Chapter 4

Eliza

It’s been a long damn morning.

I didn’t sleep well at all. I tossed and turned, got pissed, and deleted all the dating apps off my phone. I’ve decided I’m done with dating. I am going to focus on opening a damn coffee bar in the bookshop. I know Louisa doesn’t think it’s a good idea and doesn’t really think I can make it happen, but I want it badly. I want something for myself. Each of my sisters has their own thing, yet I’m riding Lou’s coattails, helping with a shop I’m not passionate about. I love it here, but I want my own thing.

Especially when I’ve decided I’m going to stop reading romance. Because that shit does nothing but ruin my life. I have this hope that every guy I go out with will be the one. I’m pretty damn sure my “the one” got chased by a bear and fell off the side of a mountain. Or the bear ate him. I wish a bear would eat me. Ugh. I’m so over everything at this point.

The plumber came and went, and of course, I forgot to get more cash after my shittastic date. The reminder that I gave that asshole my cash only pisses me off more, especially since I had to pay a fee for using my card. I tried not to be too rude to the plumber for the outrageous seven-dollar fee, but seven bucks? That’s highway robbery! I’m pretty sure he muttered that I was a bitch too. Being called a bitch twice within twenty-four hours is a new record for me.

To add to my ever-sucking morning, I haven’t had a chance to make it to Drippy Drip for my morning caffeine fix. I am dying, which is why I want my own spot within the bookshop. I want to serve coffee, but also this amazing drink called a lotus tea. I have so many cute ideas to name drinks after books, and I desperately want to learn and to make it happen. I have the money, and I have the determination. The only problem is I need someone to train me, to teach me. And at the only coffee shop in town, the owner isn’t really open to helping me. He doesn’t want anything to do with me, pretty much how the whole town treats my sisters and me.

Or rather, used to treat us. It’s not as bad as it was when we first came. The success of the Knoxville Bears has shown the town what hockey can offer. Tourism is up, games are sold out, and the team is doing great. They made it to the play-offs last year and almost won the whole damn thing. The Bears are kicking ass, and the people of this town love that. So instead of being mean to the owner’s granddaughters, they now ignore us.

It’s awesome.

I reach for the box cutter after the delivery guy brings two boxes into the shop. I don’t remember Lou telling me an order was coming, so I call her as I open the box. When I see the cover, I suppress a giggle.

My sister and her monster romance addiction.

“Hey, Liza. What’s up?”

I try to keep my voice even as I ask, “Lou, why in the hell is there a box of special edition books with Krampus on the cover, embracing a rather hot blonde?”

Lou giggles. “So, hear me out…”

“I have no choice but to hear you out as you explain to me what is appealing about Krampus, because I don’t think I’d enjoy being rammed by him.”

My sister is fully cackling at this point. “Liza, for real. He is scrumptious, and his come is eggnog.”

“As in, he ejaculates eggnog?”

“Yes.”

I blink. “I mean, I do love me some eggnog. I may give it a go.”

“You should. Just make sure to have a toy nearby.”

I snort. “Where do you find this shit?”

“Facebook ads,” she admits, and I laugh.

“Fair enough.”

“They’re so pretty. Put them up front. And make sure to set one aside for me.”

I scoff. “Do you expect it to sell out?”

She pauses. “Eliza, his come is eggnog, and we live in a Christmas town. It’s gonna fly off the shelves.”

She’s so serious, I can’t help but laugh even harder. “I can’t with you.”

“For real, read it, and don’t get anything on my pages.” I roll my eyes, but before I can scold her for her teasing, she asks, “How did it go with Chad Michael?”

I gag, my mood darkening more. “Total jackass. He doesn’t eat pussy.”

“What the hell? Yeah, ew, fuck that.”

“My thoughts exactly,” I sigh. “I’m done dating.”

“I’ve heard this before.”

“Hear it again, sister. But for real, I’m done.”

“Yeah, right. After you read Krampus, you’ll be looking for a big dude to ram you and throw eggnog on your face.”

“I am appalled,” I snort, unable to keep my laughter in. “And now questioning my love for eggnog.”

“You wait and see,” she warns me. “But for real. I’m sorry your date sucked. Keep your head up.”

“Eh, it is what it is.”

“It isn’t, though. The right guy is out there.”

“No, he isn’t. He got lost in the woods, and Krampus ate him.”

My elder sister giggles at my dramatics. “Nah, Krampus only eats women.”

I roll my eyes at that. “You’re silly. And like I said, it is what it is. I’m done trying to find someone to make me feel something. If he’s out there, he’ll have to come looking for me.”

“He is out there,” she promises, and I’m sure she has little hearts in her eyes. “And if I find him on the side of the road being eaten by Krampus, I’ll save him.”

“Good looking out.”

“Anytime.”

“I love you.”

“I love you more,” she tells me, and the warmth from the safety she guarantees me spreads through my chest. Louisa has always been the mom of our family and will always be a strong pillar in my life. I love her desperately, and I owe her everything.

She saved me when I couldn’t save myself.

We hang up, and I set my phone on the desk to get started putting the books out. Once I get everything set up nicely, I take a picture and send it to Louisa. She sends all the heart and Santa emojis, and I laugh as I tuck my phone into my back pocket. I grab my jacket and head to the front to lock the door and switch the open sign to “Be back in fifteen.” Then I go out the back, locking that door and walking down the alley toward the coffeehouse’s back entrance. I think I’m the only one who uses it, but it’s just so convenient.

Drippy Drip is the only coffee shop in town, and everyone loves it. It’s been here since the town was established, and over the years, their drinks have gotten more modern. They offer my drink of choice, a lotus tea, and my day drags without it. After I enter through the alley doorway, I head down the hall and into the open space. Like the rest of the storefronts in the town of Blitz, Drippy Drip is in a gorgeous brick building with modern gold fixtures. They have sleek black leather couches, super-tall tables with high barstools, and smaller two-person tables along one wall with booth seats. The service area is made of brick to match the outside, a distressed white brick with black accents. A bar is along one side of the service area, and on the other is a display case for all the bakery items.

When I see the pomegranate-orange muffin sign, I fight back a gag. I hate those muffins. They stay in view all over my home, and when I see one half eaten, I know it’s because Ciaran has fed it to Louisa, or the other way around, and they got distracted by sex since apparently the damn muffins are an aphrodisiac for them.

One thing is for sure, I won’t be serving them in my coffee spot.

I roll my eyes, and just as I sit on one of the barstools at the side of the service counter, the kitchen door flies open and in walks a sinful Adonis.

Also known as the owner of the coffeehouse.

Coleson Katz.

The man is sex incarnate. He is built like a tank—with wide shoulders and thick biceps, but then a trim waist with strong, long legs. He has to be somewhere in the 6’3” range, maybe bigger, with an ass strong enough to stop the truck that broke my sister”s left side in a wild, unbelievable accident.

Only Lou would get hit by a truck. Only her. But my sister is the last thing on my mind as I drink in Coleson. His dark-blond hair is all over the place, like he’s run his fingers through it multiple times. Jealousy blooms in my gut, wishing it were me running my fingers through the thick locks. His head is shaved on the sides, letting the tattoos that curve up his neck shine. Through the white shirt he wears, I can see shadows of more tattoos, and damn it if I don’t want to trace my tongue along every bit of ink on his skin. But his lips? Man, his top lip is so thick, jutting out in the perfect Cupid’s bow, making him so fucking kissable it’s unfair.

He’s stunning.

Wicked.

And I’ve been lusting after him since the first time I walked in here.

When his bright-blue eyes scan the room, they pause on me, and then he nods at me. “Trying something new today?”

His voice is deep, rough, and makes my insides clench with want. “Nope. Same thing as always.”

He chuckles as he reaches for a plastic cup to start making my drink. “I could make you a mean latte.”

I wave him off. “I don’t want it, but I do want you to teach me how.”

This isn’t the first time, nor will it be the last, that I’ve asked him to teach me. He is hell-bent on not helping me out, when I know he’s the only one in walking distance who can. He rolls his eyes. “If you think I’m going to train my competition, you’re mistaken, McDavid.”

The way he says my last name makes me breathless. He’s never called me by my first name; it’s always McDavid. I don’t know why, but I kind of like it. Though, I’d love to hear my first name on his lips. As he comes. In my mouth, in my hair, on my chest…inside me.

Anywhere, really.

Well, that escalated quickly.