have to get tougher, Piper, or she’ll run all over you.”
“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind,” she said, walking into the kitchen, pulling an apron from her stack, and handing one to Ken. She tied it over her black capris and black Lights Out polo with the green boxing gloves embroidered on the pocket. Ken did the same.
“Sorry I’m late, Estelle,” she said, trying to muster up some energy this morning. How did mothers do this on a daily basis?” she wondered. Ken trailed along and stood beside her at the counter.
“Hi, Kennedy,” Estelle said.
“Hi,” Ken replied, ready to go. Piper was learning that this little sister liked being in charge.
“Motherhood is something else,” Estelle said, a smile on her face, moving over to take on the drinks now that Piper would take over the mic.
“Joe,” she said, smiling but not feeling it today.
He smiled at Piper’s youngest sister.
“Large coffee, black,” Ken said, standing up straighter, her smile in place.
“With a bagel, and you can bring it out to me. No hurry,” he said, looking at Piper as she placed his coffee on the counter. He handed her a ten.
“Keep the change,” he said, winking before turning and walking away.
“Thank you, Joe,” Kennedy said. Piper lifted her eyebrow. So he was Joe now.
Piper watched him walk away. He was dressed more formally than usual; there must be something going on today. Ken hit her with her shoulder, pointing to the next customer in line, who was amused by Piper’s interest in Joe.
Joe found a seat near the front window. It was sunny outside, on its way to another scorching and typical summer day in Austin. He would only be here an hour and then it was off to San Antonio. He hadn’t quite given in to her no, not after what he’d experienced. He was so psyched for more.
“Piper.”
He heard her name and looked up, and watched as her other sister marched over to the counter.
“I guess I can help,” she offered, more put upon than excited.
“We don’t need help, do we, Pipe?” Ken said.
“We could always use help,” Piper said, looking at Taylor. “How about you pick up some of the empty plates on the table?”
“Not what I had in mind,” she said. “I want to learn how to work the counter, like you’ve been teaching Ken.”
Piper took in a huge breath of air. “Let’s start with the little things,” she said, walking around the girls into the kitchen, where she pulled out a towel, handing one to Taylor and one to Ken.
“I can manage the line for now. This would be a big help to me,” she said, turning them around to face the room and giving them a push in the direction of the tables. “After you’re done, I’ll start to teach you how to work the counter,” she said to Taylor.
A few minutes later, Piper grabbed Joe’s bagel and walked over to his table, placing it in front of him.
“Thanks,” he said.
“You’re welcome,” she said, taking a moment to take in Taylor’s not-so-fast progress. Ken had cleared two tables to Taylor’s one.
She sighed again. He reached for her hand, preventing her from leaving.
“How’s it going?” he asked, eyes moving to watch her sisters.
“Okay. Takes some getting used to.”
“You’ll adjust.”
“Hope so.”
“Free time?” he asked, eyes hopeful.
“Not much,” she replied and watched the disappointment register in his. What was up with this?
“Still no, then?” he asked.
“Sorry, still no,” she said, glancing at the counter and the line beginning to form again. She looked back at him, her hand still in his. “Don’t take this the wrong way,” she said, looking at her hand held between his. “But I’m surprised that you’re still here, pursuing this. You could have anybody, and although the sex between us would be good, it’s probably okay with any other woman you’d pick. I’d thought you’d have moved on by now.” She watched irritation swim across his face before it disappeared, quickly.
“Why
“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind,” she said, walking into the kitchen, pulling an apron from her stack, and handing one to Ken. She tied it over her black capris and black Lights Out polo with the green boxing gloves embroidered on the pocket. Ken did the same.
“Sorry I’m late, Estelle,” she said, trying to muster up some energy this morning. How did mothers do this on a daily basis?” she wondered. Ken trailed along and stood beside her at the counter.
“Hi, Kennedy,” Estelle said.
“Hi,” Ken replied, ready to go. Piper was learning that this little sister liked being in charge.
“Motherhood is something else,” Estelle said, a smile on her face, moving over to take on the drinks now that Piper would take over the mic.
“Joe,” she said, smiling but not feeling it today.
He smiled at Piper’s youngest sister.
“Large coffee, black,” Ken said, standing up straighter, her smile in place.
“With a bagel, and you can bring it out to me. No hurry,” he said, looking at Piper as she placed his coffee on the counter. He handed her a ten.
“Keep the change,” he said, winking before turning and walking away.
“Thank you, Joe,” Kennedy said. Piper lifted her eyebrow. So he was Joe now.
Piper watched him walk away. He was dressed more formally than usual; there must be something going on today. Ken hit her with her shoulder, pointing to the next customer in line, who was amused by Piper’s interest in Joe.
Joe found a seat near the front window. It was sunny outside, on its way to another scorching and typical summer day in Austin. He would only be here an hour and then it was off to San Antonio. He hadn’t quite given in to her no, not after what he’d experienced. He was so psyched for more.
“Piper.”
He heard her name and looked up, and watched as her other sister marched over to the counter.
“I guess I can help,” she offered, more put upon than excited.
“We don’t need help, do we, Pipe?” Ken said.
“We could always use help,” Piper said, looking at Taylor. “How about you pick up some of the empty plates on the table?”
“Not what I had in mind,” she said. “I want to learn how to work the counter, like you’ve been teaching Ken.”
Piper took in a huge breath of air. “Let’s start with the little things,” she said, walking around the girls into the kitchen, where she pulled out a towel, handing one to Taylor and one to Ken.
“I can manage the line for now. This would be a big help to me,” she said, turning them around to face the room and giving them a push in the direction of the tables. “After you’re done, I’ll start to teach you how to work the counter,” she said to Taylor.
A few minutes later, Piper grabbed Joe’s bagel and walked over to his table, placing it in front of him.
“Thanks,” he said.
“You’re welcome,” she said, taking a moment to take in Taylor’s not-so-fast progress. Ken had cleared two tables to Taylor’s one.
She sighed again. He reached for her hand, preventing her from leaving.
“How’s it going?” he asked, eyes moving to watch her sisters.
“Okay. Takes some getting used to.”
“You’ll adjust.”
“Hope so.”
“Free time?” he asked, eyes hopeful.
“Not much,” she replied and watched the disappointment register in his. What was up with this?
“Still no, then?” he asked.
“Sorry, still no,” she said, glancing at the counter and the line beginning to form again. She looked back at him, her hand still in his. “Don’t take this the wrong way,” she said, looking at her hand held between his. “But I’m surprised that you’re still here, pursuing this. You could have anybody, and although the sex between us would be good, it’s probably okay with any other woman you’d pick. I’d thought you’d have moved on by now.” She watched irritation swim across his face before it disappeared, quickly.
“Why
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