Trusting Jay: (A Chicago Suits Romance) (Loving Jay Book 1) Read Free

uncanny.
    “Come get a coffee with me and I’ll tell you.”
    “Ooo, coffee?  That’s usually reserved for Fridays.”
    “Is that a no?  Because I’m going.”
    “As if I’m going to pass up the opportunity to find out what’s going on.”
    We entered the coffee shop, my eyes flitted over the place but there was no sign of coffee shop man.
    After she’d fixed her chocolate mocha and I’d skipped the sugar on my skinny Americano I said, “Let’s sit down.”  I led her to a table where I could keep an eye on the door.
    “Sitting down?  We never stay, this must be good!”
    “It is.  At least for me.  Over the weekend I had an epiphany.  I need a man.”
    Her faced dropped for a second before she broke into a wide grin and started clapping, “Yippee!”
    “Stop it, people are staring.”
    “I don’t care, this is a momentous occasion.”
    “No it’s not.  I’m not talking about a relationship, just a one-night stand.”  I paused, “Or maybe a fuck buddy, but nothing more.”
    “Is it the blond?”
    “Huh?”
    “Jenny texted me about the blond.  Don’t worry, she got his phone number for you.”
    “No it’s not the blond!”
    “She told me how cute his ass was.”
    “What?  How would she know?”
    “She doubled back after you left and found him.”
    “The traitor!  Anyway, like I said, it’s nothing to do with the blond.”
    The door opened and a group of suited men walked in.  I couldn’t see all of them straight away, so I stared as they made their ways to the counter.
    Sam looked to me then looked to them and back to me again.  Her mouth opened wider with each turn of her head.
    “Close you mouth, you’re about to catch flies.”
    “Don’t try to change the subject, I’m on to you.  It’s the guy who was here on Friday, isn’t it?”
    “Maybe.”  I couldn’t keep the smile off my face.
    “How are we going to find him again?”
    “I’m going to blow a lot of money on coffee until I do.”  It wasn’t a good plan, granted.  And I didn’t have the money to spend on coffee.  When I’d come up with the plan, coffee shop guy was already waiting in the coffee shop for me Monday morning and treated me to the first coffee.
    “Well hopefully he’ll be here in a minute.”
    “Unlikely, but a girl can dream.”
    The door opened again and my heart crashed against my ribcage.  My cheeks burned.
    “What?  Is it him?” Sam asked, whipping her head around to see, “It’s him!”
    “So what do I do now?”
    “Go talk to him!”
    “But what if it isn’t interested in me?”
    “Sweetie, I was here Friday, trust me, he's definitely interested in you.”
    I didn’t know whether to believe her, but I wanted to.  I had to.  Otherwise I knew damn well she’d go up to him on my behalf.  I should have thought of that before I’d told her.  I patted my cheeks willing the red to go down, cleared my throat and stood.  Sam’s smile gave me the last bit of confidence I'd get.  At least she’d be there to pick me up after he rejected me.
    I walked toward the prep area.  Yes, I would wait there the way he’d waited for me on Friday, it was all coming together.  Except as I walked towards the little counter, I was looking at him and not where I was going.  I stumbled into a chair and sent both me and the chair toppling to the floor, accompanied with a deafening screech.

    * * *
    I laid on the floor , half under a table.  A used kleenex was far too close to my face, but I still contemplated pulling it apart and using it to shield my face as I fled the coffee shop.
    “Abbie, are you okay?”  Oh no.  Please no.  This is the worst thing possible.  Coffee shop man crouched beside me.  I closed my eyes, willing to see Sam when I opened them again.  She stood halfway between me and our table, as if she had rushed over then hung back when the man got to me first.  
    I can’t believe he used my name.  I can’t believe he remembered my name!  Too bad he’d