Umm梬ell梒rap.
Way to screw things up, I think to myself, already dreading what happens if the monster in the suit retaliates by taking it out on Wayne.
Poor Wayne has a sick mother, too. He抯 told me about her a dozen times. He needs this job to take care of her.
Yeah, I think I hate myself.
The adrenaline rush from telling this jerk off is infinitely more effective than anything coffee has ever done for me. But knowing I抳e made things worse for someone else turns it into a sickly jitter.
I really, really hope Wayne doesn抰 get fired over my outburst.
I stare at his judge, jury, and executioner. Lancaster抯 clenched jaw and the crease in his forehead only seem to make his features stronger, more defined.
Does that mean more vengeful, too?
And his body梙is wall of angry muscle梩enses the way I imagine men must when they抮e stepping onto a battlefield.
Gah, I抦 so stupid.
I can barely face this guy now that the consequences are too real.
I don抰 know how I can say anything else, but I gather the courage. Even as my face burns ghost pepper hot.
揑 should, um桰 should get out of here.?My voice is so weak. 揚lease don抰 go firing anyone, Mr. Lancaster. This was all me. Heck, your staff deserves a huge raise for making Wired Cup what it is.?
And certainly for dealing with you, I don抰 say.
The suits are still either laughing or staring in abject horror.
Lancaster whips around, throwing an acid glance over his shoulder. 揈nough. She said she was leaving. Party抯 over.?
They sober up fast.
He made them quit laughing. But why?
That抯 almost a decent thing to do, getting a handle on a social situation gone pure train wreck. Nothing about this man seems decent, and why should he be decent to me? I just ambushed him at his business and accused him of lying.
Confusion swirling, I start moving.
揑 hope there will be no unhinged rants about Wired Cup online later today??Lancaster calls after me.
God.
Why haven抰 I left already?
It抯 the only way to end this conversation and maybe mitigate the carnage. I抳e made a big enough fool of myself already.
What would I even say online?
I抦 about to shake my head when I realize this is my chance. I stop, slowly facing him again as I straighten my back and square my shoulders.
揥e抣l see. As long as no one抯 fired...no rant.?
揧ou抮e negotiating, now??The way he chuckles drips disgust. 揧ou have no power here, Mystery Mouth.?
揧eah, well, that抯 the deal. Keep your house clean and so will I,?I say, biting my cheek so I don抰 sass him harder.
He nods. 揂ny chance I could convince you to stay the hell out of my stores while I抦 at it??
I shrug. My oversized purse bangs my hip.
揑 drink at least six cups of coffee a day. When I抦 not home to make myself more, I pop into whatever caf?is closest. I抦 not sure I抣l promise to never visit another Wired Cup again梟ot unless you ban me.?
揚erish the thought, Miss Mouth. I抣l gladly keep taking your money.?
Apparently, he can play the stupid nickname game too, I guess.
I can抰 decide why that riles me up so much as I nod briskly and head for the door.
揌ave a good day,?he calls as I lunge outside. I swear, he sounds almost triumphant.
At least a cool breeze soothes my searing skin.
God, Eliza.
How stupid can you be?
Stupid enough to almost get Wayne fired.
But I held back just enough to stop that. I think.
I hope I did, or he抣l definitely be hearing from me again by viral video on clock app.
If it didn抰 mean Wayne抯 livelihood on the chopping block, I almost wish he抎 give me a good reason to go nuclear on TikTok.
Coffee royalty or not, Prince Lancaster needs a class in manners.
2
Badger Brew (Cole)
What the ever-living fuck just happened?
I survey the room, wondering if Miss Insanity will take the notion to come back to get the last word. My team stands around in a haze, trying to hide their grins and smartassed whispers.
Destiny stares at me like the adorable pain in the ass she is, still perched in her chair, clasping her phone with both hands. When our eyes meet, she doesn抰 even try to stop laughing.
揌oly crap, Dad. You got told.?
揥ere you livestreaming??I snap, hoping like hell I抦 not about to be internet famous.
揢nfortunately, no.?
揢nfortunately,?I echo, raising my brows.
My daughter gives me a sheepish smile and then returns to her screen gazing.
揗r. Lancaster...I抦 majorly sorry about that.?
I turn, glancing over the counter.
The barista with a beard thicker than the hipster frames sliding down his nose has his hands raised in surrender. I think one of them might be trembling.
揑抦 sorry, again. She gets a tad overprotective. Eliza has coffee in her blood, man. It抯 easy to forget she抯 just another customer. If you抮e worried, I don抰 think she抣l make her complaints public or anything. She抯 not a big social media type. She抯 just棓
揂 total badass!?I look over to find my daughter standing with her hands on her hips. Destiny laughs shamelessly. 揝he抯 a honey badger. You remember that old meme? She sank her teeth in and didn抰 let go. Honey badger don抰 care!?
揑s there a point to this besides your own amusement??I ask with a snort.
Shit. Only fifteen years old and I抎 swear she changed from a sweet little girl into this sassy creature I barely recognize overnight.
揧eah! Dad, there must be a hundred different ways you can walk into a store, sample drinks like a sane person, and give some honest criticism without acting like a giant raging di棓
揥atch your mouth, young lady. What do you know about raging dicks, anyhow??
She bites her lips. 揢mm梟othing. Just that you抮e one.?
Behind me, one of the marketing interns snickers. He shuts up the second my gaze lands on him before I shift it to my daughter.
揅onsequence, Dess. Pick one.?
For a second, she looks startled before she glares at me. 揕ighten up. It抯 just a joke. I抦 fifteen.?
揥hat抯 your consequence, Dess? Should I decide??I say gently, approaching her.
She looks at the phone she抯 holding and back at me with a heavy sigh. 揋uess I抣l be staying home tonight and reading...?
揋ood call, baby girl.?
Honestly, it抯 not much punishment. The girl lives, eats, and breathes books, but a night in will keep her out of any other trouble.
She scowls at me and returns to her seat.
Giving my tie a quick pull, I turn back to face the barista梂ayne, I think. 揧our friend had a point, even if she delivered her feedback with the grace of a wolverine.?
揌oney badger,?Destiny coughs from the corner.
I ignore her.
揑t抯 my fault, Mr. Lancaster. I抣l be sure to lock up next time before any confidential business梐ssuming you don抰 fire me today,?he adds nervously.
I hold in a laugh.
揜elax. I抦 not firing anyone. It抯 no one抯 fault but hers that she抯 a walking hand grenade. More importantly, like I said, she had a point.?
揝he did??He blinks at me.
I nod. 揙ur brand is reliable, unfussy fuel for every professional on the go. It抯 been like that for four generations of Lancasters, even as the brand name changed. But with the way the market keeps evolving, that won抰 cut it in another ten years. We need something fresh and exciting. And before anyone suggests it, no, we抮e not branching into sugar-lick fruit drinks and tea lattes like half a dozen other major chains that will remain nameless.?
揌ey, is this the Badger Lady抯 brew??Destiny calls from behind me. When I glance at her, she抯 holding up a mason jar of dark mystery liquid.
The barista nods.
I double-check his name tag. Wayne it is.
My eyes fall on Dess as she pulls the lid off the glass jar and sniffs.
揥hat are you doing??I call.
Only, by the time I get the words out, she抯 lifting it and pressing it to her lips.
Shit. Surely she抯 not going to?
The way her mouth opens tells me she is.
揇estiny, don抰 you棓
Too late.