any smugness vanished when another guy came out from the back, someone who was probably the owner.
He was casually dressed without being sloppy. Jeans and a white shirt, loafers, good haircut, midthirties. He could easily be Lily’s type. He breezed past Griffin, went out the front door and straight over to Lily.
She glanced up and smiled. The interloper, which was how Griffin thought of him, crouched down to pet Daisy, who thumped her tail on the sidewalk. The nerve of the guy, talking to Lily and petting her dog when she was out on a coffee date with someone else.
Griffin’s jaw tightened and his fist clenched. And that was ridiculous, because he had zero claim to Lily. Yet he continued to observe the interaction and continued to hate every second of it. He could hardly wait for his order to be ready so he could go out and break up that cozy little chat.
The mocha cappuccinos with a small amount of whipped cream appeared on the counter set into a cardboard tray. Griffin picked it up and made for the door. He couldn’t justify his behavior, but he planned to let the guy know right here and now that he was no longer welcome to hang around Lily. Not tonight, anyway.
Chapter 5
Lily had known Brad Harvey for a couple of years. Three months ago they’d gone out on a date, which had convinced Lily of what she’d suspected before—she had no chemistry with Brad. He’d tried to change her mind, but in the end he’d had to settle for being friends.
She was afraid he still carried a torch. Staying away from his shop seemed silly when he could use the business and his was the only decent late-night café within walking distance of her apartment. She’d never brought a date here, though, thinking that would be mean. Maybe not. Maybe it was a good idea for Brad to realize she was interested in someone else.
Brad’s smile never wavered when she told him she’d come here with Griffin, but his gaze sharpened. “So he’s a customer at the Bubbling Cauldron?”
“Initially. He’s more than that now, of course.” Or she hoped he would be. From the corner of her eye she saw the café door open and Griffin emerge with their coffee drinks. “Here he comes. Let me introduce you.”
“Absolutely. Consider me the big brother you never had, the one who gives your dates the third degree.”
“Good luck with that. He’s a lawyer.” She turned as Griffin approached. “Griffin Taylor, I’d like you to meet Brad Harvey. Brad owns the café.”
Balancing the tray with his left hand, Griffin shook hands with his right. “Nice place.”
Lily couldn’t fault Griffin for the comment, which was perfectly polite, but she was amazed at the curt way it was delivered, without even the hint of a smile. Despite the brief handshake, Griffin wasn’t being the least bit friendly.
“Thanks.” Brad stuck his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “It works for me. I’m a night owl like Lil. We’ve spent many a wee hour together talking and drinking coffee.”
Lily almost choked. Between his saying her nickname, something he seldom used, and his implication they were really close friends, he was trying to one-up Griffin. She hadn’t seen that coming. But she hadn’t expected Griffin to be borderline rude, either.
“I’m something of a night owl, myself.” Griffin set the cardboard tray on the table and pulled out the chair nearest Lily. “Great to meet you, Brent,” he said with a total lack of enthusiasm.
“It’s Brad.” Brad made no move to leave. “Lily says you’re a lawyer.”
“That’s right.” Griffin didn’t look up as he took the drinks out of the segmented tray and placed one in front of Lily.
“Can’t be much of a night owl when you have to be in court bright and early.”
Griffin looked up at Brad. His gaze was direct. “I recover fast.”
Openmouthed, Lily stared at the two men. She’d never seen either of them act this way. They were both normally easygoing and affable. But
He was casually dressed without being sloppy. Jeans and a white shirt, loafers, good haircut, midthirties. He could easily be Lily’s type. He breezed past Griffin, went out the front door and straight over to Lily.
She glanced up and smiled. The interloper, which was how Griffin thought of him, crouched down to pet Daisy, who thumped her tail on the sidewalk. The nerve of the guy, talking to Lily and petting her dog when she was out on a coffee date with someone else.
Griffin’s jaw tightened and his fist clenched. And that was ridiculous, because he had zero claim to Lily. Yet he continued to observe the interaction and continued to hate every second of it. He could hardly wait for his order to be ready so he could go out and break up that cozy little chat.
The mocha cappuccinos with a small amount of whipped cream appeared on the counter set into a cardboard tray. Griffin picked it up and made for the door. He couldn’t justify his behavior, but he planned to let the guy know right here and now that he was no longer welcome to hang around Lily. Not tonight, anyway.
Chapter 5
Lily had known Brad Harvey for a couple of years. Three months ago they’d gone out on a date, which had convinced Lily of what she’d suspected before—she had no chemistry with Brad. He’d tried to change her mind, but in the end he’d had to settle for being friends.
She was afraid he still carried a torch. Staying away from his shop seemed silly when he could use the business and his was the only decent late-night café within walking distance of her apartment. She’d never brought a date here, though, thinking that would be mean. Maybe not. Maybe it was a good idea for Brad to realize she was interested in someone else.
Brad’s smile never wavered when she told him she’d come here with Griffin, but his gaze sharpened. “So he’s a customer at the Bubbling Cauldron?”
“Initially. He’s more than that now, of course.” Or she hoped he would be. From the corner of her eye she saw the café door open and Griffin emerge with their coffee drinks. “Here he comes. Let me introduce you.”
“Absolutely. Consider me the big brother you never had, the one who gives your dates the third degree.”
“Good luck with that. He’s a lawyer.” She turned as Griffin approached. “Griffin Taylor, I’d like you to meet Brad Harvey. Brad owns the café.”
Balancing the tray with his left hand, Griffin shook hands with his right. “Nice place.”
Lily couldn’t fault Griffin for the comment, which was perfectly polite, but she was amazed at the curt way it was delivered, without even the hint of a smile. Despite the brief handshake, Griffin wasn’t being the least bit friendly.
“Thanks.” Brad stuck his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “It works for me. I’m a night owl like Lil. We’ve spent many a wee hour together talking and drinking coffee.”
Lily almost choked. Between his saying her nickname, something he seldom used, and his implication they were really close friends, he was trying to one-up Griffin. She hadn’t seen that coming. But she hadn’t expected Griffin to be borderline rude, either.
“I’m something of a night owl, myself.” Griffin set the cardboard tray on the table and pulled out the chair nearest Lily. “Great to meet you, Brent,” he said with a total lack of enthusiasm.
“It’s Brad.” Brad made no move to leave. “Lily says you’re a lawyer.”
“That’s right.” Griffin didn’t look up as he took the drinks out of the segmented tray and placed one in front of Lily.
“Can’t be much of a night owl when you have to be in court bright and early.”
Griffin looked up at Brad. His gaze was direct. “I recover fast.”
Openmouthed, Lily stared at the two men. She’d never seen either of them act this way. They were both normally easygoing and affable. But
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