by Amanda Tru
Drew stared out the window of his fifth-floor apartment. The city twinkled in Christmas lights below and reminded him of what Addi asked him at the coffee shop. He didn’t have any plans, not for this holiday or the next. His life, even from the vantage point of the window with the Currier and Ives view, didn’t hold much hope.
Kaylie had made it abundantly clear she wanted nothing to do with him, and he didn’t see many other women since he worked so much. The dating scene just wasn’t happening. Even the few times he ventured to church, he sat in the back row and escaped before he could talk to anyone. His brief conversation with the barista had been the closest to a friendly chat he’d had in a very long time. For as much as he wasn’t the chitchat sort of guy, it had been nice. Almost friendly. Perhaps the one person he’d blocked from his life needed a place in it, if only to slake his minor need for some semblance of companionship. Too much of his life was wasted on social media instead of face-to-face conversation.
He would have to draw a boundary with her though. She would have to understand that they could never be more than friends, and she’d have to understand it without his explanation. It was just too personal. He’d failed, and it had been on display for all his friends and family to see. Never again.
A ding from his phone distracted him from the window. As he picked it up, the little image of his mom showed on his screen. He swiped it to see what she had to say.
Mom: MaryAnn wants to know if you’re free for an evening next week. Her daughter is home from college.
Drew sucked in a deep breath and squeezed the bridge of his nose. His mom just didn’t understand he wanted no part of the setup. He couldn’t just relinquish control. Not now. There was too much at stake. He hadn’t dated in over a year, and even though he’d asked Kaylie, there was no urgency, no great desire for her to agree. Not really.
Drew: Sorry, Mom. I’ve got plans all next week. Big contract. Maybe some other time.
He fired off the text knowing that it didn’t matter how often MaryAnn’s daughter came home, he wouldn’t make time. Mom probably knew it, but the text would give her a valid excuse, one that sounded better than, “my son isn’t dating because he was left at the altar by an amazing woman.” The pressure between his eyes hammered him harder.
Just what was a guy to do? He’d made it all the way through college and hadn’t met any woman who wanted a quiet guy. Now he had his own company, doing well, and had thought he was on the road to wife, house, and family. Yet, the whole castle of cards had collapsed right on top of him.
His phone dinged once again.
Mom: I know you aren’t busy all week, but I understand. I know you’ve never been one to just date, but maybe it’s time to put the past where it belongs and start fresh. Don’t let one day ruin you.
His mother had always given sound advice, sometimes harsh, but usually wrapped in chocolate cookie sweetness that was as genuine as a diamond. Start fresh. Maybe he could do that, let go of a little control and start with someone he’d never met before. He smiled as he grabbed the pen and paper on his kitchen counter and jotted down a slogan: Past failures are still partial successes.
He’d learned a lot from Lauren. Now he knew where to begin.
Kaylie dug a huge spoonful of rocky road from the carton and closed her eyes with a groan as she sucked on the spoon. Its sweetness obviously more enjoyable to someone who never ate it than for Addi, who almost felt like she should leave the room to give Kaylie her private moment with her spoon.
“I’ve never tried this before, but you’re right, it’s amazing.” Her eyes rolled skyward once again.
They seemed to do that no matter what her mood—as if they had a mind of their own—and a little of the edge Addi had felt over that action lost its sting. “Yeah, me and rocky road have a long history.” Every time she’d set up a friend with a guy she’d wanted to date, every time she watched that same guy fall madly in love with her friend. Too many times to think about when Kaylie needed her. This wasn’t her night to reflect on past failures, but Kaylie’s. That’s exactly what would eventually happen with Kaylie and Drew. It was inevitable. Bring on more rocky road.
“So, what will you do now? You’re never single during the holidays.” At least Julien hadn’t left her on Christmas, but a Christmas party in front of all her employees could be construed as just as bad.
“I’ve been thinking about that. A friend of mine just signed up for a new dating site. They are doing a trial membership where if you sign up, you get access to the site for three days. That would be fast enough to find a Christmas date. If they have anyone signed up in this area, I could try. At least it’s new enough where the creepers won’t have signed up yet.”
A dating site wasn’t exactly how Addi had pictured her model-beauty boss would find her next victim. “But what about Drew? He’s right there and you already know him.” Though a big part of her wished he didn’t notice Kaylie at all.
Kaylie dug out another huge spoonful, and Addi flinched as she stuck it in her mouth and started talking at the same time. “I’m not going to date him. Simple as that. He’s a customer. Probably doesn’t even make as much as I do. Honestly, I want a husband who makes enough that I can hire managers at all three store locations and just be an owner. I’m tired of trying to run the shop and do everything else.”
Addi would be the last to point out that Kaylie’s parents really owned the store and managed the money, Kaylie was just their face in the office. She always said she did payroll, but her father’s signature adorned the bottom of the checks. Would Kaylie need someone wealthy enough to buy out her parents?
“How are you going to find a guy like that on a brand-new dating site?” She’d had enough of the ice cream and tossed her spoon into the sink, finally making Kaylie flinch. Addi’s favorite ice cream would never be the same.
“It’s all in the way you answer the questions. You might only get matched with one guy, but he might be the perfect guy. I don’t really care about personality, I just want a guy who has the means to help me maintain or even grow my business, and who won’t cheat on me.”
A sick, swirling feeling did a hula dance in Addi’s belly. “And what about you? Would you be restricted from cheating too, or just him?”
Kaylie rolled her eyes once again. “Whatever.”
That didn’t come close to answering her question, but she couldn’t make it any of her business. They weren’t close enough friends yet to push the issue. At least she wouldn’t ever treat Drew with such disdain. He didn’t appear to make enough money to satisfy Kaylie.
“I’d better go home. I may even sign up for that site tonight. Thanks for the pep talk. I owe you one. Maybe I could even set up a date between you and Drew.”
Addi’s heart rolled over itself. “No. I don’t think he’d go for that. I don’t even think he remembers my name.”
“It’s sewed on your apron. How could he not know it?” Kaylie stared at her, mouth slightly agape.
Good question, but she was still pretty sure he didn’t. She couldn’t remember him ever saying it. “I don’t know. He’s just not interested in me. Especially not when you’re in the room.” Addi grabbed the tub of ice cream and pushed the lid onto it. If conversations were always this uncomfortable with her boss, she wanted fewer of them, not more.
“It wouldn’t take much to make you look presentable, you’d almost be pretty with a little work.”
Heat stormed up Addi’s neck and into her face. “I work in clothes that are comfortable. I have to do more cleaning and lifting than you do, so I wear different clothes.” Not to mention most of her budget went to tuition. She’d been surprised her boss hadn’t mentioned the tiny size of her apartment, the scary guys that ogled and commented to them on the way in, or the gorgeous view of the next building over, three feet away from her own. The only thing to look at was the collection of alley cats that roamed between buildings.
“Well, if you ever want to attract his attention, let me kno
w. I’d be glad to help you out.” She clicked her nails as she stood and grabbed her shrug.
“What was the name of that site?” Maybe she could sign up for it herself. If she got three free days, she could make use of them. Someone had to be out there for her, a match.
“Something cute and short, let me think, maybe Betwixt2Hearts dot com? I’ll write it down for you tomorrow at work. Why? You thinking of joining? I wonder if I’d get a discount for giving you the name?” Kaylie laughed. “If not, I should. Free advertising.”
“I thought you said it was a free trial?” Her budget left her with no extra, tight, like ramen-dinner every night, tight.
“It is, but only for three days. You might need more time than that, but it seriously couldn’t hurt you. You need to get out more.” She grabbed her clutch and headed for the door. “Oh.” Kaylie turned back and took a deep breath. “Not a word about this to anyone else. I wouldn’t want it to get out that I was hanging around with my coworkers. It wouldn’t be fair.” She turned and left, the echo of the closing door as much a slap in the face as her words.
Addi slumped into her overstuffed couch and let her shoulders fall. “Don’t worry. I have no one to tell.”
A cool wind blew Drew’s jacket, and he shoved his hands in his pockets to keep it lying flat, his over the shoulder computer case bounced against his hip. Only a week until Christmas, and a cold front had settled over the little suburb of Grand River, Texas with well below normal temps, leaving the usually busy street barren. If he hadn’t needed his routine just to get work done, he’d have skipped going outside like everyone else.
As soon as he opened the door to The Bean on Main, the scent of fresh-roasted coffee warmed his nose. The Bean was one of the few stores in town that roasted on-site. While some people couldn’t stand the smell, he craved it. He closed the door and noted Addi in the exact location she always stood when he arrived. She was as much a creature of habit as he, and that satisfied him. Kaylie, on the other hand, couldn’t be found in her normal queenly perch behind the counter.
He took a moment to wave and offer a hello to Jack, another regular there in the morning. If he didn’t force his path away from Addi, she might suspect he’d noticed her, and he’d been doing his best to make certain she didn’t know.
Addi shot him a nervous smile, then went back to wiping the gleaming table. With the unseasonably cool weather, only two other people besides Jack sat huddled in comfortable chairs near the small fireplace in the corner, earbuds in, ignoring the world as they worked on their computers. Drew took off his jacket and hung it by the door as he always did, and by the time he made it back to his table, Kaylie waited for him with a strangely warm smile.
“Well, Drew. It’s been a while. How are you?” she gushed as if they were best friends and she hadn’t been avoiding him for over a week. It felt like a setup and his neck prickled to life.
“I’m, uh, chilly. Can I get a cup of your finest?” Not that he really wanted whatever was their finest. It probably consisted of some frou-frou concoction with caramel something-or-other that he would hate.
“Addi, you heard him. Get the man a coffee.” Kaylie waved a regal hand, and poor Addi scurried off to do her bidding. He’d never noticed just how Kaylie treated people around her. He’d thought she just treated him that way.
“Isn’t she just the cutest thing?” Kaylie tilted her head and cocked a smile like she would at a puppy, not her employee.
He glanced over at Addi, and her face couldn’t possibly have gotten redder. He wasn’t even sure how to answer her question. He couldn’t be honest and keep Addi at arm’s length where she needed to stay. Once you told a woman you didn’t find her hideous, you were practically dating. “Uh, sure.” He sat and unzipped his computer case, hoping that, like Addi, Kaylie could take a hint. For once, he didn’t want to chat with her.
“You know, she’s single.”
Danger!
His skin prickled to life as he felt Addi’s eyes lock onto him. Drew didn’t miss the audible gasp from the other side of the counter, even though she stood a good fifteen feet away.
“Are you trying to set me up with her?” The cold should’ve kept him at home. If it had, he could’ve avoided this mess. He hated confrontations like this, the kind where someone would end up getting hurt. Jack glanced his way, with wide eyes, and nodded for the door as he grabbed his coat and made a run for it. Smart man.
Kaylie held up one manicured finger. “Well, she certainly doesn’t have any other options—” She held up a second matching finger on her other hand. “You’re obviously single, or you wouldn’t keep asking me out.” She slowly moved the two fingers together. “It seems like the perfect solution to me.” Kaylie let her hands fall and drummed her long nails on his table, the clicking shivered up his spine. Addi appeared a second later and gingerly set his coffee down on the table. He couldn’t miss the extra sheen to her eyes, nor did he miss that she dashed away and into the bathroom before he could even thank her.
“That wasn’t very nice, you know.” While he didn’t know Addi personally, their conversation had been enjoyable last Friday, and he owed her for reminding him what pleasant conversation was like.
Kaylie rolled her eyes. “Tell you what. If you’re so tired of being single but have no interest in Addi, you should try that new dating site, Betwixt2Hearts. It’s new, and I think your first match is free, or something like that. The rules are on the site.” She stood up and fixed him with her icy-blue eyes. “Never know, might find someone just like me, only“ she raised perfectly plucked eyebrows, “interested.” She winked and sidled off behind the counter, pushing all the way to the back room.
It was so silent in the little café he could hear the faint music from the earbuds of one of the other patrons. When Addi emerged from the bathroom about ten minutes later, red-faced and hunched, he motioned her over to his table. He couldn’t let her go through the rest of her day feeling embarrassed over something she couldn’t control, namely, how her boss treated her.
She took much longer than usual to reach his table and gripped her little order pad tightly in front of her, pulled a pen from her apron, and refused to look him in the eye. She’d never even used that pad before. He hadn’t even realized she carried it.
“Can I get you something for lunch?” Her voice rang a little too high—crackly—and she cleared her throat as she glanced at the other two people in the shop.
“You don’t have to worry about them. They didn’t hear a thing, with their music on. I can practically hear what they’re listening to from here.” If a small joke didn’t work to make her less anxious, he’d just have to try a little harder.
Addi pursed her lips and tapped on her pad.
“Right, lunch.” She was such a nervous sort. He’d have to get her to sit for a minute and talk. “Yeah, I’ll have two ham and cheese sandwiches, with pickles. You pick the chips. The second sandwich is for you since I’m guessing you take your lunch soon, before the actual lunch rush.” He tried to catch her glance, but she kept scratching away on her pad. Her eyes didn’t even widen. Hadn’t he shocked her at all?
“I’m not allowed to eat out here. It’s against policy.” She met his eyes for just a moment, long enough to know it wasn’t that she couldn’t eat with him, she was just hesitant.
“I have a feeling if you asked your boss today, she’d let you. Since she just tried to set me up with you, apparently without your foreknowledge. I just want to talk to you for a minute. This isn’t a date.” Boundaries. He had to keep a wall up. A friendly wall, no barbed wire or anything, but it still had to be there. Fences made good neighbors. Why did making friends have to be so hard?
“Of course it isn’t.” She chuckled, but it sounded more like a strangled sob.
She ducked in the back but only for a minute before she reappeared and headed over to the sandwich-making station. He didn’t really want to eat at The Bean, but if it got Kaylie off Addi’s back, he could sacrifice one lu
nch with his new almost-friend.
Addi came over and laid down the two baskets, the chips, and a fruit juice. She’d chosen plain potato, his favorite if he had to choose. Salty, with nothing extra. Perfect. As she slid into the seat across from him, he noticed the soft dimples that accented her cheeks―and that when she allowed herself to smile, even in nervousness―it changed the shape of her whole face.
“You didn’t have to do this. I know you didn’t want to, so I paid for mine.” She picked at her sandwich but didn’t lift it from her plate.
“I don’t usually do things I don’t want to do.”
“You barely spoke to me before today.” She slid back in her seat, far away from her lunch, and him. He had kept a distance there—had been less than nice to her—simply because of her looks and demeanor. Too close to his past.
“Well, I guess that’s one good thing about your boss’s behavior, it got me to finally talk to you.” He smiled, but she didn’t return it. She twisted the top off the juice and took a long drink.
When she set it down, she held the bottle like a lifeline. “I’m sorry she embarrassed you. She had a tough weekend.”
Whether she did or didn’t, the woman didn’t have the right to treat her employees like the paperboard boat his sandwich came in. “A tough weekend? So, you’re friends outside of work?”
She stiffened, then frowned. “Does that surprise you? That I would have a friend as pretty as Kaylie?”
He knew she channeled her hurt at him because she couldn’t let it off anywhere else. Lauren used to do just the same thing when he’d meet her after a hard day at work. It was enough of a reminder to keep his feelings in check. Addi was cute and sweet, but he couldn’t get close to her. He wouldn’t allow it. “It doesn’t surprise me at all. People like her tend to need people like you, people who will let them be alpha yet take care of them when they get their feelings hurt.”
Her shoulders relaxed slightly, but she still made no move to eat. “Well, maybe her loss is your gain. She and her boyfriend broke up. Kaylie is officially single. But not for long. She’s been working on her profile at Betwixt2Hearts since she came in this morning.”
