Messy Perfect Love by Claire Kingsley

Author:Claire Kingsley [Kingsley, Claire]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

18

Clover

My orientation at work goes well. Natalie is just as pleasant as she was the first time we met. The café is pretty standard. I’m not supposed to be working, officially, but I jump in and make coffee when a line forms at the front counter. Hunter has lunch while he waits for me, and Ryan joins him.

Natalie shows me around and introduces me to Harold, one of the cooks. I fill out the employment forms, then she sends me on my way with my schedule for the coming week. It isn’t quite full-time hours, but she says she’ll be able to work me up to it. She has me working early mornings, which suits me well. I like being done with my workday in the early afternoon, so I have my evenings to myself.

Hunter drops me off at Cody’s, insisting he and Ryan will handle my car. I hate the idea of them spending their free time dealing with my problem, but they’re so easygoing about it—and they don’t listen to my arguments, taking me to Cody’s place despite my protests. There isn’t much I can do. A couple hours later, they pull my car into Cody’s driveway. Hunter’s face is triumphant when he tells me he fixed the problem. He won’t even let me pay for the part he bought, telling me with a wink that I can just give him my employee discount when he comes into the café.

My plan to cook Cody dinner went down the drain, but he brings takeout and we curl up on the couch together with dinner and a movie. My head is still reeling from everything his family did for me, but he acts like it’s nothing. I’m filled with gratitude, but I hate feeling indebted to them—and to Cody.

I have to work early the next morning, but Cody’s still worried about my car, so he gets up and drives me. Natalie shows me the opening routine. The first several hours go by in a blur as I help her prep the shop, then wait on customers when we open.

I take a break about halfway through my shift, and check my messages. I have a voicemail about the cottage. She’s happy to rent it to me, and since it’s vacant I can move in anytime.

I’m so relieved. I don’t want to keep depending on Cody for everything. It isn’t like me.

Cody picks me up from work. The news bursts from my lips as soon as I sit down in his passenger’s seat.

“I found a place to live,” I say.

“Already?” he asks. “Wow, that’s … obviously, that’s great.”

“I know,” I say. “It’s completely perfect. It isn’t even an apartment, it’s this cute little cottage, and it already has furniture. Even if I don’t get full-time hours at the café, I won’t have any trouble affording it.”

Cody pulls out onto the street and turns toward his house. “Great news.”

“Isn’t it?”

But something about his voice tells me Cody isn’t so sure it’s great, despite having used that word twice.

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