Page 65 of A Love Like Christmas Time
“Kieran?” Caleb bends over with laughter, his forehead on my shoulder. Where did that come from?
“What?”
“You’re brave for giving him unsupervised access to your home, that’s all.” He keeps his head on my shoulder, and I snake my arms around his middle.
“Ah, what’s the worst thing he could do?” I shrug and lace my fingers over the small of his back. “Put googly eyes on my pictures? Steal my bookshelves? Turn everything upside down? Form an alliance with my cats to have me murdered in my sleep?”
“I mean, I wouldn’t put any of those things past him.”
“That’s okay. I’m sure there’ll be a time when I get to return the favor.” I grin. “And Kieran knows I can be meaner than him. If he doesn’t, he’ll find out. Now let me drink the rest of this perfect coffee before my cats stage a revolution at home.”
“Call me if they bring out the guillotine. I’ll come and save you.”
I flutter my eyelashes at him. “My hero.”
Chapter 25
Caleb
“So, who put you in a bad mood today?” Henry asks as I set his cappuccino down in front of him.
“Did you get up on the wrong side of bed?” Kieran adds, reaching down to scoop up Dick and hold him out to me as if he’s reenacting The Lion King.
The lunch rush is only now slowing down. Usually, Lauren would be waltzing through the door with that menacing grin on her face and a gingerbread syrup bottle tucked under her arm, wearing that ridiculous red coat that makes her look like Santa Claus’s daughter.
But alas, she’s on her way back to L.A. for whatever it is she has to do there. She did swing by this morning, almost giving me a heart attack when she waltzed through the back door as though it was the most natural thing in the world.
I didn’t expect it, but damn if it didn’t make my heart flutter.
And damned if that kiss she planted on me before leaving didn’t make me want to throw her over my shoulder and lock her in my apartment. I only let her go when Nic popped her head around the doorframe. She was apparently trying to catch Lauren before she left, wanting to join her.
The fact that Nic is travelling with her reassures me slightly that Lauren will be back soon. After all, Nic is so smitten with Henry that I’m surprised she manages to spend a night away from him at this point.
Yet I can’t help. There’s a tight knot in my chest that’s refusing to loosen. A tiny voice in my head that sounds suspiciously similar to my sperm-donor that keeps reminding me that she’s not here.
What if she doesn’t come back after all? If she realizes that she’s happier in L.A.? What if she’s just great at masking, the same way I never realized my mother was in a deep depression?
“I’m in the same mood as always,” I mumble, definitely gruffer than usual. “Put your dog back on the ground.” The two of them shoot each other pointed glances.
“Please.” Henry rolls his eyes. “Your face is extra murderous today, and you sound like you’d rather be anywhere but here. We’re your friends. Talk to us.”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I shoot back. Well, nothing I want to talk to them about anyway.
This anxiety is mine to handle. I know it’s ridiculous to be worried. Lauren will be back. She promised. My anxiously racing heart hasn’t gotten the memo yet. No, it thinks I’m five years old again, waiting for someone to come back who never will.
“Sit down.” Kieran pulls up a chair and pats the seat, worry written all over his face. “Go on. It’s called taking a break.”
“It is still the lunch rush.” I point behind me to the full room.
“I got it,” Henry says and jumps up, taking a few steps towards the counter. Then he stops and slowly turns back to us, shooting a longing gaze at the coffee I brought over for him. Dramatically, he tears his eyes away from it, turns back around and runs behind the counter.
I watch him, worry gnawing at me when he fiddles with one of the portafilters. “He’s going to destroy my coffee machine, isn’t he?”
“Please.” Kieran rolls his eyes. “Shawna’s right there. She’ll babysit him.”
“I think I should-” I make an attempt to get up again, but Kieran puts his hands on my shoulders and pushes me back down into the chair.
“Caleb, Caleb, Caleb, you seem stressed. Take a break. I know you’re probably heartbroken over two of your best customers not being in town today, but it’s time to move on and focus on what you have.” He scoops up his dog and plops him into my lap. Before I can react, I already get a flurry of golden retriever kisses.
