One Bossy Dare

I follow his gaze to the ocean, indifferent and sparkling with sunlight. Silver-blue waves crash impatiently against the beach.

“So much like California...but so different, too,” I say.

“Yeah. I’ve seen plenty of damn nice beaches. After a while, they all start to look the same.”

“Oh, I’m sure. You’re—well, so you. Billionaire traveler man.” I laugh gently. “But not all beaches look the same—”

“What does being a billionaire have to do with it?” he asks point blank.

Oof. I hope he didn’t take that as an insult.

“I just meant it’s only natural you’d see the world. Sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it...”

“Besides Hawaii and a couple trips to Southeast Asia, most of the beaches I’ve seen were during my time in the Navy. The ports showed me a good sample of the world. And with the built-in duties, it was a more realistic picture than the image I got staying at resorts and lavish houses with my parents.”

“You served? Oh, I had no idea. Why would someone like you enlist?” I regret how it sounds, but not the question.

“Lancaster family tradition. I wasn’t going to be the one to break it. That’s Destiny’s job.”

I smile. “I don’t know. She likes seals, and you could probably see like a dozen different species from a cruiser. Then again, she hates beaches, right?”

Oh, crap. I’m not thinking.

The easy smile on his face disappears.

“How did you know that?” he asks, his tone hardening.

“...she told me. Was it supposed to be a secret?”

“No,” he mutters slowly. “Did she tell you anything else?”

“Nope.” A chill sweeps up my spine. Is Destiny’s disdain for the beach related to whatever tragic memories he mentioned earlier? “I mean, I know she goes to the shore back home to watch the seals.”

“Those piles of rocks and overcast skies Washington calls beaches are nothing like this,” he points out.

“For sure. Um, you mind if we sit down for a minute? I need a coffee.”

He scans the scenery around us. “There’s a stand for smoothies and frappes up the beach a little ways. Think they’ve got hot drinks too. I’ll buy you a cup.”

“No way. I came prepared.” The curious look he gives me makes me laugh. “Just sit!”

I drop down on the sand and pull out my secret weapon—an ornate brew pipe. It’s like a regular pipe except it has a cup at the end, just enough to collect a long shot of espresso. It just needs the light I pull from my pocket.

Cole sits beside me, looking around frantically before he whispers, “Eliza Angelo, don’t tell me that’s a crack pipe?”

I bite my lip and glare at him.

“You’re surprised? Isn’t it every girl’s dream to go to Hawaii and get high with her boss? You wouldn’t mind, would you?” I nudge him in the side playfully.

“Eliza—”

“Relax, bossman. This thing makes coffee.”

“Coffee?” He throws it back like a curse. “How the hell do you plan on brewing with that contraption? Where will you even get coffee from?”

“It’s a brew pipe. Relax. Also, it’s already loaded up. I’m always packing bean,” I say wistfully.

He looks at me like he’s wondering if he should have me committed.

“You still need heat with that abomination, don’t you?” he asks, snorting loudly.

“See this 'contraption?'” I say, holding it up. “It’s called a lighter.”

“I’ve seen a lighter before, Badger Hellion. Just never paired up with a pipe that ridiculous.”

“What’s ridiculous about it?” I ask, but he shakes his head. “C’mon, Cole. I thought you of all people would be open-minded when it comes to the latest coffee gear.”

“Gear? You’re telling me it’s on the market and not something you rigged up yourself?” He groans, swiping a hand over his face.

I grin and nod happily.

“There are some inventions humanity was never meant to discover,” he says bitterly. “If this is the latest trend everyone adopts, I’ll let Wired Cup go bankrupt. Where did you even get that thing?”

“It’s a brew pipe, and Wayne found it online.”

“Wayne. Of course,” he says gruffly.

Snickering, I uncap the water bottle I brought along and pour it into the end. Then I flick the lighter on and hold the flame under it. The metal heats up fast.

“Ridiculous,” he grinds out again.

“Nope. What’s ridiculous is you not knowing about it when a lowly barista did, Commander Coffee. Seems like a major intel failure.” I smile sweetly.

“Now that I do, I wish I could un-know it.”

“By the way, he appreciated his referral bonus. It helped his mom big-time.”

He nods, turning his gaze away like he’s suddenly uncomfortable.

Ugh. Leave it to this lunk to turn into Captain Modesty when he does a good deed.

“It’s almost brewed,” I say a minute later, setting the pipe down on the tiny holder it came with. “Now we let it cool a few seconds for optimal taste.”

Cole laughs, brushing sand off his thigh. “I’ve never met anyone as serious about coffee as you, and I grew up coffee royalty. You and Wayne spend a lot of time together?”