Page 1 of Never Gonna Lie (Forbidden #2)
Chapter One
RAVEN
I ’ve always been a quiet, shy person. Never one to draw attention to myself. I’m the certified bookworm who’s happier with a book than with people. Every time I’d find myself lost in a new story, my best friend, Mia, would tease me, saying, “You know you’re the one who needs rescuing too, right?”
I’d nod and agree with her, chuckling at her words. But as I got older, the knight that I always pictured took on the face of James Smith, my dad's best friend. A man sixteen years older than me, and the man I’ve been head over heels in love with for the past four.
What started as an innocent child’s love for her ‘uncle’ turned into a teenage crush, which turned into a first love. Except he never stopped being my first love.
“Can I grab a black coffee to go?” someone says, distracting me from my wayward thoughts.
Blinking, I shake my head and smile at the guy who has his nose stuck in his phone, tapping his foot impatiently .
“Sure, coming right up,” I reply.
I busy myself making the coffee for the rushed off their feet student, shoving all thoughts of James to the back of my head.
Handing over the coffee, I say, “Have a great day,” but all I get in reply is a grunt as he snatches the cup out of my hand and storms off.
I love my job. I love my job.
Swiping a cloth from the back, I head over to the tables and start cleaning, wiping up sticky fingers and spilled coffee.
After desperately needing something to get me out of my dorm room, I started working at the Honey Pot a couple of weeks ago.
Felicity, my roommate, has a penchant for both men and women, which means my dorm has a constant flow of people in and out, seeing to, uh, Felicity’s…
needs. I spend every waking moment I can away from there, so I’m usually here or studying in the library.
The bell rings above the door, and I glance around, noticing Mia stomping through the threshold, brushing her long brunette hair out of her heart-shaped face.
I’ve always thought Mia looked like a younger version of Kate Beckinsale. She’s got the same body type—skinny and with a really nice pair of boobs. One Halloween, she dressed up as Selene from Underworld , and she looked freaking amazing.
“Hey, lovely,” I greet with a beaming smile as I move around tables and chairs to get to her.
Mia and I decided that after nearly sixteen years of friendship, there was no way we would’ve been able to tolerate being away from one another, so that’s how we ended up here—Abingdon University.
Ever since I saw pictures of the old buildings draped in ivy back when I was ten, I knew this was the place for me.
The vibe was magical, and honestly, that feeling hasn't faded at all over the past couple of years.
Even now, whenever I walk around campus, I get a rush of excitement from the place.
Mia hugs me as she says, “Hey, yourself.”
“Usual?” I ask, walking back to the counter and grabbing her a cup, filling it with a full-fat mocha and covering it in whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.
“You need to stop memorizing people’s orders; they might think you’re stalking them,” she says with a wink, propping herself against the counter and tidying up the napkin holder.
Since we’re both so swamped with our last year of college, it’s not unusual for Mia to come and help out while I’m working; she calls it our ‘bonding sessions.’ You can often see her bussing tables and making drinks when the managers aren’t around, just to make my life a little bit easier.
There’s something about her sunny disposition that the customers love; she’s one of those people that you can’t help but naturally gravitate to.
Mia would give you the shirt off her back if she could.
“Some people are into that sort of thing,” I retort, passing Mia her drink. “I’m just going on my break, you wanna sit outside?”
Mia nods her head as she takes a sip of her coffee. “Yeah, I’d like to get the last of the rays before autumn really kicks in.”
I hum in agreement, and we wander outside, placing our coffees down and getting comfortable on the white patio chairs.
The Honey Pot sits in an outbuilding on campus, having been freshly renovated over the summer.
College kids complained they either got terrible coffee from the main cafeteria or they had to walk miles for the nearest Starbucks.
Administration, tired of all the complaints, decided to finally do something about it .
I sip on my coffee as I take in my surroundings. The warm sun beats down on my face as the cool, gentle breeze runs through my bright red hair.
“Have you heard from your dad?” Mia asks, biting into the bagel she snagged from behind the counter when I wasn’t looking. Crumbs fall onto her lap which she brushes away with her hand.
I shake my head. “No, he’s been busy with work. Something about him and James ‘acquiring a new company.’ In all honesty, I glazed over when he started talking. I chuckle before adding, “I have my weekly phone call with him on Sunday, though.”
Mia smirks around the rim of her cup, her brown eyes twinkling as she asks, “How is the lovely James?”
I roll my eyes. “Stop it. You know I don’t see him much now.” Glancing down at my lap, I add, “Not since that night anyway.”
“Hmm.”
I shift my eyes to look at my best friend. “What?”
“Nothing.” She shrugs. “I didn’t say anything.”
Mia’s always found my… fascination with James to be of interest. I’m not sure how or why, but she’s taken great delight in it, teasing me about it at every given opportunity.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” I joke, trying to change the subject as I gather trash from the table and stand up.
“Unfortunately, I do. I have class.” Mia pushes up from her seat, grabbing her bag and putting her sunglasses on. My reflection stares back at me as she says, “I’ll talk to you later, though?”
“Of course.” I smile.
Mia heads to class, and I get back to work, thoughts of James—as always—on my mind.