Page 25 of First Bride to Fall
“Oh…” He scratched his chin. “Sometime in college. I’d been out partying with some friends, and later on they decided I needed coffee. Lots of coffee. Too much coffee…” He looked like he wanted to retch. “If you know what I mean.”
“Oh no, don’t say it.”
“Yeah. That coffee didn’t like me much, either.”
She could only imagine. “So what do you drink now?”
“Tea. And I go light on the booze now, too, for a lot of reasons.”
She suspected one of those reasons had to do with his dad, who’d had a drinking problem that all of Majestic knew about. He’d been kicked out of the bar at Mariner’s several times for surpassing his limit, even during daylight hours. An occasional caring soul had walked him into Bearberry Brews for coffee, where Nell’s folks had sternly instructed their staff to always treat the man with compassion. So she didn’t fault Grant in the least for his teetotalism. She wasn’t a huge drinker herself. One glass of wine on occasion nearly did her in.
Her mind tripped back over his comment about coffee.
“Wait.” She experienced a mild moment of panic. She hadn’t started a day without coffee in years. “There’s no coffee here, is there?”
“Ahhh. Sorry, no. I’ve got tea, though. And…” He winced. “Cocoa.”
She belly laughed at his expression. “I like tea, too. It’s just not—”
“Coffee,” he said deadpan, and she laughed again.
“You’re very funny.”
“Yeah? So are you.” He smiled and finished his lunch. So did she.
“Bearberry Brews is big on coffee, huh? So many specialties.” When Nell reflected on it now, the few times he’d come in, he’d ordered tea. She should have recalled that. “Do you have a favorite?”
“I do.” Nell giggled because it was one of their most decadent flavors. “Blueberry Cheesecake Pralines and Cream.”
“Wow. That sounds rich.”
“It is. And it’s worth every calorie.”
Grant smiled at her. “Any other favorites?”
“Coffees?”
“I mean in general, like…snack foods?”
“Easy. Popcorn. You?”
“Trail mix.”
“Figures.” Next, she asked, “Color?”
“Blue.”
“Green,” she replied.
“Holiday?” he asked.
“Thanksgiving!”
He shook his head. “Hands down, Fourth of July.”
“The Fourth of July?” she asked. “Why?”
Grant turned up his palms and grinned. “Everybody loves a parade.”
