I bit my lip, considering. I couldn't blow off dinner with Killian, or it would turn into a whole thing, and I really didn't have the energy to deal with that.
"Maybe Saturday," I told him. "I have to see what my work schedule looks like, but I should be free."
He smiled at me, looking relieved, like he'd expected me to say no.
"Great," he said again. "I'll see you then hopefully. I'm off to go play with hot glass."
"Be careful."
"Always." Simon winked at me and was out the door with a wave, after dropping his change in the tip jar.
"You know," Amanda said once he was gone. "I don't know if all these guys are your lovers or what, but they tip well."
I blushed darkly and turned to stare at her. "All what guys?"
"You know who I mean. That guy and the one who's always wearing a suit. They come in here, they flirt with you, and they leave money in the tip jar. If you're playing the field or whatever, it's working out well for us."
I just gaped at her for a second, not even sure how to address that. Killian made a habit of leaving generous tips, but I was pretty sure that was just him needing to show off more than anything else. It wasn't because he cared or anything, probably. And Simon knew what it was like to work for minimum wage or less, so it probably meant more coming from him. But the most important thing was—
"I am not 'playing the field.’" I made the air quotes and all. "I have no idea what you even mean by that."
Amanda just smirked, looking unconvinced. "Right. Of course. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with weighing your options. Or having multiple partners if that's what you're into. If they're both into it, then live your best life, you know?"
I shook my head because I really didn't know, and she was closer to the truth than she even knew. "Amanda, they're just friends."
Her answering snort was heavy with disbelief. "Right. Sure. I'm just gonna say this. You might see them as friends, but I really doubt that's how they see you."
"How would you even know that?" I demanded. "You don't know them."
"I've seen them in here enough times. The fancy one even comes in when you're not here sometimes and looks for you. He still tips when you're not here, which means he cares about more than impressing you. It's kinda nice."
That was news to me. I knew the coffee shop was close to one of the many buildings Killian went to when he had to deal with his affairs and all, but I had sort of figured he only came in when he wanted to pester me.
Looking back, I could see how that was a little selfish of me to assume. Maybe he just wanted coffee. There was nothing wrong with that.
"Okay," I said. "That doesn't mean there's anything going on between us."
Amanda shrugged. "It doesn't, but I still think there is. It's none of my business either way, though, so don't mind me."
Don't mind her. It was easier said than done now that she'd gone and brought it up in a way I couldn't ignore. She went off to the back to get more beans for another pot of blonde roast, and I stood there like an idiot, trying to work through the complicated tangle of my feelings.
In a way, she wasn't wrong. Simon had feelings for me, and Killian was my husband on paper, so they were more than my friends. I'd thought I was doing a good job of keeping things casual when we were in public, but maybe I could have been doing a better job. Maybe I needed to tell them to stop coming in altogether if it was going to stir up gossip.
The last thing I wanted was for the careful compartments of my life to start bleeding into each other.
Not two hours later, I was wiping down the counter and getting ready to end my shift when the door opened and I turned to do my usual greeting, only to see Killian walking inside.
For once, he wasn’t wearing a power suit, and instead had on dark jeans and a long-sleeved shirt that was rolled up to his forearms since it was warmer outside than it had been in a while.
He glanced around and then smiled at me, coming over to the counter.
For crying out loud. Both of them in one day.
“What do you want?” I asked, which was a far cry from the greeting I’d given Simon, but considering the relationship I had with Killian usually, I thought it was appropriate. And we still hadn’t really talked about how the day before had gone and the way he’d been rougher and more intense than usual, so I wasn’t feeling like being smiley and open with him just then.
Luckily Amanda was in the back again, taking her break, so I didn’t have to deal with her knowing looks or whatever.
Killian just arched an eyebrow, seemingly unfazed by my less than warm greeting. He ran fingers through his hair as he came up to the counter.
“An iced coffee today, I think. It’s a beautiful day outside.”
I frowned at him, not sure what his deal was. He was never that cheery unless he had something to hold over my head, and I wondered if he’d gone to see Eve or some other woman to get back at me for the Simon thing.
I wouldn’t put it past him.
“Sure,” I said. “Plain?”
“Caramel.”
“Right.”
I rang him up and watched this time as he paid with his credit card but slipped a twenty into the tip jar anyway. No wonder the other baristas liked him so much, then, if he was doing that even when I wasn’t there.
Since I was alone at the front, I made his drink as well, pumping the caramel syrup in and adding the
