Read Online The Running Series Complete Collection: 3-Book Set plus Bonus Novella by Suzanne Sweeney - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Suzanne Sweeney
Ads: Link
you lemons, hand them back and demand chocolate! The only thing to do right now is to drive directly to the Green Planet Coffee Company and treat myself to a large chai and a double chocolate chip muffin. It’s still early and parking is not a problem. It hasn’t started raining yet, so I decide to let Maddy out of the car. She can wait outside for me while I run in quickly. After a quick scratch behind her ears, I attach her leash to one of the Adirondack chairs in front of the coffee shop and head in.
They are training a new barista, and everything takes much longer than usual. The person in front of me orders a macchiato and the manager is explaining the difference between a latte and macchiato in excruciatingly complex details. When it’s my turn, I place my order and wait patiently. I refuse to allow myself to take out my bad disposition on this poor young girl who’s doing the best she can. Not that long ago, I was in training myself, and I always appreciated when my customers gave me a little slack. Offering the same in return is the least I can do.
As I’m waiting, I get an unexpected tingle down my spine. My mind immediately returns to images of Evan ... of our morning spent together giggling, laughing, and flirting, the way I felt when his skin brushed against mine. I push those thoughts to the side. It’s time to move on. When my order is up, I take a deep breath and head outside to face another day.
The moment I step outside, I am completely unprepared for what awaits me. Sitting on the exact chair where I tied Maddy is Evan! He is affectionately petting her back and she is clearly under his spell. Crap!
I stand stock still while the image before me sinks in. That familiar tingle makes a reappearance and I’m rendered speechless.
“Hello, Juliette. What a nice surprise.” Evan seems genuinely pleased to see me. A grin spreads across his face and is reflected with a glimmer in his eyes.
“Oh, hey, Evan.” I try to reveal as little as possible. “Let’s go Maddy.” I remove the leash from Maddy’s collar so I can separate it from the chair. As quickly as I can, I detached the leash from the chair and reattach it to Maddy’s collar. Evan is studying me with a confused look on his face. “Thank you for watching Maddy for me. Take care.” I turn on my heels and start to walk toward my car with my dog in tow.
“Juliette, wait, why don’t you sit and join me?” Evan is now standing and facing me with his hands in his pockets.
“That’s OK, Evan. I’m sure you’ve got a million things to do.” I give him a half-hearted smile, and turn with Maddy to leave.
“Juliette, stop, please. Something’s obviously wrong. Have I done something to upset you?” He stares quizzically at me like he’s trying to solve a puzzle.
“No, of course not. Thank you for the flowers, by the way. They were really a lovely gesture.” I should have thanked him right away. He has a way of getting me flustered.
“Good, then sit.” Evan plops himself down and pats the chair beside him.
Unable to come up with a reason not to stay, I give the slightest nod and join him. In order to avoid trying to make small talk, I begin to drink my tea and wait for him to continue.
“When I didn’t see you on the beach yesterday or today, I was worried that you were more seriously injured than I thought.”
“I’m sorry. What did you just say?” Does he think I’m blind? Is he going to pretend he didn’t see me this morning? It’s one thing to avoid me, but it’s an entirely different thing to lie to my face, and that I won’t abide.
“I said I was worried about you. I don’t understand your reaction. Talk to me, Juliette.” His brow is furrowed and there is a genuine look of concern on his face.
“You know I was on the beach today. You were looking right at me. I saw you standing there on your deck
They are training a new barista, and everything takes much longer than usual. The person in front of me orders a macchiato and the manager is explaining the difference between a latte and macchiato in excruciatingly complex details. When it’s my turn, I place my order and wait patiently. I refuse to allow myself to take out my bad disposition on this poor young girl who’s doing the best she can. Not that long ago, I was in training myself, and I always appreciated when my customers gave me a little slack. Offering the same in return is the least I can do.
As I’m waiting, I get an unexpected tingle down my spine. My mind immediately returns to images of Evan ... of our morning spent together giggling, laughing, and flirting, the way I felt when his skin brushed against mine. I push those thoughts to the side. It’s time to move on. When my order is up, I take a deep breath and head outside to face another day.
The moment I step outside, I am completely unprepared for what awaits me. Sitting on the exact chair where I tied Maddy is Evan! He is affectionately petting her back and she is clearly under his spell. Crap!
I stand stock still while the image before me sinks in. That familiar tingle makes a reappearance and I’m rendered speechless.
“Hello, Juliette. What a nice surprise.” Evan seems genuinely pleased to see me. A grin spreads across his face and is reflected with a glimmer in his eyes.
“Oh, hey, Evan.” I try to reveal as little as possible. “Let’s go Maddy.” I remove the leash from Maddy’s collar so I can separate it from the chair. As quickly as I can, I detached the leash from the chair and reattach it to Maddy’s collar. Evan is studying me with a confused look on his face. “Thank you for watching Maddy for me. Take care.” I turn on my heels and start to walk toward my car with my dog in tow.
“Juliette, wait, why don’t you sit and join me?” Evan is now standing and facing me with his hands in his pockets.
“That’s OK, Evan. I’m sure you’ve got a million things to do.” I give him a half-hearted smile, and turn with Maddy to leave.
“Juliette, stop, please. Something’s obviously wrong. Have I done something to upset you?” He stares quizzically at me like he’s trying to solve a puzzle.
“No, of course not. Thank you for the flowers, by the way. They were really a lovely gesture.” I should have thanked him right away. He has a way of getting me flustered.
“Good, then sit.” Evan plops himself down and pats the chair beside him.
Unable to come up with a reason not to stay, I give the slightest nod and join him. In order to avoid trying to make small talk, I begin to drink my tea and wait for him to continue.
“When I didn’t see you on the beach yesterday or today, I was worried that you were more seriously injured than I thought.”
“I’m sorry. What did you just say?” Does he think I’m blind? Is he going to pretend he didn’t see me this morning? It’s one thing to avoid me, but it’s an entirely different thing to lie to my face, and that I won’t abide.
“I said I was worried about you. I don’t understand your reaction. Talk to me, Juliette.” His brow is furrowed and there is a genuine look of concern on his face.
“You know I was on the beach today. You were looking right at me. I saw you standing there on your deck
Similar Books
