揑 should, um桰 should get out of here.?My voice is so weak. 揚lease don抰 go firing anyone, Mr. Lancaster. This was all me. Heck, your staff deserves a huge raise for making Wired Cup what it is.?
And certainly for dealing with you, I don抰 say.
The suits are still either laughing or staring in abject horror.
Lancaster whips around, throwing an acid glance over his shoulder. 揈nough. She said she was leaving. Party抯 over.?
They sober up fast.
He made them quit laughing. But why?
That抯 almost a decent thing to do, getting a handle on a social situation gone pure train wreck. Nothing about this man seems decent, and why should he be decent to me? I just ambushed him at his business and accused him of lying.
Confusion swirling, I start moving.
揑 hope there will be no unhinged rants about Wired Cup online later today??Lancaster calls after me.
God.
Why haven抰 I left already?
It抯 the only way to end this conversation and maybe mitigate the carnage. I抳e made a big enough fool of myself already.
What would I even say online?
I抦 about to shake my head when I realize this is my chance. I stop, slowly facing him again as I straighten my back and square my shoulders.
揥e抣l see. As long as no one抯 fired…no rant.?
揧ou抮e negotiating, now??The way he chuckles drips disgust. 揧ou have no power here, Mystery Mouth.?
揧eah, well, that抯 the deal. Keep your house clean and so will I,?I say, biting my cheek so I don抰 sass him harder.
He nods. 揂ny chance I could convince you to stay the hell out of my stores while I抦 at it??
I shrug. My oversized purse bangs my hip.
揑 drink at least six cups of coffee a day. When I抦 not home to make myself more, I pop into whatever caf?is closest. I抦 not sure I抣l promise to never visit another Wired Cup again梟ot unless you ban me.?
揚erish the thought, Miss Mouth. I抣l gladly keep taking your money.?
Apparently, he can play the stupid nickname game too, I guess.
I can抰 decide why that riles me up so much as I nod briskly and head for the door.
揌ave a good day,?he calls as I lunge outside. I swear, he sounds almost triumphant.
At least a cool breeze soothes my searing skin.
God, Eliza.
How stupid can you be?
Stupid enough to almost get Wayne fired.
But I held back just enough to stop that. I think.
I hope I did, or he抣l definitely be hearing from me again by viral video on clock app.
If it didn抰 mean Wayne抯 livelihood on the chopping block, I almost wish he抎 give me a good reason to go nuclear on TikTok.
Coffee royalty or not, Prince Lancaster needs a class in manners.
2
Badger Brew （Cole）
What the ever-living fuck just happened?
I survey the room, wondering if Miss Insanity will take the notion to come back to get the last word. My team stands around in a haze, trying to hide their grins and smartassed whispers.
Destiny stares at me like the adorable pain in the ass she is, still perched in her chair, clasping her phone with both hands. When our eyes meet, she doesn抰 even try to stop laughing.
揌oly crap, Dad. You got told.?
揥ere you livestreaming??I snap, hoping like hell I抦 not about to be internet famous.
揢nfortunately, no.?
揢nfortunately,?I echo, raising my brows.
My daughter gives me a sheepish smile and then returns to her screen gazing.
揗r. Lancaster…I抦 majorly sorry about that.?
I turn, glancing over the counter.
The barista with a beard thicker than the hipster frames sliding down his nose has his hands raised in surrender. I think one of them might be trembling.
揑抦 sorry, again. She gets a tad overprotective. Eliza has coffee in her blood, man. It抯 easy to forget she抯 just another customer. If you抮e worried, I don抰 think she抣l make her complaints public or anything. She抯 not a big social media type. She抯 just棓
揂 total badass!?I look over to find my daughter standing with her hands on her hips. Destiny laughs shamelessly. 揝he抯 a honey badger. You remember that old meme? She sank her teeth in and didn抰 let go. Honey badger don抰 care!?
揑s there a point to this besides your own amusement??I ask with a snort.
Shit. Only fifteen years old and I抎 swear she changed from a sweet little girl into this sassy creature I barely recognize overnight.
揧eah! Dad, there must be a hundred different ways you can walk into a store, sample drinks like a sane person, and give some honest criticism without acting like a giant raging di棓
揥atch your mouth, young lady. What do you know about raging dicks, anyhow??
She bites her lips. 揢mm梟othing. Just that you抮e one.?