The MacAllisters of Rivers End Collection Books 1-4

Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

Lucas woke with his alarm and groaned. His early-morning stretch told him just how many muscles he’d used setting up the furniture in the shop the day before. All that scrambling around under tables had taken a toll on his body. And today wasn’t going to be any different.

He pulled on jeans and a T-shirt—“May The Caffeine Be With You”—and ran a hand through his hair. Good enough for the day he had planned. The shelves were arriving today, along with the bakery cases, and as soon as the cases were in he could set up the furniture properly instead of leaving it stacked against the wall.

The week had flown by in a flurry of activity, and he had to hustle if everything was going to be ready for the next day.

He hadn’t planned a six-year-old’s birthday party as the dry run for the coffee shop, but when Isaac said they were looking for a spot to throw a surprise party for her, he’d volunteered. It was good to have a deadline, and he’d never been involved in Sara’s birthday parties before, so he was really looking forward to it.

Jenna was taking care of the cake and coming around to help him decorate. Shannon was supposed to be helping too, but he wasn’t sure if she’d show up.

He stood on the landing, staring at her closed door. Didn’t sound like she was up yet.

He hoped he would see her at the party. She’d been avoiding him all week, and he was pretty sure she’d been out most nights. At least once, when he’d knocked on the door, he knew she’d been home, but she was still refusing to talk to him.

Should he try again? A glance at his watch told him the delivery truck would be arriving any second. Not right now, then. But he needed to talk to her. And more than that, he missed her. Damn. Sticking around was hard.

Shaking his head, he made his way down the stairs.

She was a big girl, she could make her own choices. If she didn’t want to see him anymore, that was fine. Well, not fine. In fact, it was the opposite of fine. But he’d get over it. Eventually. She was seriously pissing him off with the whole pretending-he-didn’t-exist thing, though.

He’d get this birthday party out of the way and spend the rest of the weekend trying to talk to her, Lucas thought, as he unlocked the door to the coffee shop.

He stepped into a soggy hell.