Coffee and Cafés - Book Two of the Café Latte Trilogy

Mocha

My boyfriend: Didn't you say you were going to do tons of writing today?

Me, looking up from the update to Pokémon Snap: huh?

Seriously that game is so good. But yes, apologies for the day delay, I got very hooked yesterday and entirely forgot to upload!

Love, Cam

Mocha

I stretched out next to Harper and said, "I think I have a dilemma."

Harper rolled over on my sofa-bed and put his arm around me, spooning me. "Go ahead."

I sighed, holding his hand. "Well, I think you, Ross, Raven, Ed, and my mothers made me too tactile, but that's for therapy another day." Harper laughed, squeezing me, and I laughed with him. "Seriously though, I've got a work problem."

"Okay," Harper said.

"I like the job, don't get me wrong," I said. "Or I wouldn't be moving in with Raven and sticking around. But I think I might, just maybe, have a bit of a thing for my boss. And that is an issue."

Harper pulled away and sat up. "Okay, well, you're not wrong, that is an issue. Having a thing for a boss can be really complicated. But I think you know how to be professional, and you'll get over a crush in no time."

I sighed, also sitting up. "I hope so. He keeps wearing really tight jeans."

Harper's eyes lit up. "Tell me more."

I shoved him. "Dude," I said. "Don't bolt from me right now, okay, but what the hell is up with you and Edward right now?"

Harper averted his eyes and I made an 'uh-uh' noise, lifting his head up by his chin to look me in the eye. He sighed, pushing my hand away. "I don't know, Tom. I don't know what's going through Ed's mind right now."

"You two seemed to be getting... I don't know, on the right track," I pushed him for the details.

He sighed. "Yeah, we were. I don't know, we were spending tons of time together, and it was great, but we just... I don't know, we never seem to be able to get past... well, the past. We've tried to date three times over the last ten years, and each time it blew up for different reasons."

"You were both different then," I told him firmly. "You both had so much shit to deal with, life kept exploding around you. And you were younger, too, you had growing to do. I just think that everyone sees how great you could be together, and we wish you could see it too. Is it because you're positive?"

"I don't think so," Harper mused. "I mean, don't get me wrong, it definitely was a problem in the past. Not for him - for me, I mean. I was so scared of passing it onto someone I loved. I've made my peace with people choosing to take that risk with me now."

He sighed, and leaned back against the sofa cushions. It hit me then just how young Harper really was. I always viewed Harper, Ross, Ed, and Raven as so much older than me, because I'd known them when I was very much a child and they were becoming adults. But now, looking at him, Harper just seemed like any other thirty-four year old guy. He looked tired, and insecure, and anxious.

"If it helps," I said gently. "I think Ed would be very lucky to have you."

Harper smiled, and leaned over to kiss me. "Thanks, baby. I appreciate that." He sighed again, but it was less anxious than before. "I need to wait until Ed has gotten his Vegas stint out of the way, and then I will talk to him, I promise. If I try to talk to him now, he'll just be defensive. I've got to let him get his partying out his system first."