Technically, she抯 right.
That抯 why I humor her with a lopsided smile, ignoring the fact that I was busy with a little girl and a massive family legacy company. Not to mention a lifetime of fucking damage from the hell that ended my marriage prematurely.
揝ee? You抮e turning green.?I point at her. 揑f I ever dated long enough to give you a little brother or sister, the kissing would traumatize you for life.?
揢gh, I抎 get over it. Can抰 be worse than talking about contracts and hiring proposals for as long as I live, right??She gives me a sour look.
揟here comes a point in your life when it抯 not so boring anymore.?
She stares at me like I抳e sprouted a second head.
揢mm梟o. Shoot me now??
揘ah, but I抣l help you take the edge off, and since you抮e too young to drink…？I spin around to the mini fridge again, fetching a can of root beer I know she loves and two cold glasses. While I pour the sodas, I look at her. 揑f you seriously don抰 want to waste your life on contracts, what do you want to do for a living, Destiny??
I抦 genuinely curious.
She was thirteen the last time I asked that question. She told me she wanted to run a petting zoo on a superyacht to Antarctica梚f only she could stand the water.
揈h, I don抰 know. Maybe I could be a YouTuber or big influencer for fashion or something??
My grip tightens on my root beer as I take a swig.
揧ou抎 better start liking the coffee biz. There抯 no way I抦 letting you show off skimpy dresses for strangers. Don抰 care how old you are.?
揙h, Dad.?She huffs a breath loudly. 揟hat抯 another reason you should抳e had a bigger family. Even with, um, everything that happened when I was a kid桰抎 be an excellent babysitter. And you抎 finally have someone else to throw crap at instead of piling it on me.?
She may be right, but we need our funny moments.
God help her if she thinks I抦 about to stop anytime soon.
I just hope I haven抰 bitten off too much with that brown-eyed hellion who seems to hold the key to our next big innovation梐nd possibly my own madness.
3
Brew-tiful Idea （Eliza）
The next day, I load up a couple canisters full of my latest roast and head over to the homeless camp in the park just a few blocks from my apartment.
I promised Wyatt梩he original genius behind the campfire brew I抳e refined梐nd his girlfriend Meadow that I抎 help pass out breakfast today. It抯 also an awesome chance to test my latest efforts with a sample audience.
When I get there, they have a table set up, piled high with donuts and breakfast sandwiches. I unload my canisters, disposable cups, and rating cards on the table before I turn to Wyatt.
揌ere, try this. I need your thoughts,?I tell him.
With a big grin showing through his now nicely trimmed beard, he fills a paper cup with the velvety black liquid. I watch him hold it up, sniff, and throw back the drink梤ight before he covers his mouth and coughs.
揝hit, that抯 hot. Think I burned my idiot tongue. Not sure my tastebuds are much use now棓
Meadow laughs and elbows him gently. 揑t抯 coffee! What did you expect??
揘ot third-degree mouth burns,?he grumbles.
I smile. 揑 hardly ever brew past one eighty-five. It抯 too easy for the coffee blooms to go wrong and start messing with the flavor.?
He squints at me, blowing on the coffee and taking another sip. 揟he temp抯 that important??
揟otally. The more original oils left intact, the better…？
揑t抯 good stuff. You took my pig iron idea and turned it into gold,?he says with a wink that makes Meadow roll her eyes. 揥hat抯 the new spin on this one? You named it yet??
I grin. 揑抦 tentatively calling it West Coast Day Trip. I used avocado wood to roast the beans棓
揜ight. Because of the oil.?Wyatt smiles, stroking his beard while Meadow leans on his shoulder.
God, it抯 so good to see him well again.
It seems like only yesterday when he was laid up in the hospital at death抯 door, and if it wasn抰 for the bosshole who married my bestie桰 shudder to think what would抳e happened to him next.
揑t抯 a super slow roast,?I say. 揑 spent half the night working on it. I threw in a few watermelon seeds with the beans on a whim for some extra depth.?
揂h, that抯 why it抯 sweeter than your usual brew,?Meadow chimes in after stealing a sip from his cup. 揥ow, you抳e got a brain for this.?
揑 just wanted the West Coast in a cup. With every sip, you抮e experiencing SoCal, moving up the Pacific highway, all the way through Oregon and Washington.?
揥ow,?Meadow whispers again.
I grab her a fresh cup, but she stops me before I can pour very much coffee.
揟ake more,?I urge.
揙h, no. There are so many people here. It抯 easier for me to get good coffee anytime. They can抰。？