5. Juniper

Juniper

"Order for Addy," I called, setting the latte on the counter.

It was finally starting to slow down after the lunchtime rush. I started steaming more milk, adding pumpkin spice because t’was the season. I had made so many pumpkin spice lattes today, I was sure I'd be sneezing cinnamon all night.

I put the last cup up on the counter then leaned back, glad the never ending flow of tickets seemed to stop for now.

"Could you watch the counter?" Jay, my co-worker, asked. "I really need to go."

"Of course." Neither of us had stopped for the past few hours.

They slung off their apron and ran around the counter.

I stood at the register, taking a sip of my now cold coffee. Though this job could be chaotic at the best of times, it wasn't awful. The money was good and it was only until PlanD took off.

The door tinged and a customer walked it.

"Welcome to the..." the words died on my lips as I was face to face with Ellery.

I stood there for a moment as memories of our night together flooded back. His lips on my neck. His hands on my body. His giant co…

I stopped that thought in its tracks. Though I’d never seen him here before, I was sure this was just fate’s cruel joke.

He quirked a brow at me and I snapped myself together. If he wasn't going to say anything about it, I sure wasn't either. "Welcome to the Beans & More. What can I get you?"

"Large Black coffee with a single sugar," he said smoothly.

I wrote it on the side of the cup. "Name?"

I asked on instinct, even though I already knew. But I wanted this to be as impersonal as possible. I wanted to push him so far out of my memory not even those piercing blue eyes were recognizable to me.

"Ellery," he said in his posh tone. I wrote it down then rang him up. He tapped that black Amex before shoving it back into his wallet.

"It will be one minute," I said as the receipt printed. "You can grab it at the counter there."

"Thanks, Juniper," he said, pretending he read my name tag.

As he grabbed it, our hands brushed and I pulled away quickly. We had enough contact for a lifetime the other day. He smirked at me before walking to the end of the counter to wait for his drink.

I prepped his coffee easily, turning on my autopilot and pretending the man on the other side of the counter was just any other customer. Not the one I hooked up with on a dangerous whim.

"Ellery," I called out as always as I snapped the little plastic cap on and slid the coffee across the counter.

"Much appreciated," he said. “See you next time.” He took a deep sip, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the movement.

Then he was gone.

I took a deep breath, finally feeling like I could breathe.

That was short lived however. Ellery came in the next day, and the day after that. Always ordering a black coffee with a single sugar, always in a suit I was sure was more expensive than my yearly earnings.

He didn't say much, just smirking at me and occasionally commenting on the weather. Whenever he came, it felt like he sucked up all the space in the room, leaving it cramped.

He came in again today, right after the lunch rush, and Jay had just gone to the back to grab some more coffee to ground.

"Hello," he said, "just the normal."

"Sorry," I said. "I don't recall your order." Of course I did, but I didn't want him to feel like some kind of regular.

He quirked his brow. "I'm surprised someone that seems as competent as you would forget something so simple."

I gritted my teeth. "I'm surprised someone as pompous as you could fit your ego through that door."

I gasped, not believing I said that. Shit. He was definitely going to ask for the manager, or at the very least write a bad review.

What I didn't expect was his laughter. It was rich and smooth, the way I imagined expensive whiskey would be.

"Don't worry, my ego isn't the only big thing in this room. I'll take a large black, single sugar." For the first time, he pushed way too much cash across the counter and sauntered over to the counter.

I stood there, mouth open, unable to believe he just said that. I picked up the cash, got out the absurd amount of change it created, then made the coffee. In my irritation, I almost knocked the entire thing over when I swung around to grab the sugar. The words of the spell to stop it flew out of my mouth quicker than I could think about it, catching it before the liquid could spill and holding it in place. Remembering I was at work, I scooped it up quickly. My gaze shot around, hoping nobody noticed. Thankfully it was fairly slow and it seemed everyone was wrapped up in their own thing. Even Ellery was tapping away at his phone.

God I needed to get it together. I finished the drink and calmed myself down before going towards the pickup spot.

I slid the cup across the counter and called his name, "Ellery." It really did roll off the tongue.

As he came to grab it, I slid the cash across as well. "Here's the change you left."

As I went to pull my hand away, his came on top of mine, pinning me in place.

"Do you have a minute to chat?" he asked.

I blinked at him. "I don't. Do you need something?"

"Yes," he said, "I would prefer to have the conversation in private."

"Well, I'm sorry that won't work, I—"

"Hey, Juniper, why don't you head on break while it's slow," Jay said, cutting me off.

I turned back to them, eyes wide. They gave me a wink. I knew they thought they were helping, but they were being the worst right now.

"Sounds like you have time after all," Ellery said with a smirk.

I grimaced, but what was I supposed to do now?

"Fine," I took my apron off and came around the counter. When I got close, I was reminded how much shorter I was than him, but I refused to be intimidated. I left from behind the counter and followed him out to the alley beside the shop.

"What do you want?" I snapped.

He crossed his arms, leaning against the brick wall of the building. "You're kinda cute when you're all fired up."

My face was ablaze. "If I'm just out here so you can harass me, forget it."

I began to walk away but he sidestepped me, blocking my path. "Listen, I'm sorry, there is something I need to discuss."

"Then spit it out."

"I'm assuming you haven't seen the photo of us floating around?"

I felt my heart drop into my stomach. "What are you talking about?"

Ellery pulled out his phone and poked around before turning the screen around. To my horror, it was us the night of the gala, looking way too close for comfort. It was obvious what we were on our way to do, even through the closing elevator doors.

Child-star Ellery Scott caught with the latest fling? the headline read.

"Are you famous or something?" I asked him.

"Childhood star, a brief stint in modeling in my teens and early twenties."

"So the paparazzi just follow you around?"

"Not usually," he said, scratching his head. "Mostly people who recognize me take them, then sell them to these sleazy sites."

I shook my head. "Okay, there's a… photo of us. So what?"

"My parents saw it."

I stared, hoping for more, to no avail. "I'm going to need you to be more direct, or I can't help you. Do you need me to have it taken down or something?"

"I need you to come to dinner on Sunday."

My eyes widened. For the first time since I'd met Emery, he looked uncomfortable. Nervous even. "Why would I come to dinner with you?"

"Listen, my parents have been on me about settling down, and I need to show them I am. When this photo came up I sort of... told my mom we were dating."

I gasped. "Why would you do that?"

"I thought it would make them stop, but she insisted she meet you over dinner."

I couldn't help it. I started laughing. And then I laughed harder. I laughed so hard tears streamed down my face and I snorted, which I hadn't done since I was a child.

"This isn't funny," he said.

"This is hilarious! Who lies about that kind of thing?"

He crossed his arms, looking even angrier now. "Will you help me or not?" he asked.

"Give me one good reason," I said, finally calming down.

"Name your price," he said easily.

"You couldn't afford it."

"Try me."

I bit my bottom lip, thinking. It had to be an outrageous amount, something even this man would roll his eyes at. "Ten grand."

"Done." He didn’t even stutter.

I stopped in my tracks, looking him up and down. Now he looked confident. This was probably an area he was comfortable with. Throwing around money to get exactly what he wanted.

"Are you serious? Ten grand for a single night?"

"As long as you show up, it's yours."

He didn't seem to be lying, but this all felt too good to be true. "Fine, but I have some stipulations."

He quirked his brow at me. "I'm paying you ten grand, what stipulations?"

"I'm not sleeping with you," I said quickly. That was truly a one time thing.

"At my parent’s house?" he asked. "I hope not."

"And I want half up front." I didn't need him stiffing me after it was all over.

"Half when I pick you up at seven," he clarified. "The other half after."

"Fine." I wasn't sure how, but throughout this conversation, we became close. Too close. If it wasn't for our height difference, we'd probably be nose to nose. "And no kissing," I added.

"That can be arranged. Here," he passed me his phone, "put your number in. I'll text you and pick you up around seven."

I entered my number. “Sounds good."

He nodded and disappeared behind the corner.

The rest of the day passed in a haze as I finished my shift and drove myself home. I couldn't believe I'd agreed to this. It was crazy. As I got out of the shower, my phone buzzed with an unknown number.

Unknown - Let me know your address for Sunday.

Right to business, I saw. I quickly changed his contact then shot him a message with my address back.

Ellery - here, pick yourself up something nice to wear.

As soon as he said that I got a payment notification and my eyes widened at the amount.

I quickly shot back.

This better not be coming out of my cut.

The dots danced for a moment before...

Ellery - Goodnight