CHAPTER FIVE - KAMI

Another long day at the coffee shop had proven to be a pretty good one as I tucked the twenty-dollar tip into my bra and wiped the table clean. I was just on my way back behind the counter when the chimes over the door sounded, and I glanced up to see Devin coming in.

He gave a short wave and took the closest seat to the door. Even when we were dating, he’d never come into my work unless it was to meet with Rain when she was visiting me. Him being here now without her as a buffer, unnerved me.

I didn’t wait tables, so I let him sit there knowing if he wanted anything he’d have to come up to the counter to get it. But after a few minutes of his awkward sitting alone and my pretending not to notice him, I finally let out a breath of frustration and asked. “Can I get you anything?”

“I guess. Rain’s meeting me. Band talk. But I’ll have a small black.” He never even looked up from his phone, and I shook my head as I poured him his small black and walked it over.

As I placed it down, my phone pinged. The sound was specific to the new dating site I had joined.

“Sounds like your new boyfriend is calling. You better take that.”

“Maybe it is.” I took out my phone and swiped it on, my jaw dropping at the image of the guy who had sent me a ‘hello’.

I’d had a few messages from some nice-looking guys, and a couple that I had no interest in, but this one was so hot, my pink parts suddenly felt tingly.

I looked up to find Devin exhaling his cigarette. “You can’ smoke that in here.”

“There’s no one else here.” He curled his lip, and I wanted to slap the cancer stick right out of his mouth.

“I’m here, asshole. And it’s against the law. Put it out or take it outside.”

“Fine!” He snuffed it out on the table and then put it back into his pack. “And you wonder why I broke up with you.”

“I broke up with you, dick.” I was seconds away from tossing his coffee in his lap when the door opened, and Rain came inside.

Sensing the tension in the room, Rain spoke up. “You two really need to chill out.” Rain stopped between us and gave him a pointed look. “I didn’t agree to meet you here so you could be an asshole to her. She’s my best friend, remember?”

“He asked you to meet him here?”

“The band’s not practicing this week, so yeah. It didn’t take much convincing to get me inside the best coffee shop in town where my bestie works, no matter if you hate the guests or not,” she said, looking straight at me.

“I brought him coffee, and I didn’t pour it over his head.” I wasn’t sure what else she’d want me to do.

Rain laughed and turned to Devin. “Come on, let’s go sit in the back and let Kami work.”

I mouthed her a “thank you” and continued my duties behind the counter. Just being around him made my skin crawl.

I’d already started cleaning out my home of all the old furniture and carpet and had spent one of my only days off stripping the old floors. They were beautiful, and my next buy would be the rug and my new couch. I had tried to make the place mine, though every time I turned around, Rain had Devin over. I couldn’t move on with him constantly under my feet.

“Can I get a large vanilla and caramel latte?” I looked up at Rain who had come to place her order.

“Sure.” I got busy making her drink, and she waited at the counter watching my every move. When I brought it to her, she paid and then leaned in.

“I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have met him here. I just hope that the site has been paying off already.”

“I’ve gotten a few hits, and I wouldn’t care if he was around if he’d at least act like a human being. He’s such an asshole.” I glared across the room at him.

“So, you did get a few? Any hot ones?”

“Actually, the notification sound is what set him off.” I pulled out my phone and lit up the screen with the guy’s profile. “His screen name is using name is Foreplay, and apparently his real name is Tate Evans.”

“Holy shit, he’s hot. What did he say?” She fanned herself and gave me a wink.

“Just a simple Hello, Beautiful, and hope we can chat. He might do that to all the girls.” I wasn’t inclined to trust the sites at all, and I had even second-guessed signing up.

“You should say hi back.” She couldn’t take her eyes off the screen.

“Maybe I will. How’d it go with Daren Craig?” They were supposed to have had a hot date over the weekend.

“It’s good. He’s so dreamy and just my kind, but this one,” she tapped at my phone screen. “He could convince me otherwise.”

“Hand’s off. If I message him, I’m not sharing.” I laughed, and Devin cleared his throat.

“Hey, am I supposed to sit around waiting all day? I want a smoke.” He took the cigarette he’d lit and put it between his lips.

“Just behave, Devin. I’m on my way.” She gave me another apologetic glance. “Sorry.”

I walked to the back and leaned up against the counter. The guy was almost too good looking to be true. I scanned his profile, and he liked photography. My heart stopped. Could this be a guy I could actually talk to? Someone, to spend time with? Someone who was interested in what I had to say, not only how I looked. Someone who wanted me for more than a groupie or arm candy?

He was a few years older, which was good, liked the outdoors, which was fine by me. I’d learned to love camping as a kid and hadn’t been in forever. Tate Evans sounded like a total winner. He was my solid match. I scrolled back up to his image and studied his features; his dirty-blond hair, tanned skin, and eyes so blue that they pierced right through me. They seemed to stare into my soul and pull me in.

I messaged back. Hello, I’d love to. I see you like photography? I hit send and waited to see if he’d message me back. I worked on a few things around the shop, and sure enough, half an hour later, he messaged me back.

It’s a passion. Are you passionate too? The words sent a warmth down my spine, which spread out to all the best places. My nipples tightened, and heat bloomed between my legs.

I’d like to think so. I went to school for it and had studio for a few months. That’s another story.

That’s amazing. I’m totally self-taught. I’d love to see yours and show you mine. *wink*

“Shit, he’s asking me out,” I mumbled to myself. I looked up, and Rain was sitting at the table twirling her straw as Devin talked on his phone. “Rain, get over here!”

She wasted no time crossing the room and sitting up the counter’s small bar area. “What’s wrong?”

“He wants to meet me and talk about photography. What should I do?”

“Uh, you should message him back, and if you’re lucky, you’ll get laid.” She turned the phone to her again, seeing his profile picture from the chat. “God, he’s hot. I bet he’s packing a big one too. I’m so jealous.”

“I don’t want to get my hopes up for anything.”

She pulled the phone from my hands and started typing.

“What are you doing?” I read over her shoulder and found her asking for a picture.

“Are you crazy? That’s too soon! Besides, there’s a profile picture.” I took the phone back and waited to see if he’d respond.

“Look, this is how you tell if they’re a pervert or not. A nice guy will send an appropriate picture, but a perv is going to send you a dick pic.”

“Ew, why would I want that?” Though, maybe I should get a look, seeing as I was on the hunt for a sperm donor.

“Please, you can’t tell me that no one had ever sent you a dick pic.” She turned around and looked at Devin who was still gabbing away on his phone.

“God, no. Do you have men send them?”

“I’ve had a boyfriend or two; there’s nothing wrong with it. Besides, some women think it’s hot when it’s solicited, of course, to see their man’s proud erection. Especially if she caused it.” She let out a giggle, and we heard a ping. My heart raced wondering if it was going to be a picture of his penis or of his smiling face. I closed my eyes, and she opened the message.

“Oh, nice.” Her reaction was hard to read, with my new knowledge of what she might find nice, so I opened my eyes to see his fiery eyes staring back at me. “He seems like a good one.”

“Now it’s your turn. Show me your smile.” She read his words out loud. “God, he’s so cute. Here, you have to send a selfie.”

“I’m a mess!” I turned my phone on and used the camera to fix my hair before taking the photo. I held the camera out, but Rain shook her head.

“No, do a downward shot. Let him see that body, girl. Besides, it makes your tits look amazing, trust me.” She opened the front of my blouse, and I slapped her hand away and positioned the camera. I smiled, snapped the picture, and hit send before I could talk myself out of it.

“This chat feature is the shit.” She watched the screen. “You don’t have to even use your number, so it’s all private. You can’t get any better than that. It’s best to make sure these people aren’t serial killers before you give them all your information.”

I nudged her. “If I get hacked up, I’m coming back to haunt you for introducing me to this site.”

“Relax, you’re good.”

Devin knocked on the table across the room. “Hey, are you two finished gossiping like two old women?”

“Chill, I’ll see you at the table in a few minutes.” Rain then looked at me and mouthed the words ‘You got this.’ She gestured to the phone and went back to join Senior Royal Dick at the table.

Another customer finally came in, and I poured their order when the next ping occurred. I excused myself to the back and quickly opened the phone.

You’re a knockout! The Loving Cup is still my fave for a good cup of coffee.

My blood turned cold. I glanced back at my picture and realized that I’d shown him where I worked. My blouse had the Loving Cup’s logo stitched right on the pocket above my name tag. Now this complete stranger knew how to find me whether I wanted him to or not. Great, if this went sideways, I was going to have to quit my job.

Panic set in. “Rain!”