Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 22788 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22788 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
“I have no idea what you mean by that.” She tried to laugh it off.
“Come on, Mae. This is me. I’m not just some random friend you barely know.” Emily stopped to take a long sip of her hot coffee. “This is so damn good.” She let out a little moan.
“I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“Tell me the truth. Do you have feelings for Caleb?”
Mae opened and closed her mouth, and she glanced around the small coffee shop. She missed being in her shop where she could give the excuse that she was busy and didn’t have time for gossip. She doubted her friend would believe her, but at least she would have some sense of peace.
“Do we really have to talk about this now?” she asked. They were out in the open for anyone to hear.
“Everyone is more interested in their own business. They don’t care what we’re talking about,” Emily said. “Is it really that hard?”
Mae pressed her lips together and then sighed. “I can’t get him out of my head. That is crazy, right? I mean ... this is Caleb we’re talking about, and I don’t want to be the pathetic woman that falls for him. That would just be crazy.” She tried to laugh it off, but the truth was, she was a little afraid. “Crap, I think I’m falling for him.”
She looked across the table toward her friend, expecting Emily to look worried, but it would seem her friend was happy about this.
“You’re smiling?” she asked.
“Yeah, because you’re finally acknowledging your feelings for him, and this has been a long time coming,” Emily said.
Mae was not going to second-guess her friend. “You knew?”
“That you had the biggest crush on this guy, even in high school? Yeah. Every time he was close, you always seemed to be staring in his direction, and you used to blush like crazy.” Emily chuckled and Mae’s mouth hung open. She was a little taken aback.
“Maybe I did have a little crush, and my mouth didn’t hang open at all.” She couldn’t believe her friend would even say that.
Of course, Emily just laughed, and she couldn’t help but join. It felt good to finally tell someone how she felt.
They finished their coffee along with their bagels. The sun was shining and even though it was cold, it felt amazing. They left the coffee shop, and had to go in separate directions. Mae pulled her friend in for a hug and was just about to say goodbye when she was nudged from behind. She turned and was surprised to see Natalie glaring at her.
“Watch where you’re fucking going,” Natalie said.
“Excuse you, but you bumped into Mae,” Emily said, moving between the two and stepping right up to Natalie.
The other woman looked at Emily, and she saw her hesitate. Emily was known for not taking any kind of crap. Mae was the same.
“You bumped into me,” Mae said.
She was known for being nice, and a bookworm, and pretty much keeping to herself, but Natalie was a bully. She’d been a cheerleader throughout high school, and always attempting to bully those she claimed were beneath her.
Natalie smirked, but Mae noticed she didn’t dare push past Emily.
“You think you’re something now that you’re fucking the town bad boy?” Natalie asked. “Well, I’ve got news for you, sweetheart. He’s using you. You’re nothing but a pity fuck to him, and when he’s had his fill, you’ll be just like the rest of us.” With that, Natalie turned on her heel and walked into the coffee shop.
That was a nice cold hit of reality.
****
Caleb was going through the latest bookings that had come through in the last twenty-four hours. They had gotten quite a few calls. Many of them were consults, as they were looking to have something custom-drawn.
He loved getting the visions of what customers wanted and bringing them to life. Pete had put their initials by each client. They didn’t poach from each other, and divided all the work equally between them.
Pete was currently in one of the rooms, working on a piece of ink from an out-of-towner. The customer just wanted his ink brought back to life. Over time, some ink faded, and he didn’t have a problem making it more vibrant.
He had just put the phone down and made another booking when Emily walked into the shop. She was a little red-faced, and that was not something he wanted to deal with. Emily’s wrath was legendary, although he had rarely seen it directed at her husband.
“Pete’s in with someone.”
“It’s not him I want to see, it’s you.”
Okay, this was not good. “Me?”
“Yeah, you. I just came from my date with Mae, and do you know who we bumped into?”
He frowned. “Is this supposed to be a trick question?”
“Natalie. Cheerleader, bitch of a woman, Natalie.”