Her response was to smile as if it was a compliment. “Is that the same chalk you stole from the hardware store?”
“I didn’t steal it, I borrowed it.” He picked up the white nub and cradled it in his palm. Rachel laughed the same way she’d used to while laying beside him. “Besides, that was a lot of chalk pieces ago.”
Five years. He felt every single one while rising at four in the morning. Read every lonely day in the crow’s feet and laugh lines etched into his face. But she looked like none of it happened. Had it all been a waking nightmare?
Nick’s gaze darted beyond the returned ghost to find Skylar glaring at the back of Rachel’s head. She wasn’t a buoyant kindergartner about to draw all over the woman’s financial papers. The five years hit him across the face, five years both of them spent struggling alone without help until…
He caught Emma with her head low and her gaze darting over to Rachel. She looked spooked as if about to run. Nick wanted to take her hand and protect her, but that was silly. Rachel wasn’t some wicked witch.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
She shrugged. “The mistletoe latte.”
“Of course.” What else could it be but that damnable drink? “Did you want one?”
Rachel smirked. “I think I can make it myself.” Before he could argue, she slipped around the counter and hefted down a mug. “You still keep them under here? Of course you do.” She bent over and busied herself in the cupboards, no doubt looking for the good syrups.
He felt boxed in, the espresso machine shooting out hot steam on his left, Rachel bouncing her ass on the right. Nick kept walking backward until he hit something and it cried out. He spun around to find Emma. She held one of Skylar’s old snowflakes in her hand.
“This fell. I was going to fix it. Unless…?”
“Oh, you hired someone?” Rachel stood up and stared Emma down. “Can you tell me where the milk is? He’s always leaving it places.”
Her big brown eyes darted up to him before she pointed to the carafe he’d left on the counter. “Right there.”
“Thanks, dear.” After topping off her coffee concoction, Rachel took a quick sip and sized up Emma. “Do you do anything more around here or just clean up?”
Emma wafted the blue snowflake around before tucking it behind her back. Her mouth opened wide, then she closed it.
“She makes donuts, and pastries, and other delights Sam keeps bogarting.” Nick pointed to the old man whose entire muzzle was coated in sugar.
“You got the oven running? Oh my goodness.” Rachel dropped her coffee, a drop splashing out. She latched onto Emma’s hand and tugged her on. “You have to show me.”
The girl looked over at Nick but gave in to the pull. That was Rachel, harder to argue with than a brick wall. They vanished into the back room, leaving Nick staring at the two cups. Rachel’s was barely touched while Emma’s… Only a drop of his coffee remained in hers, but it was the pink lip stain that entranced him. Nick picked up the white mug and turned it in his hands until the imprint of her pretty mouth faced him.
“Why is she here?” Skylar fumed.
Nick shook out of his funk. He dropped Emma’s mug into the wash bin without looking. “I don’t know. The mistletoe latte, I guess. Maybe she saw everyone talking about it.”Or maybe…?
“Are you freaking kidding me.” She held her broom like a ninja about to beat a man to death.
Nick held up his hands, not needing an all-out war. He tried to take the potential club from his niece when Daryl stepped up.
“Look, I don’t want to get in the middle of this domestic whatever, but I’m gonna need my coffee.”
The ex running around the back of his cafe vanished from his mind. A colder wind cut through his chest as he stared at Daryl. Three grand was a lot, and Emma sounded in dire straights. Icicles plunged into his heart. She had a sister to get to and a job interview. It’d only been a week, after all.
“Skylar? Get him his coffee. Black and cream.” He grabbed her arm as she walked past to whisper, “But make sure it’s non-dairy without him knowing.”
“Okay. Where are you going?”
Rachel. Emma. Dozens of out-of-towners chanting for the mistletoe latte to spice up their ‘gram.He didn’t have a clue how to make any of it right. “Gotta check in the back,” Nick said, and he vanished through the door.
SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL. Not like Desiree who had that everything is perfect ice princess look going on. Rachel was the it girl, the coolest queen bee in school. She’d get straight A’s, have all the guys chasing her, be the volleyball team captain, and not even sweat while winning state. If Emma wasn’t so in awe, she might think to feel jealous.
“Wow. I can’t believe you’ve got all of this running. Bit of a tight fit though.” She had to hunch down to avoid the boxes that poked from the top shelf. Emma was so tiny she didn’t even see them while she worked.
“I made due as best I could.”
