“Say hi to Beth for me. Tell her she’s been neglecting me again. Tell her she’s starving me. Tell her I don’t miss her.”
“Will do,” she said, waved, and left the cottage.
Sakura couldn’t believe it. She’d spent her whole Sunday with Ned, painting. Although she admitted that she had thoroughly enjoyed it, and not seeing Alaina or Tara was the best part.
The sun was setting on the far west of the island, and Sakura couldn’t help but fall in love with the glow of the orange sky. She quickly got out her camera and took some pictures. Once she was done, she headed toward the small pathway through the woods leading Princeton Estate.
It was twenty minutes later when she sighted the stately mansion, and instead of walking in through the front door, she headed around to the back. She sneaked into the kitchen and nearly jumped out of her skin when Beth snapped at her. “You’re late for dinner.”
Sakura chuckled. “Of course I am. It’s all your fault, Beth dear. If you hadn’t neglected your brother for so long, then I wouldn’t have to be there looking after him. If you must know, he’s starving for your affection.”
Beth chuckled. “Affection my ass,” she said. “All that brother of mine wants is your delicious coffee, just like everyone else. Now they’re complaining about my standard coffee. Give them a cup and they’ll be good for the day.” She grabbed Sakura by the arm and nudged her to the coffee machine that apparently only Sakura knew how to make do magic. “Now redeem yourself and make nine cups of coffee before they all die of disappointment.”
Sakura snapped her head up to look at Beth in shocked surprise. “Nine? Nine cups!”
Beth folded her arms across her chest. “Now either that or you go in there and have a proper dinner with your family.”
Sakura pulled her face. Beth knew she didn’t want to go in there and have her dinner with certain people, and she was making a threat. “Okay,” she said. “Once I’m done with the coffee, I’m off to my room. No disruption please.”
“Of course. You have my word.” Beth said. She even crossed her heart.
Sakura put her satchel down on the bench top and made her way to the coffee machine. Just when she was starting to grind the coffee beans, her phone beeped. She rushed back and picked it up to find she had a new text message. She noted there was no name, and she didn’t recognize the phone number either. She didn’t remember giving her phone number to anybody lately. Curious, she went ahead and read the message.
Where are you?
Huh? Sakura couldn’t help herself and texted back: Who is this?
A second later she got another text, and it read: Doesn’t matter. Where are you?
She gritted her teeth. What absolute nonsense. Was somebody playing tricks on her? She texted back: Go to hell!
She threw her phone on the bench, frowning at it. When she was just about to turn, her phone beeped again. She sighed and picked it up, determined to ring whoever it was and tell him to leave her alone.
She had another text, this time from a different number. What?
It read: Sakura, where are you? You missed dinner. And I want your coffee with a teddy bear on it like Michael’s. Please come soon.
Sakura cocked her head to one side, wondering. Conrad? But how on Earth did he get her number?
She texted back: I’m in the kitchen, making your coffee. Yes, you will get a teddy bear.
She turned off the phone so she wouldn’t get disrupted again. She went back to making coffee, and two cups later the door burst open and Conrad rushed in.
“Hello,” he said, a cheeky smile on his face.
Sakura nodded. “I’m doing yours now. A teddy bear? Are you sure?”
“Nope, I’m not sure,” he said. “Come to think of it, teddy bears are for kids. How about a dragon?”
Sakura laughed. “I can’t do a dragon. It’s too complicated. How about a swan?”
“Okay. Swan is good. No, wait. I want to learn how to make coffee art.” He rushed around the bench and came to stand behind her.
He watched her make the coffee, then she handed him the jug of hot milk.
“What?” he asked.
She pushed the jug to him. “You did say you want to make your own. Here.” She made him hold the jug and then with her hand on top of his, she guided him. “You have to do it quite fast. See?”
Conrad wasn’t paying attention to what she was demonstrating to him. He was watching her, and he had a big, fat grin on his face.
“See?” she asked again, looking up at him.
He nodded, still grinning like an idiot. Sakura couldn’t help smiling back. She thought he looked adorable.
“What?” she asked. “Why are you smiling like that?”
“Nothing,” he said. “You got something on your nose.” He wiped the smudge of coffee debris from her skin. Once it was clean, instead of moving his hand away, he touched her cheek, pretending to clean there, too.
“Is it all over my face?” she asked.
Instead of agreeing with her, which would be a lie, he just nodded.
Sakura blushed. “I don’t usually make such a mess.”
He just kept on grinning as his fingers and thumb moved to her forehead, pretending to wipe nonexistent dirt. Then he moved his thumb to her lip where he couldn’t help himself and caressed it.
“There, too?” she asked, uncomfortable because his thumb was in the way as she spoke.
“Yeah, there too,” he said, moving his head closer to hers.
Sakura gazed up at him, her heart pounding as he came closer and then—
“Ah-hem!”
Conrad jumped. He hastily turned to the door and saw Sebastian there.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were in the kitchen?”
Sakura thought Sebastian was talking to Conrad, but then he said, “Why didn’t you text me back?” That was when she realized he was talking to her. Oh! So that first unknown number was his? But how did he get her number? From whom? And why would he text her?
Good Lord! He looked mad. He sounded mad.
Conrad moved away from Sakura and picked up his coffee. “I like swans,” he said and took a sip. “Hmm. Delicious.”
Sakura returned to making more coffee as Tristan walked in. “Are you making one for me?” he asked, coming to stand behind her. Then, before she knew it, Logan and Hayden turned up as well and crowded the kitchen.
“Smells good,” Hayden said.
“What are you guys doing here?” she asked. She just wanted to get this done quickly and then disappear into her room.
“Pass me that cup,” Logan said, reaching out. No one was paying him attention, however, and he stretched out his hand for the cup. He accidentally shoved Sakura’s bag to the floor, her stuff flying out everywhere.
Sakura gasped, stopped what she was doing, and rushed around the corner.
“Oh, shoot! Sorry.” Logan crouched down and picked up her bag for her.
Sebastian helped by picking up the pieces of papers that were on the floor. Sakura saw he was about to read her very confidential report and snapped it from his hand, none too gently. She quickly folded it carefully and shoved it in her bag, her hands shaking. Sebastian noticed her odd reaction and was instantly suspicious but said nothing.
Sakura put her bag farther away from them and returned to her coffee.
r /> “So what have you been doing this whole day? You just disappeared on us since early this morning,” Logan asked, leaning across the countertop.
“Things,” she said and didn’t bother to explain.
“What kind of things?” Hayden asked. “Have you had dinner yet?”
“Nope. But I’m sure I can as soon as you guys leave me alone to finish this.”
Tristan chuckled. “Touché.”
The brothers watched in silence as she expertly made their coffee. Then some twenty minutes later, it was done, all eight cups. And by that time, Conrad had finished his.
“Am I allowed one more?” he had the gall to ask.
Sakura scowled at him. “Too much coffee is bad for you.” She turned to the others. “Now off with you. Take them. I’m off.” She grabbed her bag and practically ran out the door.