Line: Alpha Billionaire Romance by Colleen Charles

Author:Colleen Charles [Charles, Colleen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-03-29T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 3

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Kelly gushed the minute I walked through the door of her coffee shop. It was Friday, and plenty of customers had bustled in to get their morning fix. A triple espresso with cream was calling my name. I couldn’t remember a shittier week. Well, I probably could, but I planned to take my internal pity party to the extreme.

Kelly and Pat’s coffee shop was one of the few independents left in Minneapolis. Everything else was either Starbucks, Caribou or swill, and they’d made a name for themselves with their aromatic flavor combinations. Sensations like Pecan Nut Pie Latte were all the rage. I preferred caffeine only. Shot down the back of my throat just like a needle straight to the vein.

Pamela, their favorite barista, was behind the counter orchestrating the various orders pouring in. I hoped I could find another Pamela with her hands flying through the air and a beautiful smile that never left her eyes. Customer service reigned supreme in any specialty café.

Kelly wiped her hands on a dishtowel and crooked her pointer finger at me so I’d follow her into the office. We entered and found Pat sitting behind the desk, feeding Codsworth soft kitty treats from the palm of his hand.

“Glad you’re okay there, Ally. You had us worried.”

“I had myself worried. God, that was all I needed the night before my grand opening. I’ve obviously had to delay it until everything’s fixed. I’m so sick to my stomach I feel like a walking puke factory.”

“You must be frustrated,” Kelly soothed as she stroked my arm.

I offered up a tight smile, then strode around the desk to stand beside Pat. I petted Codsworth on the head, and he rubbed up against my hand. Poor baby probably had no idea what the hell had happened to our home.

“Thanks for looking after him. One less thing I have to worry about is really good right about now.”

“No problem,” Kelly replied. “He’s been a little kitty angel.” She paused and studied me, then Codsworth. “So what’s the verdict?”

“It’s not a total loss. Just half of the kitchen. It’s fixable. It will take a while but I can’t afford to put off the opening for long, which is a total pain in the butt,” I said, walking to a chair in the corner and sinking down in it. “And you know the attention span of people these days. I’ll lose my buzz and probably not get another chance.”

My cat evacuated the desk and took up residence on my lap instead. I stroked his silky fur to sooth my frazzled nerves.

“Any idea what started the fire?” Pat grumbled the question in his usual dulcet tones.

I lifted a shoulder, answering the question I’d asked myself a million times. “My guess is a short or something, but I really don’t know.” I was so exhausted that I rested my head against the wall.

The honest answer was … I might never know.

The initial investigation didn’t reveal outdated electrical systems or arson and the fire wasn’t bad enough to warrant more digging.

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