This isn’t a business merger—which I’m good at—but a people merger, which I sort of suck at. Hence the constant chaos when I was in charge and bringing in deal after deal. People require a certain delicate touch. Bring your biggest sword to battle with me because I’m going to destroy you has been my motto in the past. I don’t think that’s going to work with Eden, and it’s not because she’s small or sells coffee for a living. It’s because people are breakable. My sister is an example of that, and so is my mom. Men have done them wrong. I don’t want to mishandle things with Eden, so I’m taking my time, gathering my intel, and when the time is right, I’ll bring that ring into The Daily Drip and stick it on her finger. I feel like that time is coming soon.
Chapter Two Eden
I run the numbers again, hoping I'm wrong. How is this even possible? We’re busier than we’ve ever been before. I don’t understand. I have to be missing something.
“Okay, I think I got it this time.” Ryan sets a cup of coffee down on the desk next to me. I exit out of the screens I had open before he sees anything.
Ryan stares at me, bouncing on the heels of his feet. I love my brother to death, but he’s the worst at making coffee. He should stick to the baked goods, but it drives him insane how terrible he is at making a cup of coffee. I don’t even want to try it, but I know I will regardless. I mean, how much worse could it be from the last cup that he made me?
I pick up the coffee, blowing on it. I don’t see any grounds floating in it, so that’s a plus. The second the hot liquid hits my tongue I know it’s wrong. I can’t even fake it. Ryan’s smile drops immediately from his face, and he lets out a string of curses that I normally only hear when he’s playing video games late at night.
“I’ll stick to making the coffee and you stick to the bear claws,” I say with a laugh.
“This is bullshit.” He drops down in the chair next to my desk.
“Has the rest of the rush cleared out?”
He nods, sinking lower into the chair as he checks his phone.
“Yeah, looks like it. Why don’t you head upstairs and get cleaned up? I need to finish a few more things and then I’ll be home.”
He perks up at that. “Are you sure, E? I could stay and help if you need me to.”
I smile at him. I don’t know what I would do without him in my life. Sometimes I can’t believe how grown he is already.
“Get lost before I change my mind. Order us some Chinese food delivery, and we’ll watch a movie while we eat.”
“Awesome.” He jumps up from the chair, darting off toward the back stairs that lead up to our place above the coffee shop. I let out a long sigh, grabbing the cup of coffee and tossing it into the trash before I head up front to help Shelly break down for the night.
“Your Mr. Handsome was here again. You missed it. I think he was looking for you.” Clare wiggles her eyebrows at me. I roll my eyes. She’s being ridiculous.
“There is no way that man is looking for me.” Mr. Handsome, as we have all started to call him, has been coming in almost every day for months now. Sometimes he even comes in twice a day. He was already here early this morning. Not only is the man sexy as hell, but I’m pretty sure he’s loaded too. He’s confident without being cocky.
His custom suits and the Rolex on his wrist make it very clear that he has money. I’m actually a little surprised he gets his own coffee. A few times I’ve actually seen him pull up with a driver, but he always comes inside to get his coffee himself. He gets the same thing every single time. Coffee, black.
“Girl, he is always checking you out. Why else would the man be in here all the time?”
“Because I make the best coffee in town.” I smirk.
“Yeah, yeah.” She shakes her head as she closes out her register, counting all of the money before giving it to me. I take it to the back and put it into the safe to take to the bank tomorrow.
“All done?” I ask when I get back to the front.
“Think so.” She tosses a rag into the bin.
“I’ll let you out the front.” I head for the door, unlocking it.
“See you tomorrow,” Shelly says as she heads toward the subway. I stand there watching her until she disappears down the stairs. Stepping back in, I close the door and flip the lock back. I pause when I see a dark SUV parked across the street.
I jump, my heart lodging in my throat when my phone rings. “Get it together,” I tell myself before I pull out my phone to answer it.
“I’m back!” Lucy chirps into the phone. I smile, having missed her. I’m so used to seeing her almost every day. She’s been away on her honeymoon for the last month. “Mr. Handsome still around?”
“Is that really the first thing you’re going to ask me?” I turn the lights off, heading toward the back.
“It’s been a month! I was sure he’d make a move by now.” She huffs.
“You think love is in the air because you’re madly in love.” I set the alarm before
