brought with me and pick Carrie Underwood.
As I’m driving down the highway, with my windows down and hair blowing in the wind, I methodically slow down as the coffee shop comes into view on my right. The light is still on at 10:00. I contemplate stopping there but before I can decide, the car decides for me, as I’m pulling into the parking lot. I sit there, engine idling. It looks dead inside, maybe it’s closed. I look to my left on the window, a sign Now Hiring gets my attention. Hmm, maybe I could work part time. I need the money and obviously Carter needs help. Meg would love this. I kill the engine altogether and get out of the car.
Chapter 16
I lean against the car for a few minutes, staring out at the highway unsure of what to do. On the one hand, I do need money. Do pregnant teens work? I suppose I can learn a thing or two about making coffee, even though I don’t drink it. Maybe I could learn to drink it. Maybe after a few tries, it will taste good.
“I’m sorry but we’re ...” About that time I turn around and cut off the rest of Carter’s sentence and face him.
“Hey Carter.”
“Gracie.” He says my name so low I almost don’t hear it. Damn, his voice is husky but very sexy. I give him an “I’m sorry for bothering you so late” smile.
“I saw your sign and wanted to talk to you about getting a job here.” I nod to the sign. He looks at it then looks back at me, raising his eye brows in surprise.
“You want to work here? You don’t even drink coffee.” He chuckles a little. But he smiles, lighting up his blue eyes. I straighten and fold my hands together in front of me.
“I can come back if it’s too late.”
“No, no it’s fine. Come in.” He opens the door for me and I brush past him.
Just friends. Just friends, Gracie. I sit down at a booth and he leans against the table.
“Can I get you something to drink?”
“Um, just water please.” I’m so lame, it’s embarrassing. Who orders water at a coffee shop?
“So what are you up to? Or what were you up to?” He asks when he comes back with my water. He sits across from me, folding his hands together, elbows on the table.
“I was on my way home from Meg’s house and I saw the light in here still on and I thought about the cheesecake I never got to have last time. So I thought I’d swing by and harass you and eat some cheesecake. And then I saw the sign and thought what a great place to work. I need money and you need help. So here I am.”
He raises his eyebrow in contemplation and says, “So you need money huh? I’m guessing for college or something?” I wish it were that simple.
I smirk and take a sip of my drink, looking at him over the rim of my glass. “Something like that.”
He’s going to notice when you get bigger. You may as well tell him. My subconscious tells me and I tell it to go and mind its own business. I will tell him when I’m ready.
“Well, I can get you an application. We usually do them online but if you prefer, you can take it home and fill it out. It’s up to you.” I nod.
“Okay, I’ll take it home. I need to discuss it with my parents first anyway.” It’s not that I need their permission. I just want their advice on working while I’m pregnant. It’s not like I’ll be carrying anything heavy.
For the next hour we talk-about anything, everything. He tells me about his sisters, Cassandra and Candice. They are both older. Cassie has 2 kids and she’s a nurse, and Candice is in college-a med student. I tell him about my brother and my parents, not like there’s really much to tell-except for that . But it never slips out. I’m shocked when I realize how comfortable it is to talk to him. Almost as easy as talking to Meg. Maybe a friendship with Carter isn’t such a bad thing. We laugh at random jokes and I find myself relaxed. I lean back in the booth and stretch my legs out under the table. He’s sitting in the booth long ways, with his legs stretched out on the
As I’m driving down the highway, with my windows down and hair blowing in the wind, I methodically slow down as the coffee shop comes into view on my right. The light is still on at 10:00. I contemplate stopping there but before I can decide, the car decides for me, as I’m pulling into the parking lot. I sit there, engine idling. It looks dead inside, maybe it’s closed. I look to my left on the window, a sign Now Hiring gets my attention. Hmm, maybe I could work part time. I need the money and obviously Carter needs help. Meg would love this. I kill the engine altogether and get out of the car.
Chapter 16
I lean against the car for a few minutes, staring out at the highway unsure of what to do. On the one hand, I do need money. Do pregnant teens work? I suppose I can learn a thing or two about making coffee, even though I don’t drink it. Maybe I could learn to drink it. Maybe after a few tries, it will taste good.
“I’m sorry but we’re ...” About that time I turn around and cut off the rest of Carter’s sentence and face him.
“Hey Carter.”
“Gracie.” He says my name so low I almost don’t hear it. Damn, his voice is husky but very sexy. I give him an “I’m sorry for bothering you so late” smile.
“I saw your sign and wanted to talk to you about getting a job here.” I nod to the sign. He looks at it then looks back at me, raising his eye brows in surprise.
“You want to work here? You don’t even drink coffee.” He chuckles a little. But he smiles, lighting up his blue eyes. I straighten and fold my hands together in front of me.
“I can come back if it’s too late.”
“No, no it’s fine. Come in.” He opens the door for me and I brush past him.
Just friends. Just friends, Gracie. I sit down at a booth and he leans against the table.
“Can I get you something to drink?”
“Um, just water please.” I’m so lame, it’s embarrassing. Who orders water at a coffee shop?
“So what are you up to? Or what were you up to?” He asks when he comes back with my water. He sits across from me, folding his hands together, elbows on the table.
“I was on my way home from Meg’s house and I saw the light in here still on and I thought about the cheesecake I never got to have last time. So I thought I’d swing by and harass you and eat some cheesecake. And then I saw the sign and thought what a great place to work. I need money and you need help. So here I am.”
He raises his eyebrow in contemplation and says, “So you need money huh? I’m guessing for college or something?” I wish it were that simple.
I smirk and take a sip of my drink, looking at him over the rim of my glass. “Something like that.”
He’s going to notice when you get bigger. You may as well tell him. My subconscious tells me and I tell it to go and mind its own business. I will tell him when I’m ready.
“Well, I can get you an application. We usually do them online but if you prefer, you can take it home and fill it out. It’s up to you.” I nod.
“Okay, I’ll take it home. I need to discuss it with my parents first anyway.” It’s not that I need their permission. I just want their advice on working while I’m pregnant. It’s not like I’ll be carrying anything heavy.
For the next hour we talk-about anything, everything. He tells me about his sisters, Cassandra and Candice. They are both older. Cassie has 2 kids and she’s a nurse, and Candice is in college-a med student. I tell him about my brother and my parents, not like there’s really much to tell-except for that . But it never slips out. I’m shocked when I realize how comfortable it is to talk to him. Almost as easy as talking to Meg. Maybe a friendship with Carter isn’t such a bad thing. We laugh at random jokes and I find myself relaxed. I lean back in the booth and stretch my legs out under the table. He’s sitting in the booth long ways, with his legs stretched out on the
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