if you would like to grab a cup of coffee. There’s a little shop just a couple of doors down.” I bite my bottom lip to keep from rambling.
“Sure.” He sighs heavily. “I can meet you there in an hour.”
“Oh.” I was not expecting that answer. “I can do that.” I’ll just have to close the shop since I know Ethan won’t be showing up to help. “I’ll meet you there.”
_______________
I walk into the small coffee shop and pick the first round table to my right. There’s only one other person here at the moment in the corner booth, but they have their earbuds in while working on a laptop.
My knees bounce up and down as I try to think of an excuse to bring up Kingdom and ask how my brother fits into the situation. I don’t think saying hey, I googled you last night and saw you’re part owner. Do you know why my brother has a key card to there? Oh, and hey is your brother connected with the mafia? That would be a good conversation starter. Not.
I look up just as a sport bike pulls into the front row parking spot. It’s a Yamaha R1, and Grave is driving. He turns it off, kicks the kickstand down, and gets off it. I watch him walk to the door dressed in a pair of dark wash jeans, black combat boots, and a black T-shirt that shows off his one sleeve and muscular arms. He wears a white hat backward that he takes off and spins around. It has that same black circle and K that sits in the middle. I now know that represents Kingdom.
He enters the coffee shop, and I stand from the table. “Hey,” I say lamely, all of a sudden feeling uncomfortable. I’m not sure what the fuck I’m doing or why I’m doing it.
He turns to look at me and removes a pair of black Aviators from his face. His blue eyes meet mine, and he smiles. “Hey.”
The guy is gorgeous. There’s no question about that. There’s just something about him that I like. Or maybe it’s the fact that I haven’t met someone new in a while. The last guy I crawled in bed with was Derek, and that was over a year ago. It was a random hookup because we were out and had some drinks. We’d had sex before, so it was familiar.
“Have you ordered yet?” he asks.
Right! We’re here for coffee, not to fuck. “I have not,” I answer.
He takes the few steps over to the counter, and asks, “What would you like?”
“Small coffee. Black, please.”
He places our order and then waits for them to make it while I sit back down.
“Come here often?” he asks, sitting down across from me with our coffees.
“Yeah,” I lie. I hardly ever come here. I’m not much of a coffee drinker. “How about you?” I ask and then inwardly curse myself.
“First time.” He chuckles.
This is so fucking awkward. I’d rather be having one of those dreams where you’re naked in front of a crowd instead of this. At least I know that wouldn’t be as embarrassing.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
GRAVE
I FIND IT very off that April called me to meet her for coffee, but I didn’t question it. The moment I answered the phone and she said her name, I knew it was about Ethan. But I’m not going to willingly give her any information about him. If she wants to know, she’ll have to come out and ask.
She averts her eyes and blows on her coffee. I look her over. Her hair is up again today in that messy bun she seems to love. Her face is free of makeup. She looks gorgeous, but her ice blue eyes look tired, and I bet it has to do with Ethan.
“I like your bike,” she says, looking out the window.
“Thank you,” I say, taking a sip of my drink. I went out with Cross last night and got fucked up. I left my car at Kingdom and woke up at my house this morning, so I decided to drive my bike.
“So what is it you do for a living, Grave?” she asks, unable to look me in the eyes.
There it is. The million-dollar question. “I work at Kingdom,” I say vaguely.
Her dark brows lift. “Oh really? How long have you worked there?”
“Going on four years now,” I answer.
She nods her head.
“How long have you worked at Roses?” I counter.
She places her cup of coffee down. “I