Page 47 of A Cup of Autumn
He pointed to himself before going back to work.
Raine made her way to Keaton, who stared at his phone. As she approached, he didn’t look up. She set his cup close to him and took out her phone from her pocket. “Must be something interesting.”
Keaton glanced up, smiled, and placed his phone face down on the table. “Catching up with our family chat.”
“Callie mentioned your video calls.”
He laughed. “They used to be our way to keep in touch with Callie. Now three of us are in Silver Falls.”
“Mind company?”
“Sit.”
Raine did.
He took a sip of his new drink. “Pumpkin spice milkshake?”
“We also call them frappes. Can’t use the ‘uccino’ ending because it’s trademarked.” She had to give kudos to the marketing department at the biggest coffee shop franchise in the world. “But customers do.”
He brought the straw to his mouth.
Hers went dry.
Anticipation. That was what it was.
Keaton’s face brightened. “I liked the others, but this is my favorite so far.”
Yes! She straightened. “There are more for you to try.”
“Can’t wait.”
Neither could she. He hadn’t brought his laptop bag with him. “Not working on your book today?”
“No. I’m celebrating.”
“What’s the occasion?”
“I submitted a job application for a position. I hope I get it.”
“You’re leaving the university where you teach?”
His posture went ramrod stiff. His face flushed.
“I, um…” Keaton took a sip of his drink and grimaced as if he’d gotten a brain freeze. “I lost my job a couple of weeks ago. Budget cuts wiped out my department.”
No wonder he’d shown up unexpectedly in Silver Falls. “That sucks.”
He laughed. “It does. I came to Silver Falls to regroup and figure out what to do next. My apartment was owned by the university, so it was either come here or move into my childhood bedroom at my parents’.”
“Well, I’m happy you’re here, and that the Boo Bash figured into your plans.”
“Me, too.” Keaton hoped she heard how much he meant it.
“Margot must’ve thought you needed something else to do like the Boo Bash—like applying for jobs and working on your book aren’t full-time jobs on their own.
“I can only spend so much time on each. She wanted to help you, too.”
“As long as it’s with the Boo Bash and not…”
