank you, but it only counts if Aurora likes it.”

Lacey nods her head up and down like a bobblehead on a dashboard on a bumpy road. “She likes it. Tell the man you like it.”

Aurora waves her hand at them. “Knock it off!” She turns and faces me, an expression on her beautiful face that I can’t quite decipher. “Of course I like it. I’d be crazy not to. I just can’t accept it.”

“What?” Ashlan says, stepping in front of Aurora. “Yes, you can. The man went out of his way to hand-make this for you and your business. It would be rude not to accept it.”

I stand there, watching the two glare daggers at each other.

Finally, Aurora breaks eye contact. “You’re right. I just . . . No one has ever done something like this for me before. I don’t know how to accept big gifts. I’m sorry.” She looks down at her feet, the apples of her cheeks turning a sweet shade of pink.

“You deserve so much more than a shelf, Aurora,” I say, just loud enough for her to hear. “I just hope you’ll let me be the man to show you.” Stepping back, I grab one end of the shelf and gesture towards the backroom of the Coffee Loft. “Can I move this to the back until closing? When everyone’s cleared out of here, I’ll get it hung for you.”

“Oh,” Ashlan says. “She was just leaving for the day, but I’ll only be around until a little after nine. I can’t stay long after closing, though.” Ashlan wrings her hands. “Sorry.”

“I’ll come back and supervise,” Aurora says. “I just need to grab something to eat first.”

I turn to Aurora and smile. This night keeps getting better. “Is that right? Care to take me up on that rain check for dessert? Though, since you haven’t eaten, I’d love to buy you dinner, too.”

“Sure, that sounds good. Though, if you’re too tired, you can always hang the shelf another day.”

Heath comes back in the door holding the tool box. “Where are we putting it?”

“In the back for now. Care to meet me back here at nine to hang it up?” I ask. “I’ll pay you for your time.”

“Sure thing, boss, but you don’t need to pay me. Happy to help out. It wasn’t long ago I was trying to win over the woman of my dreams.”

My heart pounds fast in my chest . . . He’s right. I am trying to win over the woman of my dreams.

Heath and I move the shelf and tool box into the back, making sure not to knock any of the stacked boxes over.

“Sorry,” Aurora says, shifting things out of the way. “We just got an order in and I haven’t gotten it put away yet.”

“No worries,” Heath says, sliding the shelf close to the stack. “We’re used to having things everywhere.” He grins and follows us back through the swinging door to the front where there’s now a line of customers waiting for their evening caffeine fix.

“Here’s your coffee,” Ashlan says, handing Heath his to-go cup. “On the house.”

“Thanks. I’ll be back later.” He takes his drink and nods toward me. “First, I’ve got to take my girl to dinner.”

“Have fun. Thanks for your help.” I watch as Heath slips through the door. “Ready to go?” I ask. “I hear Beats and Eats has decent fried chicken and good pie.”

“Let me grab my purse.” She turns and disappears through the swinging door that leads to the back and the small office space I spotted a few minutes ago.

She comes back through the door, her purse on her shoulder. “Thanks, Ashlan. Let me know if you or Ember need anything. Her new-hire paperwork is filled out already, so tonight, just show her the ropes. I’ll be back by nine.”

“See ya later,” Ashlan says in between helping customers.

I push open the door, allowing Aurora to step out before me. “You look beat. Are you sure you’re up for dinner and staying to watch me put up the shelf? I’m sure we can get it done before Ashlan needs to leave.”

She shakes her head. “I can’t take the risk you’d run late. She has a son to get home to.”

“She does?” I ask. I’ve never heard her speak about a son, though to be fair, I haven’t spent a lot of time in the Coffee Loft getting to know the employees, either. Especially once Aurora asked me to stay away.

“I just found out today.” She looks at me with sad and tired eyes. “I wish she had told me sooner.”

I wrap my arm around her shoulder. “That’s my girl, always worried about everyone else. Who worries about you?”

She stops in her tracks. “Am I?” she asks.

“Are you what?”

“Your girl.”

Oh, shoot. It’s way too fast. We’ve only gone on one date—I refuse to count the bad one. “Well, I hope we get there. I’d like for you to be my girlfriend. It’s too soon, I know, and we’re just getting on good footing. I’ve got to be honest, though—I always considered you my girl. Even in sixth grade.”

She nods her head and starts walking again. “Okay.”

I take her hand in mine, and we walk together in silence until we nearly reach the truck. “I tried standing up to them, you know. Lauren and Miley? I told them to leave you alone, but they obviously didn’t listen. My mom said they were just jealous because I liked you and no one liked them.” I smirk at that memory.

“You did? I had no idea.”

I shrug. “We were kids. Just figuring out what attraction was, and all that entailed. That time was hard for us all in different ways, I think.”

She leans into my side, and I put my arm back on her shoulders. “I guess maybe you’re right.”

I help her into the cab and drive the few blocks to Beats and Eats. Normally, I’d suggest walking, but the weather has definitely gotten colder today. The ride passes in comfortable quiet. “I think we may be in for an early snowstorm. What do you think?” I ask as I park the truck.

She steps down on to the parking lot and tips her head back to look at the sky. “I think you may be right.”

After we’re seated and place our orders, deciding to forgo food and skip straight to dessert—s’mores cheesecake for me and cherry pie for her—I can’t help but ask the question that’s been rattling in my head since we left the Coffee Loft. “What do you want, Aurora? I think I made it clear what I would like, but you haven’t shared much about how you’re feeling. Do you think we might get to the boyfriend and girlfriend phase one day?”

She leans back in the booth and studies me carefully. “I don't know . . .”

She pauses, and my heart sinks. I’ll be happy just being her friend, but my heart will need some time to get on board because it’s clearly in her hands already.

“I never expected this,” she says. “But yeah, I think we could.”

Elated. That’s the only word to describe how I feel. “I’m glad. You know, once I got my license and a job, I started coming to Piney Brook every now and again, hoping to bump into you, but we never seemed to cross paths.”

She blushes and averts her eyes. “I avoided you,” she says. “I couldn’t risk Miley seeing us talking and add fuel to her fire. She really was awful. I couldn’t wait to graduate and go away to college. When I came back and she was gone, I felt like I could finally breathe.”

I reach across the table and put my hand on hers. “I’m sorry she was so awful.”

She shrugs. “I’m trying to let it go. Let’s talk about something else, shall we?”

We share dessert, each taking a bite from the other’s plate, and talk until it’s nearly nine. “I can’t believe they didn’t kick us out,” I say when I realize how much time we’d spent in their booth eating desserts and enjoying each other’s company. “I left a huge tip.”

She laughs. “I’m sure Patty will appreciate that.”

“Ready to hang up your new mug wall?” I ask, opening her door and helping her up.

“Yep.” She tries to stifle her yawn, but can’t. “Then I’m going home and dropping into my bed.”

I close her door and quickly get in the driver’s seat. “We’ll be quick.”

Heath’s already there when I pull the truck into the side lot. “Thanks for meeting me again.”

Heath smiles and rubs his hands together. “No problem. I know you’d do the same for me.”

True to my word, Heath and I have the mug wall hung, and all the mess cleaned up in under thirty minutes. “All set. What do you think?”

“That was fast,” Aurora says, yawning again. “It looks great! Thank goodness you’re done. I’m falling asleep sitting up.”

“How about you let me drive you home?” I suggest. “I don’t want you driving this tired.”

She shakes her head and yawns again. “Can’t. I have to be back here at five to open.”

“Okay,” I say, thinking quickly. “What if I drive you home and sleep on the couch? I’ll bring you back first thing in the morning and then head home to get ready for work. I’m usually an early riser, anyway.”

She stares at me, the “no” forming on her lips.

I raise both hands in the air. “No funny business. Seriously, I just want you to be safe.”

“Fine,” she says, yawning again. “But my couch isn’t that comfortable. You can take the guest room.”

I let out a sigh of relief. She’s bone tired, and I’d hate for her to fall asleep at the wheel and crash. “Perfect.”