Chapter 12 – Coffee to Celebrate
I began humming to myself out of sheer happiness. Kairo turned his glare to me.
“If you’re going to be this cheerful all the time, I swear I’ll take the fine over dealing with you.”
“Whatever,” I responded. “I’ll probably be grumpier tomorrow, if that’ll make you feel better.”
He rolled his eyes,
“I’m going to Jared,” he rubbed his eyes. “I need some caffeine.”
“Cool. I’ll come with you.”
“Oh goodness...Just...Just be less happy about it.”
I grinned, but obliged.
“Hi, Miss Taylor! It’s good to see you again. I thought you were gone for good. How did you get your job back?”
“Jen,” answered Kairo for me. “She insisted, and threatened me with a fine.”
“That sucks. Coffee?”
“Yes, please. I need it.”
He dropped into one of the barstools while Jared prepared the drink. I sat down next to him, watching Jared with interest. He knew exactly where everything was, working without even looking at what he was doing.
“What can I get you, Miss Taylor? Espresso? Latte? Or maybe something caffeine-free? There are some lovely herbal teas I can offer you.”
“A hot chocolate, please,” I answered, smiling back at him.
“So, the fine was for?” he asked Kairo.
“Let’s just say Maya met the troll...And Anna. I had to explain it to her.”
I noticed a reaction from Jared at the mention of Anna’s name, but it passed too quickly for me to catch properly.
“A very brief explanation,” I added. “I still don’t know anything at all.”
“I’m sure you’ll learn quickly,” he said. He handed Kairo the coffee cup, and, almost too casually, asked,
“So how is Anna doing? I haven’t seen her in a while.”
“I’ve been trying to keep her at home as much as possible, after what happened at the hospital. If there are more incidents, you know what will happen.”
He nodded gravely,
“Tell her I said hi, will you?”
“Of course, but it probably won’t register.”
“I know.”
Kairo took a sip of his coffee to fill the gap in the conversation while Jared passed my hot chocolate.
“What has Kai told you so far, Miss Taylor?”
“Just that...”
I leaned forward, dropped my voice to a whisper and glanced at Kairo – who nodded in confirmation that it was okay for me to continue.
“Just that magic – or something like that – is real,” I said. “And something about Laws and a Parliament.”
“You do have a lot to learn,” he remarked, wiping the counter.
“I’ll need someone to teach me.”
“That’s Kai’s job, from now on.”
“Don’t remind me,” chimed in Kairo.
“I would offer to help fill you in, but I am busy perfecting a few recipes. Besides, Kai’s a good teacher.”
“I’m a fast learner.”
“Uh-huh...Even if you are, try not to be too hopeless,” he commented.
I glared at him over the rim of my cup. The hot chocolate was of the best I’d ever had. Creamy, with a hint of cinnamon and sweetness. The taste distracted me for a moment.
“This is really good,” I told Jared.
“I know,” he answered with a smug grin. “It’s the extra cream I add.”
Kairo shook his head and muttered something. I felt something in my handbag vibrate and fished out my cellphone.
“Maya, where on earth are you? You were supposed to be back an hour ago! How long does it take to get coffee?”
I glanced around the coffee shop, grinning. Quite a while, actually.
“Sorry, mom. Mom, I need to tell you something...I got my old job back. Will you tell Mr Gardiner that I won’t be returning? Thanks. I love you!”
Before she had a chance to respond, I hung up. Kairo and Jared were deep in conversation, which they ended at the same time as my phone call. Kairo handed Jared some money while the latter rang up the coffee order on the register. I found my wallet, ready to contribute, but Kairo stopped me.
“This time, and this time only, it’s on me.”
“Thanks,” I put away my wallet, pleasantly surprised and smiling.
“I’m only doing you this favour because we need to get back – I have a client coming in soon.”
I was sceptical, but shrugged and accepted it. When his back was turned, Jared beckoned me closer and said,
“Don’t believe what he says. He is actually glad to have you back.”
With that bit of information in my mind, I happily followed Kairo back to the office.
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The Raven Conspiracy
Teen FictionThe Raven Conspiracy The thefts, murders and secrets are only the beginning “It was only my first day, but I was ready to quit.” Working as an assistant to an investigator is so much more than Maya thought it would be. Where fetching coffee leads t...
