“It’s espresso,” he reminds her.
“And the last six months he’s been particularly grouchy,” she says softly, the teasing gone. “Aaron messed up. Bad. But it’s hurting you too to cut him off like this.”
He stands and brings his plate to the kitchen. “I’m fine,” he says gruffly.
“Loyal to a fault.” She turns to me, lowering her voice. “He’ll always have your back. But if you cross him, forget it. You’re done.”
I swallow heavily. Well, geez. Note to self - don’t get on Levi’s bad side.
“Will you even talk to him at the Fourth of July picnic?” she calls to the kitchen.
His fork clatters against the stainless steel sink. “Damn, I forgot about that.”
“You guys are having a picnic?” I ask tentatively, not really sure if I’m still included in the conversation anymore.
“Aunt Bianca, that’s Levi’s mom, hosts one every year at the beach for the whole family. And this year, you’re coming,” she tells me, linking arms with me.
“I am?” Oh, wow, I’m a little excited at the prospect. I’m already being invited to a family event? Sign me up.
“Yes. She specifically invited you.”
“She did?” I glance at Levi, who’s studiously wiping down the sink, ignoring us.
“She did,” Audrey confirms. “It’ll be a blast. We grill out, play games, swim. And it’s on a Monday, so you’ll have off work anyway.”
“Yeah, that sounds fun.” I try to sound casual, even though what I really want to do is scream yes, please have your family adopt me! “As long as that’s cool with you, Levi?”
He sets down the sponge and looks up at me. “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?” He clears his throat and continues, “I’m going to head out for a bit.”
“I didn’t finish your list,” she calls out to him when he grabs his key by the front door. “Despite all your faults, I still love you. You’re my favorite person.”
The look he sends her is one of resignation and affection mixed together. “Love you too,” he answers, stepping out and closing the door behind him.
“Where’s he going?”
“Probably to the gym. His go-to place lately to avoid actually dealing with his feelings. That’s another bullet point on the list - avoids dealing with feelings. He used to write it all out, do his songwriting stuff, but he says he’s been blocked since he found out about the Velvet Swan thing.”
“He hasn’t written anything since then?”
“Nope. I hear him playing little snippets every once in a while, but nothing like before.” She pauses, looking thoughtful. “That’s probably part of his grumpiness too. He hasn’t been playing.”
She stands and collects our dishes, bringing them to the sink. I join her in the kitchen, storing the leftover gnocchi in tupperware I find in the cabinets.
“That’s a shame. That he has writer’s block,” I clarify. “Or song block. Whatever it’s called. A voice like his deserves to be heard.”
“You’ve heard him sing?” she asks, eyebrows raised. “He doesn’t sing for anybody.”
“No, I just mean his music. The lyrics. They’re amazing. I-” I swallow, hesitant to be admitting this. “I’ve always felt a special connection to them.”
She nods in understanding. “When I first found out they were his songs, it blew me away. I couldn’t believe he’d written that. He’s always been the quiet one, though. Still waters run deep or something like that,” she grins. “One on one or in a small group of people he knows, he’s fine. But put him in a crowd and you can’t get a word out of him. He hates being the center of attention.”
“So, wait. He wasn’t even intending to perform any of those songs?”
“No, it’s just a hobby.”
“A hobby?” I thought he would have been a music major or something. “So what’s he in school for?”
“Engineering.”
Oh, good lord. He was an Engineering major who wrote chart-topping music for fun? “All right, I’m done.” I hold my hands up. “I can’t even take any more.”
She lets out a great peal of laughter. “You and me both.”
6
Levi
“DEREK, I ASKED YOU to change the vanilla syrup pump ten minutes ago,” Jasmine nags, her grating voice like nails on a chalkboard to my ears.
“I didn’t hear you,” he snaps back, visibly annoyed. You and me both.
“Don’t try to pull that with me. I know you heard me. You never listen-” I go in the supply room at the back of the coffeeshop to get away from the ongoing fight. Ever since the two of them broke up a few weeks ago, the rest of us have had to listen to their nonstop bickering.
The door opens behind me and Felix walks in, tying his apron around his waist. “You didn’t like the shit show out there?”
I sigh, searching for the extra vanilla syrup we keep in here. “Karen needs to put them on opposite schedules. I’m tired of it.” I finally find the bottle and bring it back out.
“Look,” Jasmine waves in my direction as I replace the pump. “Levi can listen. Why can’t you?”
He glares at her, face turning redder by the second. “Why can’t you ever let things go? Huh? Were you always this crazy or is this a recent personality change?”
I finish as fast as humanly possible and head over to the other end of the counter, desperate not to get dragged into their latest fight. If Karen were here, she’d blow a fuse listening to the two of them, but at least they’re keeping out of earshot of the few customers on their laptops at the couches on the other side of the room.
The bell over the door rings and I glance up, Audrey and Samantha walking through.
“Whoa,” comes from behind me as Felix walks up to join me. “Audrey bagged a ten.”
Audrey’s purple streak in her hair, along with the bright red lipstick and crop top scream look at me, but it’s Samantha my eyes are drawn to. Her plain white t-shirt and denim shorts don’t command attention, but her natural beauty is front and center, her smile radiant as she gazes in wonder around the coffeeshop.
I shake my head. It’s probably just her height that draws notice. She’s a good half foot taller than Audrey.
“That’s our new roommate.”
“Dude, you didn’t tell me she looked like that.”
“You asked if she was hot and I said she was.”
“This is past hot. That right there is a siren. A seductress. A soul swallowing succubus.”
“What are you? The alliteration king? Don’t talk about her like that.”
“Jealous of my smooth skills? How I can sweet talk my way into any lady’s bed?”
The thought of the two of them together sends an irrational surge of jealousy through me. Whoa, where’d that come from? Okay, not jealousy. Just... protectiveness. She’s my roommate. It’s my job to watch out for her, the same way I would Audrey. And I’m not letting Felix’s dick anywhere near her.