Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 90607 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90607 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Ava blew out a breath, and then sighed.
She walked up to her mother. “I’ve got to go. I’ve got to get to my other job.”
“You have been a big help today,” Hazel said, leaning over the counter and kissing her cheek.
“You’re not mad that Pat came?”
“No, of course not.”
“Violet said you’re worried.”
“Of course I am worried. You’re my little girl but I’m not going to tell you how to live your life. I raised you to make the right decisions for yourself, not for me, and I expect you to make them.”
“I love you, Mom,” Ava said.
“I love you too, honey. I just don’t want to see you ... hurt.”
Ava took a deep breath and nodded. “I won’t be.”
Hazel looked doubtful.
Leaving the shop, she did so with a heavy heart. She didn’t want to disappoint her mother, but Pat was different. Yes, he was a biker, and she had no doubt he had a reputation. She also had a feeling they were not going anywhere. It didn’t change the fact he made her heart race, and when she was with him, everything seemed better.
She arrived at the coffee shop with ten minutes to spare. Rushing inside, she went into the back room and changed.
“Anna phoned and quit,” Lauren said, coming into the room as Ava slid the uniform into place.
“She did?”
“Yeah, I put out another ad. I’ll see who applies,” Lauren said with a sigh.
“Are you okay?” Ava asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. It has been a long day. I’ve been here since ten.” Lauren gripped her shoulders and then tilted her head from left to right, then back again.
“Ten?”
“The cakes do not bake themselves. It also sucked that the double cream was off. I had to run to the store to grab some more.”
“Off?”
“Yeah, the fridge was left open.”
This made Ava frown. “That’s crazy. We never leave the fridge door open.”
“I guess with how tired I was, I must have forgotten it. Oh well, no harm done, and I got the cakes finished.” Lauren offered her a smile. “You look tired.”
“I’ve been helping my mother today.”
“Are you going to quit on me?” Lauren asked.
“Not a chance. I happen to enjoy this shift.” Her stomach chose that moment to rumble. “But I might have forgotten to grab some food before I got here.”
“You can take your pick from any cake you want, and some coffee,” Lauren said.
Ava thanked her, and they went to their usual places. On her way through to the main shop, she passed the kitchen and saw the mess Lauren would spend most of the night cleaning up.
There were a lot of bowls and spoons. She looked at the assortment of cakes and cookies. Her mouth watered. She wanted chocolate and it would seem it was her lucky day, because Lauren had baked a chocolate mint cake. Cutting herself a generous slice, she took a quick bite, and it was mouthwatering.
The coffee machine was set up. Everything was ready. Lauren always set everything up, and it was up to her to finish serving.
With the doors unlocked, Ava checked the shop, and then got to eating her cake.
It took five minutes for the first customer to come through the door. It was a team of builders. She knew they used to go and have a drink at the bar, but now they opted for cake and coffee. She overheard one of the men saying their wives were much happier because they didn’t go home stinking of booze. Ava liked to think she helped.
It was a busy night. There was no sign of Pat, not that she expected him. She could only hope. A few of the guys attempted to flirt, and like so many times before, she kept silent. She would offer a smile that was not overtly suggestive, but enough for them to know there was no opening.
By the end of the night, she was disappointed, and instead offered to help Lauren finish cleaning the shop. This time, she was more tired than she liked to admit.
Climbing into her car, she was tempted to fall asleep right in the vehicle. She somehow made it home, and she didn’t know if someone was following her. Randomly she would glance into her rearview mirror. One glance, and she saw nothing. She glanced again and saw an outline. It was dark. Riding home, she decided she was too tired to even think.
Her mother answered the door, and Ava didn’t take Bernice. Instead, she stepped into her mother’s home and was close to snoring.
She heard Hazel laugh, and Ava decided going to her bedroom was too far away. She stumbled toward the sofa and fell onto it, falling asleep before she even hit the thing completely.
Chapter Nine
“You’re nervous,” Lidia said.
Pat turned toward his friend, to see she was dressed in what appeared to be a mermaid costume. Her tail was attached to her wrist, and she had seashells as a bra. Her hair was curled, with gems inside. She looked beautiful.