Picking up my pajamas, I changed in the bathroom and brushed my teeth with hot water just so I could warm my hands when I rinsed. The warmth didn’t last long. Wet fingers in a cold house didn’t have a chance. I hurried back to the bedroom ready to get under the covers to try to warm up. The good news was I wouldn’t be awake much longer to worry about it.
Morik stood beside my bed with the covers folded back and waiting for me. As soon as I entered, he started the chant. I barely made it to the bed before feeling the first pull of sleep. He helped me sit and then lifted my legs in. The bed and blankets were already warm as if they’d just come out of the drier. I smiled sleepily.
“Thank you, Morik. I love being warm.” Then I was out.
Chapter 10
Just like the day before, I woke up late and scrambled to get ready. Everyone seemed more relaxed when I strode into the kitchen. Morik stood as I entered.
“I can’t be late,” I said instead of a polite good morning. The lingering aroma of fried eggs hung in the air making my stomach growl.
“Do you want to eat first?” Even as he asked, he moved with me to the door.
“Can’t,” I replied just before calling out a good-bye to my mom who’d been sitting at the table with him.
Moments later, we raced through the streets. When he pulled in front of the Coffee Shop, I ripped off the helmet as I dismounted nearly tipping us over. Bracing his feet on the ground, he kept us upright.
“Sorry!” I called handing him the helmet. “Lunch is on me if you want to stop in again.” Not waiting for his answer, I raced inside.
“Tess, I wish I had your luck,” Mona said from behind the counter as I walked by.
Opening the door to the back rooms, I quickly put my things away. “What do you mean?”
“To have a guy watch me like that…” she trailed off wistfully.
“Like what?” Fixing my hair, I looked across the shop out the window, but he was already gone.
“Like he just saw something he had to have and was plotting a way to get it. It’s the same look my ex had in his eye when he saw the pickup truck he now owns,” she said with a grin.
I didn’t want Morik to look at me like that. It made me feel guilty for going to the party last night. I didn’t have time to dwell on it as customers filled the shop.
Toward noon, I had a surprise when I looked up at the sound of the bell and saw Brad walking in. His warm brown eyes fell on me and he smiled in greeting.
“So you made it to work,” he said stepping up to the counter. Most of the tables were empty before the lunch crowd – if you could call it a crowd – came in. Mona, seeing the floor clear, took time to restock some of the sandwich ingredients in the back.
“Yeah, but barely. Thankfully, I have a friend who’s willing to give me a ride.”
“Well, you did better than half the people who came last night. The last one just woke up and left about an hour ago. Beatriz, Tommy and I just finished cleaning up.”
“How’s he doing this morning?” I asked remembering how drunk he’d been.
“He’s good. Groveling for Beatriz’s forgiveness,” he leaned against the counter warming to the conversation.
I smiled imagining Beatriz’s reaction to the groveling. “What did he say that got him in so much trouble?”
“Ah, the lipping off wasn’t as bad as throwing up in her bathroom.”
I laughed remembering how clean she’d had it. Just then, the bell above the door rang again. I looked up with a wide smile.
Morik paused in the doorway looking at Brad. Brad looked over at Morik, nodding briefly in greeting unaware of Morik’s intense regard.
Inwardly cringing over how this probably looked to Morik, I focused on Brad again.
“Are you looking for coffee to bring back for everyone then?”
He looked back at me, completely unaware of the tension he’d just caused. Most of it belonging to me.
“Sure, I’ll have a cup to go. You choose the flavor. I’m not much of a connoisseur.” As I started making his order, he said, “I actually just stopped in to make sure you got home okay last night. Beatriz said how your friend picked you up on a motorcycle. Pretty dangerous given the snow and how cold it was. No frostbite or spills?”
I tried not to look up to check on Morik’s progress through the nearly empty room. Adding cream to Brad’s coffee, I assured him, “I trust him completely, or I wouldn’t have gotten on the bike.” I didn’t say anything about the frostbite though.
Brad nodded, seemingly satisfied. I handed him his coffee in exchange for a five, which he told me to put the change in the tip jar.
“I’m glad you and Beatriz are friends,” he said before he moved from the counter. “See you around.”
Morik stood aside for Brad. It was hard to guess his thoughts with his eyes covered. After Brad walked out the door, Morik stepped up to the counter. When he didn’t immediately say something, I stretched forward, reaching over the counter to nudge his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose. He didn’t try to stop me.