Page 45 of Naked Coffee Guy

“Spill what?” I ask, moving the clothes to the floor so I can actually sit. I kick off my boots, stalling to find a cover story as I feel her eyes bore into the side of my head.

“Spill why you’re wearing the clothes I saw you leave the house in after work, and who you were with this whole time.”

“I was with Claire, you know that,” I lie, “Besides, why are you all of a sudden acting like my mom?”

“I’m not, but I do want some dirty details. Come on, Maren, it’s not like you to have a slumber party at Claire’s.”

I contemplate playing it cool, keeping up this charade for…ever. But my body doesn’t get the memo, starting with the grin on my face. I try to smother it, but she pulls my hand away.

“I knew it! Just tell me his name, how good he is in bed, how long his penis is…”

“Meh, names aren’t important,” I say, ignoring every other question she asked. But if I want to keep the details under wraps, I need a distraction. Like the truth. “I did run into my sister, though.”

Nina’s eyes widen, and she gestures for me to continue. Nina knows about my past, and that I no longer talk with my family. So I share about how I saw Lydia, drunk off her ass, surrounded by predators.

“How did you get her away?”

I hesitate for a moment, recalling the way Mac beat down two of the guys before they all took off.

“I can be scary when I want to be.”

Nina stares for a moment, scrutinizing me. Then she nods.

“This is true. Hey, you want some coffee?”

Nina has just spent the whole morning in a coffee shop, and I’m still riding the high from that exquisite coffee at Mac’s, plus everything that came with it. But I’m also feeling the drama of the past twenty-four hours pulling at my energy. It’s either coffee or a long nap.

“That sounds great.”

I follow her into the kitchen as she jabbers on about the latest gossip, which is basically a rundown of our morning regulars because this is our life.

“Did you know Paper Guy has a boyfriend?” she asked, referring to the well-dressed guy who comes in every morning with a newspaper tucked under his arm. He always wears suspenders and a hat, which feels ironic since he’s got to be younger than us. But it’s the newspaper that really stood out, since no one under the age of thirty gets their news in print. Hence his nickname.

“And Strawberry Shortcake is back with that Scottish dude.” This is the red-haired girl who came in once wearing a dress with giant strawberries on it. “But they don’t live up north anymore. Apparently, they now live in Wisconsin.”

“What’s in Wisconsin?” I ask, only half listening as I look out the window. I can’t help wondering what Mac is up to right now. Is he thinking of me? Does he miss me?

“Bees, I guess,” she says, handing me my coffee, then peering out the window. “Oh wow! I thought he was a no show today.”

I lean forward, my heart pounding at Mac’s flawless half naked form making his way around the corner and up our street. Surely Nina can hear the thunder in my chest as Mac slows once he nears his house.

“Oh my god,” she murmurs.

Mac pauses next to my car, then runs his hand over the dent in the hood, as if he’s running it over a warm body. My body. Fuck. I love how he touches my car.

And then it hits me. He’s touching my car.

It’s like a slo-mo roll when he lifts his gaze to the kitchen window where both Nina and I are peering out like dumbass schoolgirls. We immediately move out of view, but Nina’s eyes are like saucers, and I can see she’s slowly putting the pieces together.

It honestly never occurred to me that he’d recognize it. But why wouldn’t he? It’s how he found me at Insomniacs, and now he knows where I live.

Nina peeks back out, and I can’t help but do the same.Mac is still there, and his face breaks into a grin upon seeing us. He points to the window and gives a slow nod, his crooked smile still in place. Then he turns and continues his walk. Meanwhile, my face is burning hot and probably a brilliant shade of scarlet.

“You slut,” Nina laughs, pushing my shoulder. “Of course it would be you that lands Naked Coffee Guy.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, twisting my coffee cup in my hands. When I look at her, she has a look of awe on her face.

“Right, and you’re also not wearing yesterday’s clothes and don’t look like you’ve been fucked sideways. You’re banging him, aren’t you?”