“I’d really love that, are you sure that’s okay? I have to be up early,” she kisses the underside of my jaw. Fuck, I want this woman, and tonight I’m going to show her just how much.
“Positive, I’ll text you the address and code to my place in case you get there before me.” I give her one last kiss, she climbs off my lap, and walks with me until she reaches the counter.
She veers off, I go to Kate and pay for my cup of coffee. Kinsley tried to make it to where I can’t pay, but I put my foot down.
Once that’s done, Kinsley gives me a small peck on my lips, hands me my coffee, and we part ways.
15
Kinsley
“You know I’m a shit boss, right?” I tell Kate once there’s a lull in customers. We should have this conversation in my office, but right now it’s just the two of us here until after school where a few of our employees from college come in to help part-time.
“What? Why do you say that,” she responds.
“I should have given you a promotion a while ago, I was just reluctant, and for that I’m sorry,” I say with remorse.
“Oh, Kins, I completely understand. I was here, but sometimes I wasn’t completely here. And now that he, who shall not be named, is out of the picture, well, I can see it all so much more clearer now. So, you’re not a shit boss and I can see that you were protecting me all along,” I can’t hold out, I’m a hugger. Kate knows this, she lets out a breath of relief. I feel even worse, not just as a boss, but as a friend too. She clearly needed to let things out, and I’ve been so wrapped up in the coffee shop and even Luke, that I feel like I’ve neglected her.
“I promise, I’m here for you. No matter what, and I’m so so sorry that I haven’t been here for you enough lately. Just so you know though, I’m promoting you to manager with a pay increase too,” I tell Kate.
“Oh my gosh, no way! No freaking way!” she moves away, jumping up and down. A smile plastered on her face, thank goodness Kate is happy. I was worried that this could have gone one or two ways. She’d want the job, or she’d say no. I’m really glad she’s willingly accepting it.
“Yes way, that being said. Now here comes the not so fun part. You get to help open and close more. It sucks, I know it does, but the good thing is we close early. We’ll bounce off each other until we bring in someone else we both trust to help us along the way,” I breathe out, hoping like hell she doesn’t runaway once I give her even more responsibility.
“No problem! I’m so excited, you want me to start opening this week?” she asks.
“Absolutely, as soon as Mike and Josiah get here, you and I can hammer everything out. Does that sound okay?”
“You’re the boss,” she says with a wink. We return back to the counter when the next slew of customers come in.
Kate and I hammer out other details about Valentine’s Day, perfect our drink of the day for the fourteenth, which is only a week away. We even suggest giving our customers a percentage off if they wear red, something we’ve never done before.
Once everything is done today, I’ll get our social media posts ready for the big day.
16
Luke
I make it to my place before Kinsley does, it kind of sucks. I’d love to walk into my home and see her smiling face. Hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later, if I have it my way she’ll be here forever.
I’m ready to see her colorfulness invade my space. Seeing how I was able to delegate more responsibility to my vice president, I’m off work earlier than I ever have been. I do something I should have done a week ago.
“Luke! It’s so good to hear from you,” my mother says into the phone.
“Hey Mom, I’m sorry it’s been so long since I last called.” I tell her, even though she could pick up the phone too, but I get it. She’s living the dream now that her and dad are divorced.
“It’s okay, I need to get better about calling too. How are things going with you?” she says what I’m thinking.
“Really good, I’m home at two o’clock in the afternoon. About to pull out something to prepare for dinner while I wait for Kinsley to get here.”
“Kinsley, who’s Kinsley? I think we have a lot to catch up on.” I hear the hopefulness in her voice.
“We do, she owns the local coffee shop. She caught my attention and she’s made me revaluate my life, for the better,” a smile appearing on my face. I didn’t realize just how much my life needed changing until now.