Because You're Mine

CHAPTER ONE

Millie 

I think I always knew I'd never leave this town. Lakeshore, South Carolina has been my home for twenty-one years. I have a good family and my best friend Maggie is all I've ever really needed. I know one day I'll fall in love and have a family of my own, just like my parents. My dad is the Chief of police and my mom has always been a stay at home mom. My dad is on his way to retirement and I know my mom is ready for that. Her plans to travel and do things they've always put on hold because of his demanding job will become a reality soon. My brother Tyson is working his way towards taking our dads place. At thirty, he is career driven and seems to have a different plan when it comes to starting a family of his own.

As for me and Maggie, I knew we were going to be best friends when she pushed Billy Hayes off the swing for calling me ugly and pulling my pigtails in kindergarten. She moved in with us our senior year of high school after her parents tragically died in a car accident. Once she turned eighteen, after our graduation, she moved back into her childhood home and made it her own.

We worked all through high school to save up for our coffee job, between all the money we saved and some help from the bank we were able to open The Daily Drip two years ago. Business is doing great and I couldn't ask for anything more than the life I've been blessed with. I live in the upstairs studio apartment. That's one of the reasons we settled on this specific building, I was ready to move out of my parents house and be more independent.

I head downstairs to fire up the espresso machine. We really splurged on that thing. Being a coffee shop we knew we needed the best of the best.

As I'm gathering the cups from the kitchen I hear the door chime.

"Good morning Mags!"

"You know it's Monday right? Why are you so happy?" She complains as she pushes through the saloon door.

"I'm happy everyday, not just on Mondays."

She rolls her eyes at my perkiness.

I nod towards the front, "help me get these cups put up and we will get you some caffeine."

After Maggie is well caffeinated we finish getting everything set up for us to open shop. I flip the OPEN sign and unlock the door. I know my daddy and brother will be here soon. They are usually one of our first customers for the day. I guess it helps that the police station is across the street.

Our town is known for its Hallmark aesthetic. When you're walking through town the shops connect to one another. Christmas here looks like it was pulled straight from your traditional hallmark movie. The only thing missing is the fake snow. We don't get the fake snow or the real snow for that matter.

"Um, Mills, who is that walking with your brother?"

I look up to see what Maggie is talking about. I give her a little shrug.

"I'm not sure, I was expecting my dad, as usual."

The man walking with my brother is tall, with a muscular build. Tanned skin and tattoos peeking out from under his uniform. His dark hair is a little long but not in a messy kind of way. I really wish I could see his eyes.

The door chimes and in walks Tyson and the man I was just admiring.

"Good morning Ty." I grace my brother with a smile.

"Hey sis, Maggie." He gives a little nod in Maggie's direction.

"This is our new Rookie, Rookie this is my sister Millie and her best friend Maggie. They co-own this shop." He doesn't wait for a response before he moves down the counter in front of Maggie. I'm not sure what is going on there. Things between them have been weird since she moved in with us back in high school.

I focus my attention back to the man left standing in front of me. I look up into a pair of green eyes. He's a beautiful man. I have to force myself to open my mouth.

"So Rookie.. Do you have an actual name or am I supposed to call you Rookie too?"

He smiles at me and I have to grip the counter to hold myself up. Holy shit. I'm completely flushed. I can feel the heat in my face and throughout my body. He sticks his hand out in introduction.
"My name is Beckett Calder, but according to Brooks I'll be Rookie for the foreseeable future."

I realize I'm still gripping his hand and I drop it immediately. I'm embarrassed for holding it as long as I did. If he notices my embarrassment, he doesn't call me out on it, thankfully.

"So Beckett, what can I get for you?"