Fraser Mountain - Living the snow life

Chapter Nineteen

I wake up on Boxing Day with the mother of all hangovers and mooch downstairs to find the café busier than I have ever seen. There’s a massive line of people snaking to the doorway and Jenn looks stressed. Seems like everyone in Fraser needs a coffee fix so I turn around and walk back up to my room. I quickly change out of my jammies, yanking on a tshirt and a pair of jeans, and tie my hair back with a band. I wash my face quickly and go down to join her at the counter.

She smiles at me with relief, looking flushed and out of breath. ‘Oh, thank God! I owe you.’

‘Don’t even worry about it.’ I grin. ‘I’ll do the coffee, you take the orders?’

‘Great!’ she smiles, ‘So, I need a double shot espresso and a non-fat latte to go, and then I need a large hot chocolate and a mint tea to stay for table four.’

I get busy with the machine, working the dials and steam with a rhythm that’s become easy to me. All this with a hangover, I think to myself, grabbing some mugs from the warming tray on top of the machine.

‘Happy Christmas.’ A deep, male voice makes me jump out of my skin as Rick’s handsome face emerges from behind the machine, a cheeky glint in his startling blue eyes. The infamous hockey bruise seems to have faded because I can hardly see it.

‘Jesus, you scared me!’ I exclaim, my face reddening.

‘Sorry. I couldn’t resist. You looked so cute, rubbing that steam faucet up and down like that.’

That’s a bit forward, I think, trying to focus on what I’m doing. ‘Er, yeah. It can be a little stiff sometimes.’ I mumble, wiping a stray hair from my face and thinking that ‘stiff’ was a poor choice of word. It’s way too early for sexual innuendos.

‘So, how was your Christmas?’ I smile, changing the subject and reaching for the whipped cream. ‘Busy?’

He shoots me a mischievous grin as I squirt the cream over the top of the hot chocolate and raises an eyebrow.

‘Yup, always is. I left the staff to it and went home to see the folks in the evening. Drove back this morning… Did you have a good time? Emily said you were cooking for a bunch of people?’

No wonder poor Emily hadn’t joined us last night if Rick left them holding the fort while he had family time. Slightly selfish, I think, before I notice some annoyed-looking faces in the line of people waiting. I remember how much I used to hate being ignored in Starbucks while the staff chatted to each other.

‘Yeah, it was fun. Listen, I’d love to chat, but I’ve got to keep up with these orders. Sorry.’ I shrug apologetically and reach for the sprinkles.

‘Bad timing, eh? Well, I’ll cut to the chase. When are you going to let me take you out on a date, eh?’

I nearly drop the mug in my hand. He’s taken me completely by surprise with that one, especially as I’m hardly looking my best in an apron. I press a hand to my forehead, grimacing as the headache from that morning begins to pound away again.

‘That wasn’t exactly the response I was hoping for.’ He says, looking hurt.

‘Sorry.’ I repeat, catching an exasperated look from Jenn.

‘I need another large hot chocolate, Lex! How we doing on the order for table four?’

He puts his hands up. ‘Look, my timing sucks. But please, think about it.’

‘Um… that’s really sweet, Rick. But I don’t think it’s such a good idea.’ The first thought that enters my head is ‘Emily will fucking kill me.’ Plus, he’s an arrogant tosser, even if he is dreamy-looking.