Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23614 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23614 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
I work for my dad’s best friend as a barista at one of his cafes.
It’s fun and easy. I wipe tables, clean the counter, and pull shots of espresso during my shift.
Except the gorgeous Dane Kenneally himself stops by one day, taking my breath away. My dad’s best friend is huge. Handsome. Incredibly dominating with blue eyes that see everything, and a milk frother so big that it drips non-stop.
Even better, Dane’s milk frother makes a special type of cream … that he thinks I’ll adore!
Yeah, I’m a dirty f*ck. I hire pretty young baristas to work at my cafes because customers appreciate it.
Jamie is no exception. My buddy’s daughter is curvy, ripe, and so beautiful that my eyes hurt just looking at her.
Even better, Jamie’s learning the ins and outs of the java business … and it’s up to me to teach her to take her joe with cream!
This is a follow up to Pregnant By My Best Friend’s Dad (Ed and Kimber’s Story). In this tale, we’re following along with Jamie (Ed’s daughter) and Dane (Ed’s best friend). Yes, Dane’s got two decades on his pretty barista. Yes, Jamie’s dad would kill them if he found out. But do our star-crossed lovers care? Not at all! In fact, they want to get down and dirty, and to hell with the stars! Get ready for a load of fun because if you like natural, 100% organic cream straight from the source, then this is your story. Not only that, but there’s a special double wedding in the epilogue that’s better than any fairy tale ending! As always, no cheating, no cliffhangers, and always a HEA.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
1
Jamie
“Hey Jamie, can I get a hand here?” my co-worker Colette calls from across the store.
“Sure,” I respond. “Just give me a sec.” I finish wiping up my tables in the back section of Dane’s Coffee and stroll behind the counter where Colette’s staring at a puddle of sticky mystery substance on the floor.
“What is that?” I ask, wrinkling my nose.
She throws me a wry look.
“It’s the new strawberry-caramel-bubble gum syrup they sent over from headquarters. It came in a big gallon container that leaked! There was literally a crack in that thing, and now we have this.”
I shake my head with disbelief.
“Man, oh man. Corporate has to do better choosing plastic containers. I know they want everything to be biodegradable these days, but some of the stuff they use is just low quality.”
“Yeah, and now look!” Colette exclaims, gesturing to the mess on the floor. “Besides, do coffee drinkers really want strawberry-caramel-bubble gum flavored drinks? It sounds gross if you ask me.”
I roll my eyes.
“I don’t know. That’s why I take my joe black.”
“I know!” Collette squeals. “That’s so hard-core, Jamie. I mean, seriously, not even a tiny drop of cream? Just a smidge?”
“Nope, black is good,” I retort. “Coffee connoisseurs always drink their stuff straight because you want to taste the original flavor of the bean itself, without it being diluted with milk, oat, soy or what have you. But let me get the mop from in the storeroom, and I’ll get this mess sorted. Customers are waiting,” I say, eyeing one particular lady tapping her foot while glaring at us. “You take care of them, and I’ll take care of this.”
“Thanks, Jamie. You’re a doll,” Collette whispers before whirling back around to the register with a big smile on her face. “How can I help you today?” she asks the lady in a voice dripping with polite sarcasm. “May I suggest our newest strawberry-caramel-bubble gum latte? It’s the best, and a personal favorite of mine.”
I grin while trudging to the storeroom in back because it’s just another day at Dane’s Coffee. I work at a specialty cafe out in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with a hip vibe and lots of far-fetched flavors. Maybe the drinks cost an arm and a leg, but hey, if there are people who will buy, then why not sell the goods at that price point? It makes total business sense.
But I like it at Dane’s. The vibe is good, the customers friendly, and I enjoy my co-workers too. I’m on shift most often with Colette, and she’s a nice girl. Maybe we’re not super-close friends, but we don’t have to be because I don’t buy that shit about co-workers being like a second family. We’re here to make money, and hopefully, Colette and I will rake it in during this shift.
Not that I need the money. The truth is that my family’s well-off. Or more accurately, my dad is well off. Ed is a venture capitalist with his own company called Encore Partners. He’s always pulled a nice salary, and as a result, we live in a huge house back in Wyoming. Now, my dad’s funding my education at NYU, and tuition costs an arm and a leg. Still, we can afford it, and Ed doesn’t understand my desire to work.
“Why don’t you focus on your classes?” Ed asked in a puzzled voice. “Or take some extracurriculars. Dance? Italian? Spanish? I know you’ve always loved the Romance languages.”
I merely laughed into the phone.
“No, it’s fine, Daddy. I like working, and besides, I don’t want to stick out as some rich girl that gets everything handed to her on a plate. I’d rather blend in with the other kids, and take on a part-time job. It’s fine. I like coffee anyways, and being a barista is rewarding in its own way.”
“You mean, you enjoy dealing with irate customers?” my dad asked in an amused tone.
“No, it’s not that,” I replied. “It’s just nice to keep busy and feel productive. School isn’t always like that, you know. Four years is a long time, and all this studying feels like it’s for nothing sometimes.”
“It’s not for nothing,” my dad said in a comforting voice. “Life is a marathon, not a race, Jamie. School is just one part of it, so take it easy. You don’t have to work, but I understand if you want to. In fact, I’m proud of you, honey. Enjoy yourself in New York, and just reach out if you need anything.”
“I will, Daddy,” I replied. “Now, go enjoy time with your new baby! Lily is so cute. Tell Kimber I say hi too.”
“Will do,” my dad murmurs as the baby wails behind him. “Oops, Lily wants me now. Okay, I’ll go tend to your sister. Bye honey! Have a good time in New York.”