B071NZPNXN EBOK Read online

  He was always well dressed, usually in a three-piece suit and tie, so she knew he had a good job and seemed to be financially sound. Sometimes he came in wearing running clothes, so she knew he liked to keep fit.

  However, if she were asked to say the one thing she noticed about him the most, her answer would be that he had sad eyes. It was probably the first thing she noticed about him, and it was probably the reason she felt so drawn to him. He looked as lost and lonely as she felt.

  “Alice Victoria Whitman,” Sophia said, pulling Alice from her thoughts. “I know that look. There is a special someone you have met. I can see it in your eyes.”

  “No, not really,” Alice sighed and smiled at her grandmother. “I mean there is a guy I like, but he doesn’t even know I exist. So I don’t think that counts.”

  “Then the man must be a damn fool,” Sophia replied and gave her granddaughter a smile. “You are beautiful.”

  Alice just smiled, but didn’t respond.

  Alice stayed with her grandmother for another hour. They just sat and talked, as they always did. Sophia talked about Alice’s mom and dad. She liked to reminisce about happier times. Alice found that her grandmother did that a lot lately.

  Alice’s parents were killed in a car accident when she was just seven years old. She was raised by her grandmother after that. Now Sophia was the only one she had in the world.

  “I should be going,” Alice said as she stood up from the bed an hour later, and picked up her jacket. “I have to be at the coffee shop in an hour.”

  “I do wish you wouldn’t work so hard,” Sophia sighed as Alice kissed her on the forehead. “I worry about you.”

  “I’m fine, Gram,” Alice assured her grandmother before she walked towards the door. “I won’t be by tomorrow, I have a double shift, but I can come and visit the day after that. I have the whole day off.”

  “No,” Sophia said, surprising her granddaughter. “You should spend your days off doing something you love.”

  “I do,” Alice replied with a smile. “I love spending time with you. Maybe if the weather is nice, I could bring a packed lunch and we could go outside and have a picnic.”

  “I’d like that,” Sophia nodded and smiled once more at Alice. “I will see you then.”

  Alice said her goodbyes and headed for the exit.

  As she walked back to the coffee shop, her mind wandered back to thoughts of Coffee Guy as it often did. She sometimes imagined that one day he would look up, see her and fall madly in love with her. But in her heart, she knew that would most likely never happen. Why would he? He was a handsome, successful guy and she was just some nobody.

  Alice smiled when she thought of what her grandmother had said about her being beautiful. She wished it were true, but Alice knew Sophia saw her through the eyes of a grandmother.

  She didn’t think there was anything special about herself. She had long, chestnut coloured hair, not very tall, only five foot three inches. She had dark green eyes, and she thought her nose, though small, turned up a little at the end. She knew she wasn’t ugly, but she definitely wasn’t beautiful.

  Why would Coffee Guy ever want her? He was way out of her league.

  Still, it was nice to imagine from time to time.

  “Hi, Alice,” Sam called from behind the counter as she walked through the door of the coffee shop where she worked a short while later. The coffee shop was a big space filled with comfy chairs and small tables, surrounded by a few random bookshelves that were filled with lots of books, all of which Alice had read. It was a warm, welcoming coffee shop, and Alice loved working there. Especially when she walked in through the door and was greeted with the beautiful aroma of all the different coffees they offered. “How was Gram?”

  “Good, thanks,” Alice replied as she headed into the backroom to take off her jacket and slip on her apron.

  “You’re here,” Jenny, Alice’s best friend said as she appeared next to Alice. “Great.”

  “Hey, Jenny,” Alice said as she tied her apron around her waist. “What’s up?”

  “You remember that guy, Dane, I went on a date with last week,” Jenny said as excitement filled her face. “Well, he called and asked if I would like to meet up with him and some of his friends for a drink tonight. One of his friends is performing at the comedy club around the corner, and he asked if we would like to join them there.”

  “We?” Alice asked as she walked back out towards the front of the coffee shop.

  “Can you clear away some of those tables, Alice,” Sam asked giving her a pleading look. “Jenny was supposed to be doing it, but you know Jenny.”

  “I am standing right here!” Jenny exclaimed as she turned and scowled at Sam.

  “And yet you’re still not clearing the tables,” he said, raising his eyebrows and giving Jenny a questioning look.

  “I’ve got it Sam,” Alice said with a giggle as she walked from behind the counter and started to clear the tables.

  “What do you say?” Jenny asked as she followed Alice around the coffee shop.

  “What do I say about what”? Alice asked as she set the first lot of the cups from the tables onto the clearing area on the counter.

  “Going out with Dane and his friends?” Jenny replied and looked at Alice expectantly.

  “When is it?” Alice asked as she returned to the tables and continued to clear them off.

  “I’ve already told you, it’s tonight,” Jenny said and held her breath. She knew it was short notice and that convincing Alice was not going to be easy.

  “TONIGHT!” Alice exclaimed. “I don’t think so, Jen. I’m beyond exhausted as it is, and tomorrow I have a double shift. Honestly, the only thing I want to do tonight is to go home and sleep.”

  “Alice, please,” Jenny pushed, but stopped as the door of the coffee shop opened. She quickly leaned in closer to Alice and whispered. “Your boyfriend is here.”

  Alice turned to see what she was talking about and her heart raced the moment she saw Coffee Guy, heading for the counter. He was wearing running clothes, and he looked like he was in desperate need of some coffee.

  Sam laughed as Alice made it around the counter in record time. He pretended to be too busy to serve the guy, leaving him all to Alice.

  “Hey,” Alice said as she nervously pushed her hair back behind her ears. “Your usual?”

  “Sure, thanks,” he said and smiled without making eye contact with her. “No, wait. I think I fancy a cappuccino today.”

  “No problem,” she replied as she turned around and began to get his coffee ready.

  “Actually,” he called out to her. “Can I get that for here, instead of to go?”

  “You want to drink it here?” She asked, surprised by his request. In the thirteen months, he had been coming into the coffee shop; he had never once stayed there to drink his coffee.

  “If that’s okay?” He asked, and for the first time ever, his eyes met hers and he gave her a genuine smile.

  “Of course,” she replied with a nervous crack in her voice. “Why don’t you take a seat, and I‘ll bring it over to you?”

  “Perfect,” he smiled again before he turned and headed for a seat in the corner of the coffee shop.

  Okay, stay calm, she told herself in her mind, but her hands were trembling as she made the cappuccino for Coffee Guy.

  As she was finishing off the coffee, Sam set a small plate with some biscotti on it, next to her.

  “Give him these on the house,” Sam said with a wink as Alice looked up at him.

  “Thank you,” Alice replied, giving him a grateful smile before she picked up the coffee and the plate of biscotti, then made her way around the counter and across the coffee shop to where Coffee Guy was sitting.

  “Here you go,” she said as she set the cappuccino down in front of him, followed by the biscotti. “And these are on the house.”

  “Thank you,” Coffee Guy said as he looked up at Alice and smiled once again.

  �
�Enjoy,” she said as her face flushed with embarrassment before she turned and walked away.

  Walking back to the counter, she picked up the clearing tray again and returned to what she was doing; all the while resisting the urge to look over at him.

  “So,” Jenny said from behind her, almost making her jump. “About tonight.”

  “I don’t think so, Jenny,” Alice sighed as her attention was drawn back to her friend. “I told you, I’ve a double shift tomorrow, so I’m going home, ordering pizza, soaking in a hot bath, and then I’m having an early night.”

  “Alice, please,” Jenny begged as she continued to follow her from table to table.

  “Jenny, I’m just so tired,” Alice sighed and turned to her friend. As she did, she noticed Coffee Guy was watching their discussion. Her face instantly flushed, and she couldn’t seem to focus on what her friend was saying.

  “Please,” Jenny pushed again. “It will be fun. The Comedy Room is always a bit of fun.

  “Fine,” Alice sighed as she cleared off the last of the tables that needed clearing. “I will go for an hour, no more. I mean it, Jen.”

  “I’ll take the hour,” Jenny squealed excitedly before she disappeared back into the backroom.

  “Why you let that girl talk you into doing things you don’t want to do, I will never know,” Sam said as Alice joined him behind the counter.

  “She’s my best friend,” Alice shrugged as she began to brew a new pot of coffee.

  “She doesn’t deserve you,” Sam replied before he too disappeared into the backroom.

  Alice looked up, and she suddenly became aware that there was no one else in the coffee shop, except her and Coffee Guy.

  She watched him for a moment as he sat there, lost in thought, staring out of the window at the world passing by. Alice wondered what he could be thinking about that made him look so unhappy. She took in his face, or at least the side she could see. He had a good strong chin, and his skin was flawless. Just above his eyebrows, his face was lined, and she knew that he was worried about something, but what she had no idea.

  Taking a deep breath, she walked around the counter and headed to his table.

  “Is everything okay?” She asked, and she seemed to startle him a little.

  “Excuse me?” He asked, and for a moment, Alice thought he was angry.

  “With your coffee,” she quickly clarified. “Can I get you some more coffee?”

  “The coffee was perfect,” he said, and this time he smiled warmly at her. “I’m sorry, I was miles away.”

  “Would you like more?” Alice asked once again. “Coffee, I mean.”

  “No, thanks,” he said as he stood up. “But thank you for the offer.”

  “My pleasure,” she replied and groaned inwardly for not saying something cool, or charming.

  “And thanks for the biscotti …” he said as he held out his hand and looked at her expectantly.

  She looked at him for a moment; then she realised he was waiting for her to tell him her name.

  “Alice,” she replied as she smiled and took his hand. “I’m Alice.”

  “Parker,” Coffee Guy replied as he closed his hand around hers and shook it firmly. “I guess I’ll see you around, Alice.”

  Releasing her hand, he gave her one more smile before he turned and headed for the door.

  Parker, she repeated to herself in her mind. His name is Parker, and he knows I exist.

  Chapter 3

  Parker

  Parker’s phone begun to ring, just as he reached the door of his apartment. He slipped it from his pocket and sighed when he saw Jensen’s name flashing on the screen. He knew by now Harrison would have called Jensen and told him about his current shitty situation.

  He hit accept and brought the phone to his ear.

  “Jensen,” Parker sighed and waited for whatever dig his friend was about to make.

  “So, when is the bachelor party?” Jensen laughed through the phone. “And how many strippers do you want?”

  “I’m glad you’re amused,” Parker replied as he walked into his apartment, and headed straight to his bedroom.

  “Tell me you’re not going through with this, Parks,” Jensen said realising his friend didn't laugh. “You can’t get married just because your parents tell you to. You’re a fucking adult.”

  “Apparently not adult enough,” Parker sighed as he pressed the speaker button on his phone and set it down on his nightstand. He undid the zipper on his hoodie before he dropped it down his arms, to the floor. “It’s time for me to grow up and settle down.”

  “Parker,” Jensen said, sounding deadly serious. “You can’t marry one of the sheep; I don’t care how much you want to take over from your father. You know this is beyond insane, right?”

  “I’m not marrying any sheep,” Parker replied then pulled his t-shirt over his head before he kicked his shoes off too.

  “Then you told your parents to go to hell,” Jensen said, sounding relieved.

  “Nope, I didn’t do that either,” Parker laughed. “I’m doing what Harri suggested.”

  “What Harri suggested?” Jensen asked, and Parker realised that Harrison hadn’t told their friend everything.

  “I’m going to pay someone to marry me,” Parker replied as if it was the most normal thing in the world to do. “You know, play the little wife, until my parents get off my back.”

  “You’re what?” Jensen asked, completely stunned by his friend's response.

  “I’m not marrying some girl my mother picks, that I will be stuck with for the rest of my life,” Parker explained. “Harrison suggested that I pay someone. She would play the dutiful wife in front of my parents, and in a year’s time, we get divorced. Just say it didn’t work out. She gets a bucket load of money, and I get to be head of O’Neill’s International. Problem solved.”

  “Do you know how ridiculous this sounds?” Jensen asked, and Parker knew his friend wasn’t convinced. “You’re twenty-nine years old.”

  “Not as ridiculous as giving up everything I have worked for because I don’t want to marry some random girl my mother has selected for me,” Parker replied. “This is the only way to keep them off my back long enough to take over from my father.”

  “Well for the record,” Jensen sighed. “I think you have lost your damn mind.”

  “Maybe I have,” Parker replied as he picked up his phone. “But I don’t see any other way. Now, I’m gonna have a shower. I will give you a call later; maybe we can go out for one last blowout while I am still a free man.”

  Jensen said goodbye, before Parker hung up the phone and headed for the bathroom. Reaching into the shower, he switched it on before he stripped off his tracksuit bottoms and boxers, then stepped beneath the hot water.

  As he stood there beneath the jets, he thought about how epically fucked up his day was. He still couldn’t believe that his parents were pulling this stunt. He knew he had fucked up over the years, but nothing he had done deserved what his parents were asking of him.

  He wished he could go back to this morning, wake up again and discover this whole day had been a bad dream.

  He also wished his parents would see how ridiculous this whole idea was. This day just sucked.

  How sad is it when the highlight of your day, is free biscotti? He thought to himself miserably as he rinsed the shampoo from his hair.

  Then he thought about the waitress. He wondered if he looked so pathetic sitting in the coffee shop, that she had felt sorry for him and that’s why she gave him free biscotti. That thought made him groan inwardly.

  Maybe she might pity me enough to marry me? He thought to himself and laughed out loud.

  But suddenly the thought didn’t seem that ridiculous. She was pretty in a less obvious kind of way, and she seemed friendly. Maybe getting married to her wouldn’t be such a stretch for his parents to believe.

  “Now you have lost your mind,” he laughed as he realised just how ridiculous the idea was.

>   But was it? Was it really so hard to believe that the girl from the coffee shop wouldn’t want to marry him? After all, she would be well compensated, and she would get to live in luxury for a year. All she would have to do is accompany him to public events from time to time, and of course, convince his parents she loved him.

  Parker reached up and switched off the shower, then climbed out quickly and wrapped a towel around his waist before he hurried back to his bedroom and grabbed his phone. He brought up Jensen’s number and quickly hit call.

  “Don’t tell me,” Jensen said when he answered the phone. “They want grandkids as well now.”

  “Funny,” Parker replied impatiently. “How much money would a waitress make?”

  “Wow, I know you’re worried about losing the company,” Jensen laughed. “But I don’t think you are quite there yet.”

  “Answer the damn question!” Parker demanded impatiently. “How much would someone working in a small coffee shop earn?”

  “I don’t know,” Jensen replied hesitantly. “Minimum wage I suppose, maybe not even that.”

  “Perfect,” Parker said and couldn’t help but smile to himself.

  “You want to explain?” Jensen asked curiously.

  “I will later,” Parker replied as his mind began to work overtime. “Call Harrison, tell him we are going to The Comedy Room tonight. I will collect you both on the way.”

  “And why would we be going there exactly?” Jensen asked.

  “To get me a wife,” Parker replied before he hung up the phone. He needed to get ready, and he needed to do a little research before he took the biggest gamble of his life.

  Arriving at The Comedy Room, Parker insisted that they kept a low profile. The last thing he needed tonight was some asshole pap hearing he was there and catching the lowest moment of his life on film.

  Harrison had called ahead and reserved a quiet booth in the club. When they arrived, the waitress led them to it and took their drinks order. Parker took the seat that faced out to the crowd so he could watch out for the waitress from the coffee shop when she arrived.