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Beryl - Six months later
D ating Kjartan made me wonder why I’d never dated exclusively before.
“You know, when he’s half asleep and rolls over and wraps his arms around you to pull you closer.” I sighed, staring into the distance for a moment as I wiped down the milk foamer. “That’s the best.”
“When you talk about him like that I kind of want that too,” my best friend Rhys grinned over his Double Heart Latte.
He had been super busy preparing for Scotland Fabric, the most important trade fair that took place in Inverness every November. But today he snuck over from his shop in Pear Mill to grab a coffee at Scales & Steam.
“You should give it a try. Find some hunk to f— Oh, hi,” I greeted a new customer. “What can I get you?”
I prepared her caramel cappuccino, and bagged a Pumpking—a pastry with a pumpkin puree and cinnamon filling, one of our bestsellers this autumn—for her before turning back to my bestie.
“As I was saying, Mr Gordon. Go find yourself a hot hunk. Seriously.” I crossed my arms before my chest, surveying Rhys.
People would kill for cheekbones like that, and I knew how he looked in swimming trunks.
I bet they were queuing to be with him. “You are too gorgeous to die alone. Also, how is that cupcake?”
“Appreciate it, babe. But you know I don’t date. And it’s delicious.” He pinched a piece of the moist chestnut cupcake between elegant thumb and forefinger and popped it into his mouth.
“Did you see any more of that guy you told me about?”
“Which guy?” Rhys cocked an eyebrow, wiping his hands on a napkin.
“The one with the dog?”
My bestie choked on the sip of coffee he had just taken.
“How do you remember this? I told you about Liam once , and that was over a year ago.”
“I have an excellent memory, Rhys. So?”
He took another long drink of coffee, setting the cup delicately back on the counter. “I never met him again. He probably doesn’t even remember me.”
“I doubt that,” I snorted.
“And he lives somewhere in the Highlands. I think.”
“Not that you spent hours stalking him on Kraken.”
Rhys threw his head back and laughed. “Oh fuck you, Bee!”
“It would be so cool if you found a hunk in the Highlands, too. Gods. That sounds like a bad dating show.”
“I’d watch that.” My handsome friend shrugged and popped the last bite of the cupcake into his mouth. “I’ll miss you,” he added, giving me a sad smile.
“Me, too. You know that you’ll have to visit us, right?”
“Us. Damn, I’m so happy for you, Bee.”
“I promise I’ll visit. Once that crazy trade fair is over and I’ve spent a month on my couch to recover.”
“Hi Beryl, hi Rhys. Is everything alright?” Maeve called from the back door, waving before she wrapped her leather apron around herself and tied it behind her back.
Rhys got up from his chair to kiss Maeve’s cheeks.
“Hello, beautiful. I’m just bloody exhausted and need to get back to work in a few minutes. How are you and Taran?”
“Oh we’re grand. Thank you, Rhys. He flew me here and went for a walk in the park behind the theatre.”
“Maybe I’ll run into him when I go back to the shop. I haven’t seen him in ages.”
At least he still had a friend in town when I’d be living my best life with my hunk in the Highlands.
“Hi boss.” I hugged her. “It’s all good. It was a quiet shift. We’re almost out of Pumpkings, though. And the new chestnut cupcakes were a hit with the crowd this morning.”
“Yeah, I bet it’s the gloomy weather that keeps people in.”
“I can’t wait to get home and curl up on the couch. They delivered it this morning, want to see a picture? I already made Rhys gush about it with me.”
“Yes, show me!” Maeve bounced on her feet as she waited for me to pull up the picture Kjartan had sent earlier.
“Oh my God, Bee. I love it! That colour? It looks so cosy. And I still adore your future living room. That cottage is so beautiful.”
“I’ll miss you so much, and the cafe here. But I swear, I can’t wait to wake up next to my man every morning and see Breeze come to life.”
“Aw, gods. You make me overthink things, Bee,” Rhys said. “You make being in a relationship sound appealing. I hate you.”
“No, you don’t,” I deadpanned.
My friend smirked and waved me over for a hug.
“Think about it, babe,” I whispered in his ear as we hugged goodbye.
“I might. See you in five weeks.” He winked, waved at Maeve, and left, bundling himself up in a coat and beanie as he went.
“Do you need me for anything else, boss?”
“Nope, I’m good. You go. Enjoy the weekend with your man.” She beamed at the words. Maeve got it.
“He’s picking me up in an hour. We have another two carloads to take back to the cottage before I’m moved out of my house. We’re doing one today and one next weekend.”
“Have fun, and say hi to Kjartan for me.” She put the last two chestnut cupcakes into a paper bag. “Provisions.”
“Cheers, boss. Give my best to Taran. I’ll see you on Monday.”