Coffee and Cafés - Book Two of the Café Latte Trilogy

Decaf

Decaf

"Argh, fuckity fuck!"

Misa popped her head over the computer and looked at me disdainfully. "Why Chris, I had no idea you'd had extensive plastic surgery. You look so much like Tom at the moment."

"Ha, ha," I said dryly. "No, I just lost our fucking spreadsheet that I've spent the last three hours on. I think I'm going to kill myself."

"You've been making mistakes all day," Barbie noted. "What's wrong with you? You even threw a stapler at Ian when he jumped out at you this morning."

"Yeah," Ian's voice came from below his desk, where I knew he was lying with an ice pack on his head until the dizziness wore off. "Thanks a lot."

"Sorry," I said to him, cringing. "Sorry, everyone, it's just becoming a rough day. We're leaving tonight for my parent's place and I'm on red alert for four straight days. It's hard enough introducing a boyfriend to them, let alone four solid days with them. And Jenny sounded all cagey on the phone, which means they tried to bake a cake and it almost ended their marriage again."

There was a slight crash from Angelo's office, and Misa looked over at the door in surprise. "I had no idea he'd be this excited."

"I know," I said, breathing deeply to calm myself. "I have no idea what I've unlocked, but I'm terrified."

Angelo and I had decided to cave to my mothers, and journey to Brighton to stay with them for a few days for my birthday. Jasper and Ross were also coming with us, to celebrate their engagement with Jenny, Lucie, and Edward, who had gone back to his apartment in Brighton. Harper wasn't coming, and neither was Raven, which meant I had four days of all the ridiculous people in my family, and none of the sensible ones.

"He's just looking forward to a weekend with you and your family," Misa said, and then winced as another loud crash was heard. "What exactly is he doing in there?"

"Packing," we all chorused. I added, "Re-packing, actually, for the third time. I don't know why. I asked, but he just said he was excited."

"Wow," Misa replied, and then looked at the door as blessed silence greeted us. "Hm. Why is it scarier when it's quiet?"

"Maybe he's dead," Ian murmured faintly from the floor. "Maybe he tripped and sliced his head off by closing the suitcase lid on himself."

Misa and I looked at each other, and then I cleared my throat. "Ian, I know I asked before, but are you sure you don't want us to take you to the hospital in case of concussion?"

"When did you suggest that before?" he asked woozily.

"Okay," Barbie got to her feet, grabbing her keys. "I'm going to take Ian to get his head checked or removed or whatever it is they do for a concussion. Misa, can you finish putting together the schedule for while Tongelo are away?"

"Sure thing," Misa went back to her laptop, tapping away at it cheerfully. Barbie helped Ian to his feet, where he swayed slightly. I felt terrible; I hadn't mean to hit him in the head, he'd just managed to get me at my most tense and my most armed.

Angelo's office door swung open. I looked over warily and said, "Finished re-packing?"

Angelo exited the office guiltily, placed a very broken lamp on a free desk space, and said, "Someone broke the lamp. I think we might have to buy a new one."

Misa and I looked at the shattered lamp and asked, "You think?"

"I was a bit over-enthusiastic with my packing," Angelo admitted, then cleared his throat. "Where is everyone?"