Page 23 of Home Brewed (The Perfect Cup #1)

Beck

I shouldn’t be this nervous, right? I say to myself, fixing the buttons on my shirt.

I don’t want to dress up too much, but I do want to look nice.

I settle on a dark grey, short-sleeved button up, some dark jeans and the nicest shoes I own that aren’t the dress shoes I bought for my abuela’s funeral.

Hazel is a little skittish, and I am determined to put my best foot forward.

Fish bumbles into the room, tongue lolling out of his mouth, and tries to rub himself on my leg like a freaking cat.

“Woah, buddy! I can’t go out covered in dog hair.

” I gently push him far enough away that I won’t leave wearing him while still giving him some pets.

He is such a sweetheart, and when I went to the pound to look for a dog, he and I clicked right away.

To this day, I have no idea what cruel soul named him Fish, but it’s the name he answers to, and it feels rude to change it now.

He’s on the bigger side, but he’s a gentle giant, even if he’s happy to throw his weight around.

I make sure he gets his dinner and grab my wallet.

It’s still a bit early, but I’m anxious to get to Hazel’s.

I have to actively remind myself to drive the speed limit on the short drive there, and I end up sitting outside her building fifteen minutes early.

I haven’t been this excited for a date in…

I don’t think I’ve ever be en this excited for a date.

I don’t know that I’ve ever been this excited about anyone in general.

Seeing her at the café has easily become the best part of my day.

While I know Hazel is still pretty newly single, I don’t think either of us has it in ourselves to fight the attraction anymore.

I know it’s fast. I don’t want her to think that I’m leading her on, or waiting for her to be…

I don’t know, healed from Justin? Good enough for me?

Making sure I’m not a rebound? I can confidently say that is not the case, and all I want now is to be as up front with her as possible.

She doesn’t trust how much I want her. But I can show her.

She never told me much about her family life.

Based on what I’ve seen of how Justin treated her, the things that jerk of a fake friend said to her, and the way she avoided talking about her mom, she probably doesn’t have many trustworthy or reliable people in her life.

I want to be that person. I want to be something steady she can run back to.

I want to see her face light up when I bring her treats, and listen to her laugh at my dumb jokes, and hold her when she’s sad.

I want her to know how much I need her. I will do everything I can to prove to her that she can depend on me, even if she’s afraid to.

I’m about to get out of the car when I see the front door open. My jaw drops so hard I don’t know how it isn’t dislocated. I remember thinking to myself how goddamn sexy she looked sitting in loungewear on her couch. Right now, she’s blowing my damn mind.

She looks amazing, in a bright red top that matches her lipstick, and a tight black skirt that I know I’m going to end up reminding myself not to reach up.

She looks delectable and sensual, and I can’t wait to have my hands on her.

She looks around until her eyes land on me.

Seeing her knocks the wind right out of me.

I get to take her out tonight. She is going to be on my arm. I’m so fucking lucky, and now she’s smiling at me? I’m not going to survive the night. I can already feel my dick stiffening, and if I want to be the gentleman I claim to be, I need to calm it down right the fuck now .

Okay. What can I think of? My abuela’s funeral? Shit, no, that’s too dark. Football. That’ll do it, good old European football. Lots of kicking. Leg injuries. That one guy who’s knee completely twisted around.

Yup. That did it. Horrifying yet effective.

By the time Hazel makes it to my car, I’m finally calm enough that I’m able to quickly jog around the front and open the door for her.

“Good to see you, pretty girl,” I say as I give her my hand to help her into the car. She’s wearing neck-stepping platform boots, and I don’t want her to trip while I ogle her openly. I can only be so much of a gentleman. “Living up to your nickname, I see.”

And my god is it worth it to see that blush stain her cheeks as she tries to hide her little smile. My girl likes compliments.

“Hi, Beck.” She looks me over from the passenger seat as I lean over to buckle her in. I’m being thorough, sue me. I graze my lips across her cheek as I pull back. “It’s really good to see you, too.”

I give her an impish grin and run back to my side of the car, slipping in quickly and peeling away from the curb.

“I’m really glad you decided to come out with me tonight,” I start, and even I have to admit this sounds like cliché first date talk. She doesn’t seem to notice.

“Me too!” Her megawatt smile is killing me. “Obviously, it’s been a while since I’ve gone on an actual date, but I’ve been really looking forward to this, you know, since you asked me a few hours ago,” she sasses back.

I hide the way my blood boils at her nonchalant comment.

She hasn’t been on a date in a while? How does someone have this woman in their life and not take her out?

Show her off? I’m not going to let that spoil the night.

Instead of being offended on her behalf, I decide that I’m going to show her exactly what kind of good times she’s been missing out on.

“Guess that means I’d better make it worth your while then.” I give her my most charming smile, the one my cousin calls my ‘smoulder’. I am going to charm the pants of this girl. Respectfully .

Well, mostly respectfully.

Pulling up to the bar, Hazel peers out the window so hard her face has to be smushing against it a little.

I slow as we pass the front, watching as she looks in awe at the transformation.

I know she hadn’t come to the café often before; it simply hadn’t occurred to me that she probably hasn’t seen the bar either.

Pride swells in my chest as I observe the exterior with her.

When I bought the place I replaced the signage to be more modern, and hung lights over the patio portion, which connected to the bar through wide, open doors, despite the chillier weather, where you can hear music and laughter spill out.

Before I get rear-ended, I quickly swing around to the back to my owner’s parking spot and run around, opening Hazel’s door for her again.

If I have it my way, she won’t need to lift a damn finger tonight.

She is getting the princess treatment she deserves, and, I guess, is not used to, based on her startled expression.

I offer a hand to help her out of the car and then hold onto it as I lead her into the building.

The band hasn’t started playing yet, a playlist is spilling rock music out of the door from the speakers all around the bar. The place is already packed, but I see a small table off to the side where we’ll have a great view of the band and still be able to talk to each other if we want.

I really hope she wants.

“This spot okay for you?” I ask when we approach.

“Absolutely!” She hasn’t stopped smiling since she got in the car, and my heart trips over itself as I admire her. “Should we get drinks first?” She hesitates before sitting down.

“I’ve got that covered, you save our table and I’ll be right back!” It requires some effort, but I’m able to pull myself away from her and make my way over to the bar where Nessa and Mel are mixing and serving drinks like the well-seasoned professionals they are.

Mel is a tall, natural hair wearing, rich-skinned sweetheart who can absolutely drop kick you if you ever test her.

She’s one of my part-timers who is in the middle of working her way through pre-med.

It’s nice when she and Nessa have the same shifts because where Nessa is chaotic, Mel is calming.

The energy they create is perfect for the weekend crowd, and anyone Nessa riles up, Mel will happily deal with.

“Hey there, lover boy, how’s the date going?” Nessa asks as she viciously shakes a margarita that she’s making for some girls at the far end.

“Wait, what?” Mel hands a customer their change and hustles over, putting the very steep—and I’m sure well-earned—tip into her bra, “Beck is on a date? Well, I’ll be!

Who woulda thunk? Who is she?” She peers behind me to where I had come from, and I can tell when her eyes land on Hazel because they widen comically.

“Niiiiiiiice, well done!” She lifts her hand for a high five, which, after a moment, I begrudgingly give her.

“She’s straight, Mel, calm your tits,” says Nessa.

“ Anyway , it’s going well, thanks for asking.

Mind grabbing us some drinks?” I give Nessa a soft glare as I ask, and she sticks her tongue out at me like a toddler.

I swear, if she wasn’t my best friend, I probably could have fired her five times over for being a dick, but she keeps things fun and never really means any harm.

“Absolutely, good sir, a double whiskey for you and something pink for the lady, I’m guessing?” Nessa is already pulling my favourite bottle from the shelf and eyeing up a bowl of maraschino cherries.

“You got it,” I say, slipping a twenty in the tip jar and turning back to admire Hazel.

She seems a little out of her element, the confidence I saw when I picked her up having faded a bit.

Her shoulders are a little hunched and she’s scrolling on her phone.

I’m anxious to get back to her. Nessa whips up the drinks quickly and shoots me a saucy wink as she hands them over.