“Who gave him the password?” I hiss.
“I heard he dropped a five-hundred-dollar tip for Blossom at the pub the other night,” Laney whispers, making my shoulders bunch higher. Why didn’t I hear this before? “I think she caved.”
“It’s me,” Zen says, peeking out from behind Grey to make eye contact with me like they know exactly what I’m whispering over here. “Nobody can resist this face. I talked the password out of your mom when she gave me a haircut this afternoon.”
They’re in suit pants, a black-and-white button-down, and a trench coat, and it’s so Zen I nearly forgive them for bringing Grey just because they look so fabulous.
Grey, on the other hand, is in dark jeans and a plain blue button-down. His dark beard is getting thick, and without the beanie he usually wears everywhere, I can tell Mom did a fabulous job with his haircut too.
Also, she and I are having a serious talk about telling me when she sees my biggest problem.
Zen’s smile drops as their gaze shifts to Emma.
Emma tenses.
Zen’s chin wobbles. They blink quickly, then poke Grey and mutter something I can’t hear. He frowns at them.
Not a disapproving frown.
A worried frown.
Zen pokes him again and glares, and he lifts his hands in surrender, then heads to the bar.
Jitter leaps over the couch to join him.
And in the time it takes Laney to whisper, “What was that? What was all of that?”， Zen has beelined the short distance from the door to our lounging area.
They squat in front of Emma. “I want to hug you so bad. I know what it’s like to spend years trying to make people love you when they’re physically incapable of it.”
Em sucks in a breath.
And Zen scoots back. “Sorry. I just—you got fucked. I hate when people with good hearts get fucked so big, and I don’t know you, but everyone here loves you, and I like them, so you must be a good person. I’ll quit being a weirdo. Your drinks are on us. My uncle, I mean. He knows what it’s like to get fucked too.”
“Emma, this is Zen,” I say softly. “They’re my new boss’s keeper, and they do a fabulous job despite the hardships of the job.”
Em holds out a hand. “It’s lovely to meet you, Zen.”
“I went viral on my campus in college when someone recorded me singing in the shower,” Zen blurts while they shake Emma’s hand.
Grey’s head whips around like he hasn’t heard this story and he’s ready to put on his Super Vengeance Man suit and go take care of whoever hurt Zen in college too.
“Simmer down,” Zen says over their shoulder, clearly knowing what’s going on behind them. “I took care of it.”
“How?” Grey asks. He pockets his wallet and approaches our group with far more wariness than Zen had.
“That’s filed under you don’t need to know,” they reply.
“Sit,” Emma says. “Please. Join us. Are you hungry? We have plenty of food.”
Grey eyes Theo.
Theo eyes him right back.
Neither man says a word to the other as Zen slides onto the curved couch on Emma’s other side, leaving only the chair beside my end of the couch open for Grey.
Laney makes a face at me, and I do my best to telegraph they had a pissing contest over who got to have more of my attention this morning.
Pretty sure she gets the message, as she pinches her lips together in a classic Laney I will not laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of that face.
The minute Grey’s seated, Jitter lunges into his lap.
“Jitter, get down,” I order.
Jitter whines.
Grey pulls a treat out of his pocket, tells my dog to sit, which he does in Grey’s lap, and then gives him the treat.
Then he shrugs at me. “He’s a good boy.”
Emma slides her brown eyes in his direction, then back at me.
Why is your dog in love with the guy who wants to take over your café? is the clear question here.
And wouldn’t I like an answer to that as well.
Zen suddenly seems to realize there are more people here than just Emma. “You’re Theo. Oh my god. Is it weird to say I loved your channel? If it’s weird, I won’t say it. But like, you got me through a really rough patch in college when all of my friends graduated before me and I was in a bad low spot of not really loving myself.”
“Aww, I told you that you were doing superhero work.” Laney smiles at Theo.
Grey’s jaw flexes so hard his whole beard moves. “Why didn’t I hear about these problems in college?”