Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“I’m pretty sure this is more about doing better than her sister’s town,” Finn whispered. Rhys fought the urge to laugh. The last thing he wanted was Agnes’s attention on him.
The discussion dragged on as people made suggestions on how everyone could up their game for the various festival competitions. Rhys hadn’t been able to stop himself from glancing at Caleb when the Best Fall Beverage competition was mentioned. Rhys had entered the year before out of duty to the town, but he hadn’t won because his entry wasn’t exciting enough.
Agnes seemed thrilled that they’d now have Caleb’s entry as well. Rhys seriously doubted that winning Best Fall Beverage was going to change the future of Frostwick Harbor, but he managed to force a smile and nod along with what Agnes had to say.
As soon as the meeting was over, Finn jumped up, pushed his chair back, and helped Rhys escape through the gap. Rhys hurried out like he was being chased by wild dogs, or worse, coffee shop–owning bears.
CHAPTER 4
Caleb couldn’t help but notice the way Rhys had fled from the business owners’ meeting. He wasn’t going to give up, though. Now he had a reason to talk to Rhys other than just wanting to meet the beautiful man who also owned a coffee shop. Agnes had grabbed him just as the meeting ended, saying she had the most marvelous idea.
She thought he and Rhys should work together on the competition instead of submitting two entries. They could enter once for the town. Caleb wasn’t even sure that was allowed since you were supposed to enter for your own business. Wouldn’t they have to put the entry under one of their brands or the other? He decided to ask Agnes about details later. There was no point in discussing it at all if Rhys wasn’t into the idea.
He sighed as he entered the tiny bathroom in the apartment above his shop. He had to fiddle with the faucet for a few moments to get the cranky shower to turn on. Who was he kidding? Rhys wasn’t going to be into the idea. He couldn’t even get Rhys to talk to him.
It was painfully obvious that he made Rhys nervous. Tessa said Rhys was shy, but he seemed relaxed and open enough with his friends. Was he that afraid that Caleb was going to take his business? Was there anything he could do to reassure him? Because not only was Agnes’s idea actually a good one, but Caleb would do just about anything to feel Rhys pressed against him again, like he’d been when Caleb stopped him from falling. That moment when Rhys had relaxed into him had been heavenly. He was amazed he’d been able to keep from getting hard and embarrassing himself.
Being anything other than friends with Rhys was a terrible idea, but that didn’t change how much he wanted it.
He stepped into the shower and let the hot water pour over him. He needed a plan. Would it help if he and Rhys met when there wasn’t anyone else around, like early tomorrow before their shops opened? He could take Rhys a drink and maybe a cinnamon roll. Did he like sweets? He didn’t sell any sweet drinks, but everyone liked cinnamon rolls, didn’t they?
The next morning, Caleb headed down to the shop even earlier than usual. He wanted to get the basic business of prepping the shop for the day completed ahead of schedule so he’d have time to make a drink for Rhys and take it to him.
Based on what Rhys served at his shop, he wasn’t going to want the same type of drink Caleb made for Tessa or any of the other concoctions on his specials board. He needed to make something flavorful with a little bit of sweetness, but more subtle.
He considered making a dirty chai, but he wanted to do something more creative, so he experimented with adding honey and nutmeg. It was good and might need to be added to the menu, but his instincts told him it wasn’t quite right for Rhys. It had too many flavors competing for attention. Rhys would want something quieter and even less sweet.
A salted honey latte or maybe a cappuccino. He guessed Rhys would want a drink with less milk, not more. He made one, tried it himself, performed a few tweaks, and then remade it. Rhys was going to love this.
Caleb put a lid on the cup and fitted a cardboard sleeve around it. For added protection against the chilly morning, he pulled out an insulated carrying case. He was determined that the temperature would be perfect when he arrived at Frost + Foam. Rhys would not want a lukewarm drink.
Why was he working so hard on this? He wanted to believe it was just because he was new in town and wanted to earn the respect of the other business owners. He wanted to fit. He wanted Frostwick Harbor to feel like home, and if he didn’t have friends, it wouldn’t.