The Barista

Friends?

"I told you!" Abby says with excitement as we both walk into the same restaurant we were in the first time when we met the Easton Boys.

"Shut up!" I exclaim and look over my shoulder, my eyes acknowledging Holten and Liam behind us, dressed in suits and ties. "I didn't think Liam was going to have me come tonight."

"Of course he would." She smiles the biggest smile she can give off. "That man wants you. I don't care what you say. He doesn't want to be 'just friends'. He wants to slide up in that..."

"Abby!" I say scoldingly, my eyes widening to gesture her to shut up. "Stop. Not here. I can't believe I let you out of the apartment some days."

"My best friends!" Rynna's voice carries through the restaurant filled with people. "You ladies look amazing!"

I give the best smile I can possibly give, although I am nervous. No idea why, either!

"Hi!" I say, waving my hand at Rynna, Jericho, and Annette. "Glad to see all of you again."

"Glad to see you two with my brothers!" Rynna gleams with excitement. "Abby and Holten. We all know you two are a couple. And a beautiful couple at that. I'm assuming Liam and Elle are a couple too finally?"

"No." Both Liam and I say at the same time.

I swallow, those nerves just increased and also sent a large knot into my throat.

"Oh, really?" Jericho says with surprise in his tone. "I would have thought you two would have been a couple before Abby and Holten. Honestly, Abby and Holten were a surprise. No one thought they would get together. But Annette and I thought we saw something between you two, Liam. And you know we'd never force anything, but is there any reason why you two aren't dating? You sure look like you are."

I finally clear the knot from my throat. "We are currently just friends," I say, giving Liam a break from explaining to his parents why he has yet to try pursuing anything.

"Just friends?" Jericho's eyes wave with curiosity while staring at Liam. "That works too. People can be friends. I've never seen my son with a friend as stunning as you, Elle. But he's well known to have self-control and Willpower. He's patient. He's my only patient son."

"Dad!" Holten gasps.

Jericho's smile tells me Holten will lose any battle if he even tries to argue.

"Tell me, Abby," Jericho says, turning his attention to her. "And this is personal, but has my son already laid in bed with you?"

She nods.

Jericho nods back with a wider smile. "Patience. Something Holten has never had. When he wants something, he goes for it right then and there."

"And that's been known to be a good thing too though," I argue, my attention clearly on Liam. "When someone wants something and they aren't sure about that something, they should still try for it. I mean, what do they have to lose? Holten has proven that his impatience already has them on step four of a relationship."

"That something?" Liam interjects. "Maybe that something is confusing and says one thing then does another. That something could be a little clearer about its intentions and what it wants."

I narrow my eyes, growing slightly irritated but trying to keep my composure. "Maybe that something wants to be sure it knows what it's getting into. You're not so clear either. If you feel for something, chase it. Don't wait. Don't sleep in the same bed and not make a move. Don't act like you like that something but make it seem so confusing."