Chapter 2

Chapter

Two

R eed was exhausted, worn out, and ready to scream. The bathroom in his apartment flooded, he'd had to find and deliver a pound of dill pickle-flavored pistachios to a starlet that James wanted to seduce, and his shoes pinched.

So, at five a.m., he went into the coffee shop, turned off his phone, and prayed for caffeine.

The place was deserted, but it was open, and he breathed in the smell of roasted coffee beans, fresh-baked bread, and maybe that was bacon.

He stumbled to the counter and inhaled deep. Coffee.

"Hey! Little bear." That was Tyler. The honeybun man. "You're out and about early. You okay?"

"Crap night." He blinked, just trying to focus.

"Oh, you look it. What do you want, hon? A coffee, or a nap and then a coffee?"

"Don't tease." He wanted to just curl up and die.

"I'm not. I have a couch back in my office. You could crash there until you need to get up."

He wavered. Was that weird? But, God, that sounded so good he could cry. "If I got up at six forty-five, I could have coffee and a sandwich before I went to work."

"Come on." Tyler never hesitated, and he found himself following the big man back behind the counter.

"I'm so sorry. There was a leak, and the place flooded." And the big bear smelled so good.

"Oh no! Are they going to get it fixed today?" Tyler showed him into a nice-sized office with a long, leather couch along the back wall. "Here, let me get you a pillow and a blanket. I crash here once in a while when I have a late night."

"I hope so. I just—" He worked so hard, and he was so tired.

"Hey. It's okay. Just have a lie down, and I'll set an alarm." Tyler eased him down on the couch, then covered him up. "Sleep. There will be a bacon, egg, and cheese for you with your coffee."

"Thank you. I'm so sorry. I just…" His eyes closed and he melted into the cushions.

"Shhh. I'll be around if you need me."

He wasn't even sure about the last few words.

When the alarm went off, Reed jolted right up, the pillow and blanket flying in different directions. Where—Oh. The coffee shop.

Goddess, he was pooped, but he wasn't hallucinating. He could make it.

He stretched, then got up, folding the blanket. He needed a bathroom, and then he would go buy a coffee and a sandwich or something and thank Tyler profusely. That was the best sleep he'd had in ages, albeit too little.

He found a tiny bathroom, straightened himself up, and then headed very quietly out of the back.

The barista on duty winked at him, and he flushed, then moved to get in the line, which was much shorter than it had been at nine a.m. the other day.

When he got to the front of the line, he smiled. "Good morning. How are you?"

"I am early-morning me." She winked, and she had the most fascinating fake eyelashes. "How are you?"

"Fine, thank you. Everyone's very kind. One drip coffee please." He needed to sit and charge his phone for half an hour so he could gear up for the day. It was a good excuse.

"Anything to eat?" She waved a hand at a little menu board. "We have a bacon-and-egg sammy on special, or a blueberry muffin with a crumble."

"No, thank you. I'm dieting."

"Ew. Are you an actor?"

As if. "No. No, I'm a personal assistant."

"Oh." She blinked a little at that. "Well, let me get you that coffee."

"Thank you." What did that blink mean?

He paid, then went to sit down until it was time to go to work. The smell of bacon almost made him nuts, but this was so much better than the office.

A plate with a little sandwich hit the table next to his elbow. "You need breakfast, honey."

He blinked up, finding Tyler standing there. "Oh. Hey. Thank you for…today. This morning."

"Feeling better? You just looked so tired." Tyler pulled out the other chair at his little two-top and sat. He had a sandwich in hand too.

"I am. I was seeing things, you know? Sometimes I feel like I'm running in circles and about to catch myself from behind."

"You work hard. I can tell."

"I sure try." Reed chuckled. "I just want to do well."

He never seemed to make his boss happy. Ever. He wasn't sure he was capable of it. Maybe no one was. The guy was kind of a dick. Still. His ambition was to work his way up to junior talent agent.

"Don't we all? This is a tough town for a bear."

"Yes, especially one that's used to the San Juans." He wanted to see his mom, have honey, roll in the snow.

"I get that. Eat your sandwich, honey. You need your strength, especially since you might not have water when you get home." Tyler took a big bite, and he just couldn't say no. The bread was toasted perfectly, and it was cheesy and eggy, and the bacon was crisp.

He moaned softly, his belly singing his praises.

Tyler nodded and watched him happily. "Yum, huh? Our Katie is an amazing cook. I'm so glad we found her right away. She used to work for a studio, but they just didn't appreciate her."

"Hazard of the industry." They all felt like they were better than everyone else. It was a shame.

"Yeah, I'm getting that idea." Tyler laughed. "I felt that way when I set up the store in Aspen. Lots of celebrities."

"I like Aspen quite a bit, but Glenwood is more my jam." Hot springs ahoy.

"Oh, yeah. Vapor caves." Tyler grinned. "How did you end up here, honey?"

"I got an internship out of college, and they hired me after the internship was over, so a three-month stay has become four years."

"Wow." Tyler looked stunned. He could understand. Valleywood was…unique.

"Yes." Part of it was entropy; part of it was hope, which was a terrible thing.

"Do you go home to visit?" Tyler finished off his sandwich, and when he looked down, he'd eaten half of his own.

"I want to. I haven't had a vacation break yet, but as soon as I do, I'm going."

"Good deal. A bear needs some time with nature."

"Have you been out to the lake yet?" Reed asked. "It has some nice parks…"

"Yeah? I haven't had a chance to get out much. Maybe if I had someone to show me around." Tyler left that dangling like a golden arrow in a medieval knight's tale. A perfect prize.

"I'd love to take you out, but I never know when I'll have time off. I don't get regular hours." He didn't get weekends hardly ever.

"Well, maybe we can work it in while I'm here. I'd love to see you, even if you just drop by. Bears, you know?" Tyler touched his hand, and his skin buzzed.

"I do know." And he was lonely, and—"Oh, goddess. What time is it?"

"You're fine." Tyler sat back. It's just seven twenty."

"That's perfect." He had to be there at eight, but fifteen minutes early meant less shouting. He did stuff the rest of his sandwich in his mouth. It was too good to waste.

"Your boss runs your ass off, does he?"

"Yeah. I mean, I know I'm lucky to have a job, but—" He worked his butt off.

"Just remember, it's good to take some nap time. Like this morning." Tyler stopped him for a tiny hug on his way out the door, which made him stumble and gasp. So warm and good.

Tears stung his eyes. He missed hugs.

He turned his phone on, groaning as he saw the fifty-seven calls from James.

"Goddamn it!"

He took off for work at a run.