Page 12 of Naked Coffee Guy
“Ew,” she squeals, but I can tell she likes it. Reason #433 why I can’t move in here. I’d have to see their cuteness every day while I’m doing my best to swear off men.
Even though the man I’m swearing off is now about to be my every morning eye candy.
But I’m happy for my friends and their serendipitous love story. They met for the first time the night Claire graduated high school. I’d been in the thick of my addiction at that point, and the terrible friend that I was, I abandoned her at a party where she knew no one while I got high in one of the bathrooms with some forgettable guy. I still feel twinges of guilt over that, but if I hadn’t, she wouldn’t have met Ethan. Then she wouldn’t have gotten knocked up and had Finn, who I swear is only the best kid in the world. Thing is, Ethan never knew since they didn’t speak after that one night. It had been a masquerade party, and they both played into the whole mystery thing by never revealing their faces, let alone their names. It was both weird and romantic.
The good news is, I redeemed past Maren’s mistakes by introducing Ethan and Claire just last year. Ethan is Nina’s cousin, and she had the brilliant idea to set him up with someone dependable and kind—in her words, boring—since the women he usually chose were more beauty than brains. But Claire is both beautiful and brilliant, and she had also chosen to live the spinster life rather than subject her son to a revolving door of men. Like Claire’s mother had done to her.
Neither one of us knew that Ethan was Finn’s real father. Now, they’re this disgustingly happy family…and I couldn’t be happier for them.
Except right now, when they’re being super cute and in love, and I’m still nursing a sober girl hangover thanks to my dilemma and new nemesis—super star real estate agent Mac Dermot. Even just the sight of his mug on the freeway billboard makes me want to gag.
Okay, maybe it makes me lust a little too.
“So, how are you going to handle Naked Coffee Guy?” Claire asks when she finally comes up for air.
“Wait, I obviously missed something.” Ethan makes himself even more comfortable at the table.
“Don’t you have work?” I ask him.
“When you own the bar, you make your own hours.” He smirks, kicking back, waiting for me to fill him in.
“He’s this guy who walks around shirtless and without shoes every morning in Nina’s neighborhood, carrying his cup of coffee,” Claire shared. “He’s also the same guy that Maren almost banged the first time she met him.”
“No, I didn’t almost bang him,” I corrected her. “I was actually making plans to not bang him in hopes of a second date when the bomb was dropped.”
Claire tilts her head at me. “I don’t know, though. It’s not like he knew he’d just sold your home.”
I know this. I mean, the guy was probably just doing his job. But it doesn’t change my living situation. Knowing he had a hand in the sale, I want nothing to do with it.
“It doesn’t matter. This was the only rent controlled place in all of Sunset Bay, and no other rents even came close. He had a hand in selling this place with practically no notice, leaving us all to scramble for a place to live.”
“But at least you have Nina, right?” Ethan asks. I shoot him a glare as he feigns innocence with a shrug. “All right, Nina is difficult, but she’s also very thoughtful and kind. You only know her as coworker Nina. Wait till you get to know my cousin on a more personal level. I swear you two will be best friends before you know it.”
“No she won’t. That spot is mine,” Claire says, shoving his arm. He laughs, then gets up.
“And that’s my cue to get ready for work.” He leans down and kisses Claire’s cheek, then leans down and does the same to me while I roll my eyes. “See you tonight?” he asks me.
I nod, giving him a cheesy thumbs up. I have a gig tonight at Hillside, one of my favorite places to perform. One, it’s fun to work at a place where you know the ownership, and two, it’s where I got my start performing live. I now have a small following of fans that frequent Ethan’s outdoor bar, ensuring my Hillside performances always have people singing along.
Finn’s school bus pulls up, and we watch as Ethan forgoes getting ready as he trots outside. He runs to his son and throws him over his shoulder while the kid struggles. I’ve never seen so much joy on Finn’s face in all the years I’ve known him.
“He really loves his dad, doesn’t he,” I murmur. Claire looks at me and smiles, her eyes a little misty. She laughs, wiping away the moisture before any tear has a chance to fall.
“Sorry, I’m such a sap. But yes, sometimes I have to check to see if I’m awake because I can’t believe how happy I am. Then there’s this small part of me that tells me to be cautious, because nothing this good can last forever.”
“That’s bullshit,” I say, and I wrap an arm around her shoulders. She leans her head against me. “You and Ethan were always supposed to meet.” And I mean it as I say it, but I hide the part that feels a little wistful.
Where is my someone?
“What kind of coffee do you think Naked Coffee Guy drinks?” Claire muses, then winks at me. It’s almost like she’s reading my mind. I nudge her just as Finn follows Ethan into the house, ensuring I have to choose my words carefully. Claire knows I judge guys on the type of coffee they drink because it also gives me a clue to what kind of lover they are. Too milked down, and they probably left their backbone at their mother’s house. Strong and dark, and I may not see the light of day for weeks, if you know what I mean. And no coffee at all? Probably a douche. Case in point…Brock woke up every morning with a Red Bull.
“Be good, ladies,” Ethan warns with a wink before heading to the shower. He obviously heard Claire’s question.
“Auntie Maren,” Finn says, throwing himself at my waist as I brushed away any thoughts of…coffee. Claire grins at me over Finn’s head, and I stick my tongue out at her.
“I brought you something sweet at the kitchen table,” I say, and Finn releases me and scrambles for his seat, tearing into the bag to find the last Danish.
“After homework,” Claire says, snatching it just before he takes a bite.