Cafe Love: Cupid's Cafe Box Set Books 2-4

by Ashley Lauren

  Something that sounded like a glass breaking came from the direction of the sink. Brooke spared a quick glance at Justin’s weird roommate, before tugging Justin back to the living room to get her bag.

  Justin wondered what his roommate was so upset about. He’d looked horrible this morning and was acting completely unlike himself. Usually, he was dressed immaculate and was always, always charming to ladies. Dropping bowls of cereal and slamming cups around wasn’t like him.

  He let Brooke pull him from the room and spied Misty. “C’mon Misty, let’s go upstairs.”

  The kitten, who had been trying to get into Brooke’s bag, backed away and fell off the couch. She landed on her feet without a hitch and then ran up the stairs. “Poor thing is always bumping into things or falling off them. Good thing she is a cat, with all those nine lives.”

  “Is it because of her eye?” Brooke asked, frowning a bit.

  “I think so, yeah. But she seems to be getting better and does fine otherwise. She’s just a big klutz. It’s pretty cute.”

  Justin’s heart warmed thinking about Misty. He hadn’t known what he was missing out on growing up without a pet. Now, he could barely remember his life without Misty. Justin glanced up at Brooke. Or without her.

  Brooke started up the stairs. “Let’s go. My exam is tomorrow, and I want to ace it.”

  “Don’t worry, I have the utmost confidence in you.”

  Justin followed her, his eyes glued to her. How had he been lucky enough to run into her at Cupid’s? And what amazing thing had he ever done that she continued to come back day after day? Justin didn’t know the answers to these questions, but as long as Brooke continued to be a part of his life, he didn’t care.

  He didn’t want to ask, but he had to know. “Have you heard from the Aquarium about the job?”

  Brooke paused on the stairs and turned to look at Justin. Her teeth dug into her bottom lip. “No, and I’m getting worried. If I was going to get it, I should have heard by now.”

  Chapter Ten

  The big day was approaching fast. Too fast. They had spent the past couple of weeks together. Now, it was the last day of the spring semester for all undergraduates. Justin knew that Brooke taking her final exams today and would finally be free until her graduation.

  Justin was attempting to type up a grant proposal, but his thoughts of Brooke kept distracting him. His phone dinged with a text message. It was as if his thoughts of Brooke had summoned her.

  Meet me at Cupid’s. Now. He looked at Brooke’s text, his face contorting in confusion.

  Is everything okay? He texted back, thinking that something was wrong.

  Just come. Now.

  Worry shot through him. Justin knew that it had to be bad news, or she would have reassured him. She was alive and able to get to Cupid’s, so it wasn’t an accident or something. It had to be about her job. His heart sank into his stomach, making him sick. She was moving out of state, and he’d never see her again.

  He tried to keep calm, pushing the sick feeling away so that he could respond to her text. Okay. Okay. You’re just lucky I’m not busy.

  He tossed on some sneakers and made his way outside. He wasn’t sure if he should hurry to Cupid’s or take his time. If he took his time, he could pretend that she wasn’t moving away.

  In the end, Justin decided to hurry. Not knowing felt worse than knowing the truth. The parking lot was emptier than usual. A lot of undergrads had already gone home for the summer, which might have had something to do with it. Justin paused at the door and took a deep breath. He pushed open the door, hearing the telltale chiming noise of Cupid’s.

  “Hey, Justin,” Katy called out. As always, there was a large smile on the curvy woman’s face. Her cheeks were red from a hard day’s work, and her black hair was pulled up into a messy bun, keeping it from sticking to her neck. “Finally getting hot out there?”

  “Yeah. It’s nice.” He responded before looking around. He couldn’t see Brooke anywhere. They usually sat at the counter, where they had met for the first time. It had become their usual spot. “Is Brooke around?” he asked.

  “Yeah. She’s expecting you.” Katy grinned, motioning him to follow her to one of the diner’s best booths.

  Justin trailed Katy, looking a bit like a lost puppy. She wasn’t sure what was going through the boy’s head, but she smiled and said, “Everything is going to be fine.”

  Justin nodded but kept his eyes down on the floor.

  Katy shook her head and pointed toward Brooke, who sat in the booth. “If you don’t believe me then ask her.”

  Justin looked up and saw Brooke sitting in the booth with a large sundae in the middle of the table. When she saw him, she smiled ear to ear and jumped from the booth’s seat. She flung herself at a bewildered Justin and hugged him tightly.

  “I got it!” she squealed in delight.

  Katy saw the two of them embracing in her diner and sighed. A familiar warm feeling settled in her heart. They’d be fine. She could always tell when two hearts fit and these two were no exceptions. She walked away, giving them some privacy.

  “Got what?” Justin asked, completely confused as he held her in his arms.

  “The job at The Aquarium. I get to stay on the West Coast after graduation!” Her voice was high-pitched and energetic as she dished out the good news.

  Justin blinked a couple of times and felt the world right itself. The pain he’d felt on the way over to Cupid’s evaporated. “That’s fantastic!”

  He lifted her off the ground and spun her around before he could stop himself. Brooke giggled and then gave him a quick peck on the lips, making his heart flutter. When was he ever going to get used to the fact that Brooke liked him?

  “Isn’t it?” She squealed happily as she wrapped her arms even tighter around him. “I still can’t believe I got it.”

  “Me neither… I was worried I’d have to say goodbye…” he whispered softly, looking into her eyes.

  Brooke froze in place, looking up at him with a doe-like expression. She felt a slight tug in her chest, bringing her closer to Justin. Deep down, she knew she would never want to say goodbye to him either.

  “Are you free this evening?” Justin asked suddenly, his dark eyes bright with some hidden plan. Brooke narrowed her eyes at him, instantly recognizing that he was up to something.

  “I guess. Exams are done,” Brooke answered. Graduation rehearsals didn’t happen for at least another week, so she had plenty of time.

  “Great. Can you drop by my apartment around seven?” he asked, his voice eager. Brooke noticed that he seemed to be shaking with energy. His hands twitched, and he had a hard time keeping still.

  “Sure. But can we eat our ice cream first? It’s already melting.” Brooke glanced down at the drooping sundae.

  A moment later Justin sat beside her, looking at the giant sundae in front of them. Suddenly, he realized just how hungry he really was. He hadn’t had a Cupid’s Deluxe Ice Cream Sundae in ages. Eager, he grabbed one of the spoons and started to dig in as Brooke quickly followed suit.

  Eventually, they had eaten all the ice cream, except for the cherry that had somehow made it to the bottom of the glass without anyone snagging it. Brooke and Justin eyed each other, their gazes locked. Suddenly, Brooke shoved her spoon in the glass and started to fish it out.

  “Nooooo…,” Justin said, clasping his hand to his chest.

  Brooke popped the cherry into her mouth and gave him a wink.

  “You break my heart…” Justin placed his hand on his forehead like he was about to faint.

  He’s so cute sometimes. I’ll show him something. Her face became the pinnacle of concentration as she skillfully moved her tongue around the cherry stem. Moments later, she pulled it out, showing Justin the neat little knot she had managed to tie.

  “Whoa… how did you do that?” Justin asked amazed.

  “I have many skills, this is just one. You should see what I do for parties.”

&nb
sp; Justin’s breath hitched. One more trick like that and he might faint. He regained his composure and said, “I’ll remind you of that.”

  Justin didn’t want to leave, but he had things to do. “Well, I got to run for now, but I’ll see you at my place around seven, right?”

  Justin got out of the booth and then kissed her cheek gently.

  “I can’t wait,” she answered. Her heart glowed with happiness. No matter how much time she spent with Justin, he always sent butterflies flying through her stomach. Is this what real love feels like?

  ***

  Justin was nervous as he saw the clock approaching seven. He didn’t know if he was making the right decision but was determined to try anyway. He liked Brooke way too much to back out of it now.

  Misty watched him curiously as he paced back and forth. Her tail flicked as she crouched down into a pouncing position. Her eyes focused on his feet as she tip-toed closer and closer to her owner. As she moved, the little bell on her collar began to tinkle. Justin didn’t even pay attention. His mind was too preoccupied with his plans.

  Swiftly, Misty attacked, jumping onto Justin’s left foot and latching her small teeth into his shoe. He finally looked down and laughed before picking up the small animal. He placed her on his shoulder and smiled, knowing that if he struck out tonight, he would still have Misty by his side. It was funny how not too long ago he hadn’t been much of an animal lover, but now he couldn’t picture his life without the feline.

  He had even started to order his BLT with a regular amount of bacon. Brooke had shown him videos about piglets to try and persuade him not to eat bacon, but in the end, it was just too delicious for him to give up completely. So they learned to live with their differences, even if it made going out to eat a little more challenging.

  Misty fidgeted on Justin’s shoulder as if she could sense her owner’s discomfort. She meowed at him and stared at the door. She meowed again and pawed against his head, trying to get his attention. “I get it. Someone’s coming. You act like you’ve never seen Brooke before,” Justin said.

  He opened the door and saw it was Christopher. He looked better than he had a few weeks ago, dressed more like himself, but not quite back to normal. Justin wondered if he should ask if his roommate was alright.

  Christopher took one look at his roommate, who stood in the doorway with a cat on his shoulders and rolled his eyes. Christopher turned around and walked back down the pathway.

  “Hey, where you going?”

  “I don’t know.” Christopher shrugged.

  Justin frowned, trying to figure out why they never really got along and why Christopher was always a little standoffish. He pays the rent, and I get the house mostly to myself. I guess it’s not that bad of a deal.

  Justin watched his roommate walk away and shook his head. His dismay only lasted a second and then butterflies swarmed his stomach again. Brooke was coming up the sidewalk.

  She waved at him, her smile lighting up Justin’s heart. I can do this.

  “So, what’s the big surprise?” Brooke asked as she stood at the doorstep.

  “Surprise?” he squeaked. “Why do you think I have a surprise for you?”

  “Silly. Your face is so easy to read. It was written all over your face at Cupid’s. You’re up to something!”

  Justin simply stared at her like an idiot before Misty meowed at him. He hadn’t realized she could read him so well. Did she already know?

  “Oh… um, I have something I wanted to give you…well, tell you,” Justin replied.

  “Oh?” Brooke tilted her head, in curiosity.

  Justin nodded and shifted his gaze to his shoes. What if she doesn’t like it? What if I’m just embarrassing myself? He tried to think of more positive thoughts as he guided her into his townhouse, hoping it would help him feel less nervous.

  “Why do you look so nervous?” Brooke asked as she sat down on the couch.

  Apparently, positive thoughts weren’t enough. Justin closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

  “Sorry,” Justin murmured and sat down next to Brooke.

  Misty, now uninterested in the couple, ran off to play in her cat house. Brooke looked over at the cat and smiled. She was so cute, and by the plethora of cat toys scattered around the townhouse, it was obvious that Justin was spoiling the kitten rotten.

  She turned back to Justin. His face reminded her of someone who had just given blood, chalking white and a bit dazed. He looked like he’d seen a ghost. What has him so terrified?

  While Brooke was distracted by Misty, Justin took his chance and reached into his pocket. His fingers had tightened around the small item before he pulled it out, holding it out with shaky fingers. When Brooke finally looked back at him, she gasped, seeing a shiny silver necklace decorated with a silver charm that had been delicately carved into the shape of a rose.

  While Brooke was mesmerized by the necklace and charm. Justin took a deep breath, trying to gather his courage. “Brooke…” he paused, feeling his voice crack before he finally resolved himself.

  He had to do this. He would never forgive himself if he backed away. With these thoughts in mind, his voice grew more confident. “Since you’ve come into my life my world has changed. I was pretty much a loner who focused on his research and not much else. Now, I have a pet,” he looked over to where Misty played. “And a…girlfriend. That is… if you want to be my girlfriend.”

  Justin forced his eyes to meet Brooke’s, searching for her response.

  Brooke was shell-shocked. She hadn’t expected this. She already considered herself his girlfriend. The fact that he’d gotten her a necklace and asked… well, I guess that just proved what kind of gentleman he really was. Brooke felt her heart melting as she could see the sincerity in Justin’s eyes. She loved that he was old school, especially since they met in a fifties diner. Her heart swelled, and before she could stop herself, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms him, hugging him tightly. “Of course, I’ll be your girlfriend,” Brooke said.

  “R… Really?” Justin blurted out immediately, his eyes going big.

  “Of course. Why wouldn’t I want to be your girlfriend?”

  “I don’t know… you could do so much better than me…” he whispered.

  Brooke shook her head. “But I want you as my boyfriend.” She smiled and kissed him on the lips, letting actions show him how much she meant it.

  Justin was blown away, but sure enough, he held her waist and kissed her back, feeling his spirit soar with happiness. Somehow he had managed to make the most beautiful girl in the world his girlfriend.

  “I have one more surprise for you,” Justin said, looking into Brooke’s eyes.

  “What’s that?” Brooke asked, pulling back from his arms so she could see him better.

  “I think I’m in love with you.”

  Brooke wasn’t surprised at all. She’d felt Justin’s love for her in his kiss, the way he treated her, and that crooked grin of his. She willed her heart and all the tender emotions she felt for Justin into her voice and said, “Then, I have a bigger surprise for you. I know I’m in love with you.”

  The End

  Swee t As Shortcake

  Cupid’s Café

  Where Love is on the Menu

  Book #3

  By Ashley Lauren

  Chapter One

  Danny FitzPatrick sat at the counter of Cupid’s Café, a black coffee in his hand. He looked over at the sugar container across the counter and sighed. He would just have to settle for drinking his coffee plain. He looked into the dark liquid, seeing a slight reflection of himself. His grey-colored eyes stared back at him, but there was something different about them since the last time he sat here. My eyes are too old. I’ve seen and done too much.

  The years had worn away their shine and drained them of their pigment. All that was left was a light gray that held the shadows and pain of his past.

  Danny shook his head and picked up his coffee mug. I’m getting too melanchol
y. I came here today to remember some of the best times of my life. A smile formed on Danny’s lips as he thought of him and a certain lady sitting at this very counter just over ten years ago.

  Cupid’s Café was firmly rooted in all the good things Danny remember about his life from before. The small, 50s-themed diner buzzed with chatter, giving it a lively and relaxing atmosphere. Danny took a look around, admiring the various neon signs, framed black-and-white photographs, and colorful posters plastered on the ceiling. Overall, the little restaurant was a classic destination for eating out in the city of Berkeley. Only ten minutes away from the University of California, it was where students, faculty, and locals alike loved to sit down and enjoy a burger.

  It was only open for breakfast and lunch, except on Friday nights. On Friday’s Cupid’s Café catered to the local kids who hung out after football games or who were just happy to be starting the weekend. Danny was definitely a part of that crowd. He and his friends used to come here during high school every Friday night to enjoy the diner’s world-class fries.

  Now, he didn’t have much of an appetite for such things. Lately, he had much more of a sweet tooth. He eyed the sugar container once more, wishing it was closer so he could reach out and grab it. Getting down from his stool to get it would be too bothersome.

  On the other side of the diner, a set of bright blue swinging doors opened up with a flourish as the well-known owner made her appearance. Everyone knew Katherine Cupid. The forty-year-old with her black hair and green eyes still managed to capture the attention of everyone who stepped foot into her establishment. She had this mesmerizing way with people that always kept them coming back. Maybe it was her undeniable charisma or the way the short, curvy woman waltzed around the diner as if she had always been there. Whatever Katy’s magic was, it didn’t matter much, everyone simply loved her.

  Now, Katy stood in front of the kitchen doors looking out at the crowd gathered for a late breakfast. Almost every seat was taken, all the booths filled with college students staring into their textbooks while stuffing French toast into their mouths. All her usual clientele was there, but as her green eyes made their way around the room, they fell on a familiar face she hadn’t seen in ages.