Page 85 of Rockstar Baby

I patted my ass to make sure my debit card was still there and wound my way around the couches and chairs that made up the eclectically cute café. A towering pile of romance novels butted up against horror novels in the reading nook. It was a Friday night, so the projector was set up in the far corner with a pile of teens watching an old school horror movie.

Looked like Freddy Krueger was on the menu tonight.

Wonder what kind of popcorn would go with that? I could go for something salty.

My stomach growled as I waited in line. Macy, the owner, was barking orders to her minions. The espresso machine was working just as hard as the blender. A bin of popcorn was stirring in Macy’s special cheddar and butter blend.

I was going to expire if the line didn’t move a little faster.

Finally, I was next in line behind a teen.

“Do you have milkshakes?”

Internally, I groaned. She obviously wasn’t from Crescent Cove.

“Are they on the menu?” Macy’s voice was pleasant, if you didn’t know her.

“Um, no.”

“Then I don’t have milkshakes.” Macy sighed. “I can do my caff-smoothies and I have coffee blended drinks.”

The teen in front of me put her hands on her hips. “But I don’t do caffeine. It’s not good for you.”

“Then why the hell are you in my place, blondie? It’s a café.”

I smothered a snort.

“You don’t have to be rude.”

“Have you met me?” Macy barked an order over her shoulder. “How about a Coffee Shake minus the coffee. That’s the best I can do.”

“So, a vanilla shake?” The girl twisted the pop socket on her phone.

“Sure, but you’re paying for a coffee shake.”

“That’s fine.”

“Add some orange juice and pineapple juice and it’s perfect,” I said.

The girl turned around. “Really?”

“Surprisingly.”

She turned back to Macy. “Can you do that?”

Macy narrowed her gaze at me. “You gunning for a job, red?”

I laughed. “I’ve got enough of those. But I do know my ice cream.”

“Huh.” Macy moved to the blender and eyeballed a few ingredients then set the blender to spinning. “Get over here, red.”

“Ivy.”

“Right. Whatever.” She poured some of the drink into a mug then plunked it in front of me. “Taste it since you came up with it.”

I came around the side of the counter. It looked magical. I took a sip. “Have any coconut milk?”

She folded her arms. “Now we’re making a tropical shake?”