Chapter 1
Adam Blake parked his motorcycle and turned it off. He looked at the small gray brick building located in the middle of Main Street. It had a huge window with purple letters that said Faith’s Place. It was a popular coffee shop and a bakery. Two big clay pots with green plants stood on each side of the doorway. It was a busy place. Many people came and went and he hadn’t got off his bike yet. He came here often, ordered the same thing, and sat at the same table. Each time he told himself today would be the day he said something charming and witty to the owner, Faith Davis. Something besides hello and his order.
He wasn’t even sure why he was so obsessed with talking to her. He had no plans to ever settle down. Yet something about this one woman stayed on his mind. He found himself thinking of the coffee shop owner at odd hours of the day. She was pretty, but so were a lot of other women. Her hair was a mix between red and blonde. It was wavy and landed on her shoulders. She had a sweet smile and bright blue eyes. He knew the freckles sprinkled on her nose and the dark beauty mark on her cheek. He had been watching her for months now yet never interacted with her.
He got off his bike and headed inside. The smell of coffee and sweets baking hit him as soon as he went in. His stomach rumbled. There was a line, as always, so he stood in it.
He promised his sister-in-law Alana he would talk to Faith today.
Alana was a sweetheart. She had been through so much trauma this past summer, but things were finally quiet for her and his oldest brother Noah. They had a quiet wedding with just family and settled down, moving into a new home.
A cool October breeze was in the air and he needed a coffee to energize him. He was just coming off a long shift at the fire station where he worked. He loved his job. It saved him from wallowing in grief years ago when he lost his parents and his fiancée.
He finally reached the front of the line and looked into Faith’s blue eyes. That’s when his mind went blank. Any sane thought he had in his head disappeared like a puff of smoke.
“Um, hi,” he stuttered nervously.
She smiled back and his pulse sped up into overdrive. He looked into her blue eyes that reminded him of the ocean and he cleared his throat. “I’d like, um, a coffee.”
“Black, breakfast blend?” He smiled, pleased she remembered his preference. He nodded and she got busy making his coffee. He couldn’t help watching her move around with such energy. He could hear her humming underneath her breath as she worked. Her jeans were snug and showed off a nice, rounded ass. She was slender and tall. Her T-shirt was purple and was tucked into her jeans, showing off her trim waist.
She came back and handed him his cup of coffee. He didn’t know what to say. The usual pick-up lines sounded too cheesy to use on her. She would probably brush him off and dismiss him.
“Something smells good.” That’s a lame line.
“I just made a batch of raspberry scones. A hint
of sweetness, but not too much,” she explained, looking straight into his eyes, waiting for him to respond.
“I’ll take one of those.” Wishing he could think of something charming to say, he sighed and paid for his order. He chose his usual table, close to the counter, and sat down. From this view he could still watch her work behind the counter. Maybe it was better he got tongue-tied around her. She seemed like a sweet hometown girl. She was friendly and so beautiful. He had become so accustomed to dating women who had no interest in settling down. He liked it that way. He had been in love once with big ideas of buying a house and having kids, but then his fiancée had died in a car accident. The same car accident that took his parents. They had been driving to the city to shop for Christmas. On the way home they had encountered some ice and went off the road. His parents had died instantly, but Josie had lived. She spent two days in a coma and slipped away quietly. In one moment he lost his parents and his future wife. He never wanted to experience that kind of agony again. He had wanted nothing more than to join Josie in the grave. His brothers had supported him and helped him get over his grief.
Even though it had been close to six years already, he still remembered the pain and heartache. It was not something he wanted to experience again. It was simpler to tell himself he had his chance at love and he lost it. Going through all that emotional pain was not something he wanted to do again. Faith Davis did not seem the type for a casual affair. He finished his coffee and scone and got up to leave. With one last longing glance at the woman behind the counter, he left.
* * * *
Faith handed her customer back her change. “Thank you, Mrs. Lewis. See you tomorrow.”
Faith looked up just in time to see the handsome man that came on his bike leave. He was tall, at least six feet, and had a muscular build. His light brown hair was the color of sand and long. It was always tied back and she found it so sexy. Her mind often wondered what it looked like loose and if it felt as silky as it looked. She wanted to ask him for his name, but she didn’t want to seem forward. It would be nice to have a name to go with her erotic fantasies that starred him.
She watched him hop on his bike and put his helmet on. He started the bike and the loud rumbling could be heard in the shop.
“I think he likes you,” Holly, her younger sister, said in her ear. “He comes in an awful lot and orders black coffee. He can make black coffee at home. He sits at the same table and moons over you.”