Fucking good.
揟astes like a campfire,?I say slowly.
揂 little. It抯 something, all right,?Destiny admits. It might be the first time we抳e agreed on anything for a month.
Behind me, Wayne laughs.
揚robably her latest brew. Uh, we抳e offered Eliza a job here several times. Aside from a brief stint last year where she worked a few part-time shifts, she won抰 stay on. She spends most of her time experimenting with home-brewed coffee and pastries. She抯 special that way. I抦 not sure what that one is. She lets me sample them a lot, but I didn抰 have time today.?
揥hat does she do??I ask, hating that this strange woman has a death grip on my attention, even with her absence.
揑 don抰 know, actually. She抯 always said long shifts would cut into her brewing time.?
I take another stiff drink of black heaven.
Fuck me, this is it.
This is so much like the newness I抳e been looking for.
It slaps me across the face.
I need to know what this is right now.
I need to study it, refine it, and if I抦 lucky, package it in a Wired Cup logo. Every shop in our five-state region will want to serve this.
We抳e found Gen Z抯 drink. A bold alternative to the sugar licks masquerading as energy drinks for college kids everywhere.
My almost college-aged brat said she only needs one cup to make it through finals week梐nd I don抰 think she was exaggerating much if this stuff is as caffeinated as it tastes.
I look at my team, wondering why I pay these people to stand around and gawk at me.
揋et moving, people. Katelyn, take Destiny to the car, please.?
揥hat? You抮e throwing me out just when its getting interesting??Dess protests. 揇ad, you wouldn抰 even know the mule kick drink existed without me! But sure, send me away like a five-year-old while you hash out how to sell this stuff for a bajillion dollars.?
I close my eyes and count to ten, tapping a hand lightly against my thigh.
揝omeday, my dear, I hope you have twins and they抮e both just like you at this age.?
揅ome on, Dessy. Let抯 go find you a new phone case online to replace the cracked one,?Katelyn Storm tells her. Nice save from my ever-reliable executive assistant. 揑抳e got your dad抯 credit card.?
揥ell…okay!?Just like that, Destiny happily skips out the door.
Unlike me, Katelyn can speak her language.
I抦 aware I have my hands full, but sometimes I think that抯 a flimsy excuse. The reality is I have no idea how to handle a teenage girl.
I look at Wayne. 揗y apologies for that scene梐nd the other one this morning.?
He shrugs. 揌ey, kids come in here every day. It抯 nothing. They usually pour the cinnamon and sugar out on the tables for me to clean up whenever they抮e not hogging tables and taking selfies. This was entertaining.?
I appreciate his bluntness. At least it was entertaining for someone.
揑抎 like to give you a bonus, Wayne,?I tell him.
揃onus梖or what, sir??He stiffens, fully at attention.
揅onsider it a referral fee for bringing this insane, potentially coffee-smart lady to my attention. I just need you to find her and have a conversation that抯 a tad more civilized than my shouting match. Can you help with that??
Wayne laughs. 揑f I tell her you offered me a bonus, she抣l bite. But I ain抰 sure she抣l be happy about it.?
揗ake it happen.?With a satisfied nod, I follow my entourage out the door.
In the back of the limo, Destiny taps on her phone, furiously moving both thumbs back and forth like she抯 playing an old Gameboy.
I almost hate that I gave it back to her, softie that I am.
揧ou抎 better not be posting anything involving that monster brew. That抯 highly privileged corporate information now.?
She looks up and rolls her eyes. They抮e a blue shade slightly lighter than mine.
揇ad, secret coffee isn抰 nearly cool enough for my people. And after wasting all this time job shadowing you for this stupid essay, I抳e learned a few things.?
揧eah??I抦 almost afraid to ask. 揈nlighten me.?
揧ou have no PR skills, for one. I really hope you抮e leaving that to someone else in marketing or there抯 not going to be a company for me to inherit棓
I turn my head so she doesn抰 see me laugh.
揂lso, you should probably try brewing coffee for snotty rich guys before you freak out on baristas. That guy with the beard was almost pale棓
揂re you sure? Last I checked, you抮e a snotty rich guy抯 daughter,?I throw back.
More eye-rolling. An impudent huff.
She glances out the window, trying so hard not to look like she抯 rattled by her old man getting under her skin.
Everyone should have a teenager in their lives.
揑 try pretty hard not to act like it, you know,?she finally says.