Today's Reading

There it was.

Finally, a smile.

Audrey beamed even wider at her victory.

"What's that?" Theo asked. "I've never heard of a ristretto." He winced and his mask shifted back down over his face, but it was so quick Audrey almost didn't notice. The door opened again behind him and another customer stepped up in line, but she couldn't see who it was. Theo was far too broad, and she was far too pleased at having made him smile to care. Whoever it was could wait.

"It's like an espresso, but 'restricted.' Pulled for less time, so it's sweeter, lighter. I like to put mine in a flat white. You can make some nice designs in the foam of a flat white." She rolled the glass between her hands. "I don't always have time to do it, but when it's slow, we like to practice that sort of thing. It's really fun, and a nice change of pace from the kind of stuff I study in my classes. I like the art of it."

"Oh, are you in school?" He raised a dark eyebrow. "Do you study art?"

"No, I'm an electrical engineering major. A super senior, actually."

"Don't sell yourself short, Audsbodkins," Josh shot from the Marzocco as he worked on another ristretto. "You're graduating this December from NYU. That's nothing to sneeze at."

"Oddsbodkins?" Theo's brow furrowed.

She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder. "Yeah, theater nerd over here's auditioning for the Scottish play, so he's working in Shakespeare puns wherever he can."

Josh lifted the fresh ristretto and struck a pose, holding it aloft as though it were a skull. "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow!" He clenched his free hand into a fist and sighed dramatically before opening one wry eye and straightening. "The audition is tomorrow and I'm hoping I at least get cast as the Porter this time. Hell, I'd even take Background Player Number Three if I could."

"Oh. Uh...break a leg, I suppose?" Theo huffed a laugh and turned his attention back to her. "That sounds like a nightmare to me. Acting, I mean."

Audrey's grin widened. "Me too. I could never. Too much attention. I don't think I'd like that, all those people looking at me."

"Exactly." What little she could see of Theo's expression softened. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who—"

An impatient finger jabbed at Theo's shoulder, and he nearly jumped out of his skin at the contact. "You can flirt with her some other time, sir" snapped Patricia as she shoved forward to the head of the line, obviously running late (the worst of the three options), and obviously salty about it. "I need to get my coffee and I need to get it now."

"I'm sorry, ma'am." Theo's shoulders slumped and he started to shuffle aside to make room for her. "You can go ahe—"

"No, Theo, you were here first." Audrey let her usual mask fall and glared at the woman before turning back to him. "What would 'you' like?"

He held up a trembling hand. "No, it's fine, I can wait, I've got time. I—"

Patricia shoved him fully out of the way and stepped up to the register, and Theo stumbled back with an anguished grunt, grabbing on to the counter with his left hand and barely managing to stay on his feet. His right leg buckled. "I want my usual." She jammed her finger onto the counter. Demanding.

No.

Absolutely not.

"You don't have a usual, Patricia," Audrey snarled, "you order something different every time. And it's not your turn."

"Then I want a venti caramel macchiato Frappuccino, upside down, extra shot, three extra pumps of vanilla, and made with heavy whipping cream."

"It's not your turn and this is not a Starbucks, we don't have ventis or make Frappuccinos," she hissed.

"Well, I'm friends with the owner and you need to make me the fucking coffee I ordered, you little bitch!" Patricia shouted.

'"HEY."'

Theo rested a hand softly on Patricia's shoulder. "Don't talk to her that way," he growled. "I think you need to leave before—"


This excerpt ends on page 12 of the paperback edition.

Monday we begin the book The Scandalous Lady Mina by Lara Temple.

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