Beyond Chance (30 page)

I grabbed my wallet and slid out of the
truck, feeling the warm California air kiss my skin as I slowly
walked across the parking lot toward the coffee shop. I wasn’t used
to temperatures like this in March, but I was certain I’d quickly
learn to love the weather. From what I’d read, Southern California
skipped over the entire winter season, which sounded perfect to me.
New England winters were brutal and long—really long.

My stomach growled as I pulled the door open
and smelled the aroma of coffee and pastries waft through the air.
I hadn’t eaten anything since the night before and desperately
wanted a big cup of coffee. I’d tried not to spend much money on
the long road trip in case I needed any extra cash for emergencies.
Lucky for me, I’d made it to my destination without one hiccup and
could splurge on a measly cup of coffee.

Yay me!

The family from outside was still in front
of me, placing their order as I stood in line. The mom’s latte
order had so many components I lost track. It was no longer just a
drink with coffee and milk. I watched her movements carefully,
noticing every blonde hair was in place and her suit flawless. She
seemed so in her element, and for some reason that made me feel
completely out of mine. Her husband was put together just as
impeccably, and I found myself running my hands along my sweatshirt
to press out the wrinkles that had formed from the countless hours
of driving. I was in yesterday’s yoga pants, which were now
technically today’s, and my blonde hair desperately needed to be
washed so it was piled on top of my head in a clip. I glanced
around Starbucks and noticed that the family in front of me wasn’t
the anomaly. Everyone looked put together and ready to conquer the
world. I was the odd one with tired brown eyes.

There was a brunette in the far corner who
wore Hollywood shades, and her khaki capris showed off her model
legs. The guy at the next table over looked like he’d just stepped
out of the pages of a
Men’s Fitness
magazine as he intently
stared at his iPad. This had to be the best-dressed coffeehouse in
America.

“Miss, I can take your order,” the male
barista said, as the family walked to the drink counter.

I snapped my head to see a friendly guy
about my age, motioning for me to step forward to the counter.

“Oh, sorry,” I said, nearly tripping to the
register.

“Take your time.”

“I’d like a large coffee,” I said,
smiling.

The guy’s blond hair was shaggy and his blue
eyes playful as he grabbed the white cup. “Pike Place or French
Roast?” he asked.

“Pike I guess,” I muttered, unzipping my
wallet.

“A Venti Pike Place, and can I get your
name?”

“Hannah,” I said, feeling a breeze from
behind as the door swung open.

A wave of shivers ran across my skin, and I
started to laugh at how quickly I became acclimated to the warm
weather. The barista wrote my name on the cup and called out my
drink as he rang it up.

“Two-eighty,” he said, as I felt someone
come up behind me in line.

“Can I add a blueberry scone too?” I handed
him my debit card as he nodded.

Taking my card, he quickly added the scone
to the order and swiped the debit.

“So how’s your day been?” the barista asked,
waiting for the transaction to complete.

“Really good. Yours?” Another wave of goose
bumps ran along my body, and I glanced around, unsure of the source
this time. There was no breeze.

“Been great.” His eyes landed on the screen,
and I saw his jaw tense as he swiped the card again. “Do you by any
chance have another form of payment?”

My heart sank and my body felt like it was
on fire. I had no other cards, and there should be plenty of money
to cover a scone and coffee.

“Can you try it again?” I barely squeaked
out. “Third time’s a charm.”

The barista gave me a sympathetic grin and
swiped the card once more.

“Sorry. Same result.” The barista handed the
card back as my entire body turned into a hot mess. I was
absolutely mortified. It wasn’t like I was trying to buy a
television. I just wanted a lousy cup of coffee. And what was worse
was that the money in the account needed to get me by until I could
find a job in town. So where was the money?

“Umm. I’m sorry. Can you cancel my order,” I
whispered. All I wanted to do was run out of the coffee shop and
hide in my truck. I wasn’t supposed to meet my roommates for
another hour, but maybe they wouldn’t mind if I showed up
early.

Just as the barista was about to key in the
cancellation, a male voice interrupted my mini-hell of
humiliation.

“I’ve got it covered. Technology can be such
a pain.” The guy from behind me took a step forward, and a surge of
warmth flooded through me. His voice was gravelly, sexy, and didn’t
relay a bit of sympathy for my predicament. His immediate dismissal
of the crisis at hand actually made me feel immensely better, like
this sort of thing happened all the time. And then I felt him, his
energy, wrap around me.

He was intense.

“You don’t have to do that,” I said, turning
to see the guy take a step next to me, handing the barista his
card.

My heart nearly stopped when I saw how
good-looking he was. All six-foot-something of him towered next to
me and I felt abuzz with delight. He was dressed like everyone else
in this mystical coffee house. But on him, the black suit stretched
across his shoulders in such a way that I could almost imagine what
lay under his jacket. After all, I was in the land of mirages. Men
like this didn’t exist in my world. His wavy, dark brown hair
framed his chiseled features, and his green eyes were beyond
striking as he smiled at me briefly.

“Add a Venti Iced Coffee and an oatmeal
cookie to the order,” the man said, ignoring my statement as he
placed a hand on my shoulder, sending an impossible charge through
me.

His eyes connected with mine, and my entire
body responded to him in a way that I’d never experienced before. I
dropped my gaze and felt a warmth swell deep inside me as he
continued to watch me.

“Thank you,” I said.

“Anytime.” His hand slipped off my
shoulder.

“I’m not sure what happened. I should…”

“No need to explain. Banks screw up all the
time.” He smiled at me and I nodded, thankful for his ability to
put me at ease.

“Well, thanks again,” I said, turning to
walk toward the counter where the drinks were called.

I felt his gaze on me and didn’t know what
to do. I felt extremely self-conscious as I thought about my
day-old wardrobe and messy blond hair. I really didn’t fit in here,
but I better start learning how to do so.

“Scone and Venti Pike Place for Hannah,” a
female barista with red, spikey hair called out.

“Thank you,” I said, quickly grabbing my
food and drink, hoping for a quick escape.

Reaching the door, I glanced behind me and
saw the guy grabbing his own drink before looking over at me. My
heart stopped as his eyes locked on mine, and I knew I needed to
get out of here.

“Hannah,” his throaty voice stopped me in my
tracks. “It was nice meeting you.”

He looked so damn charming, and it was
really nice of him to cover my order, but I didn’t want to start
calling attention to myself. Yet, I was doing that every moment I
stood in the coffee house with a dopey smile on my face. I was
counting on California to provide the anonymity I needed, and I was
also counting on my bank account to be fuller than it was, which
had me extremely concerned. I most certainly had enough funds in
there to buy a cup of coffee. I couldn’t do what my heart wanted me
to do so I waved with the hand holding my scone bag and left the
coffee house in a dash.

My truck looked like a refuge as I neared
the driver’s side. The fancy car next to me was parked incredibly
close to my truck, and I found myself juggling the coffee and scone
as I opened my door. Just as I snuck in between the door and seat,
my coffee cup took a nosedive, spilling on the pavement below.

“Shoot.” I tossed my scone onto the console
and sat in the driver’s seat, closing the door behind me. This
wasn’t how I’d imagined rolling into my new town. It had to get
better from here, right? Opening my window, I let the warm sea air
fill the car as I munched on my scone. I’d have to wait until the
car next to me left so I could clean up my mess outside before
taking off. Thankfully, I had some water in my car to help wash
down the somewhat dry scone that kept sticking in my throat. As I
looked around the parking lot and over to the beach, a deep sense
of loneliness crept through me. It was a familiar feeling, but this
time it was different. I had nothing to hold onto in my new
surroundings. There was no one to commiserate with. There was
nothing around here that provided grounding or old memories for
good or bad. There were palm trees dotting the edge of the parking
lot and tiny orange flowers sprinkled along curb. It was quite
different than a foot of dirty snow. I could get used to this.

I heard footsteps behind my car and glanced
in the rearview. My heart sped up as I spotted the guy from inside
the coffee house. It was definitely my time to exit this parking
lot. I quickly put the key into the ignition and turned it, hearing
nothing more than a chug and a whir. No turn of the motor. No rev
of the engine.

Great!

I saw movement out my driver’s window and
saw the man walking along the driver’s side of the car that was
parked next to me. So that was his car, seemed fitting. I didn’t
even recognize what type of car it was. It just screamed expensive.
I twisted the key in the ignition once more, and this time I was
met with silence. I didn’t even get so much as a grunt from the
engine.

Figured!

Letting out a sigh, I thumped my forehead
onto the steering wheel and began to laugh in disbelief.

“Excuse me, Hannah?” The man’s bold voice
interrupted my internal comedy hour, and I lifted my head to see
his concerned gaze.

“Hey,” I said, pressing my lips
together.

“Do you need a ride somewhere?” he asked,
placing his hands on his car roof.

“No. I’ve got it,” I said, smiling.

“Do you need me to call a tow truck?” he
offered.

“Nah. I think that would go about as well as
my coffee venture.”

“Oh, I see.” He glanced across the street
toward the beach and back at me. “I saw your plates are from New
Hampshire. Here on vacation?”

“Um. Kind of. No. Not really.”

I didn’t need to be having this conversation
with him or anyone.

“Are you sure I can’t help get you to where
you’re going? I don’t feel right about buying a woman a cup of
coffee and then leaving her stranded in a parking lot.” His smile
was dazzling and it was everything I could do not to take him up on
his offer. But I couldn’t afford to owe anyone anything else, let
alone having him know where I was going.

He walked around the front of his car and
inched his way between our two vehicles before his eyes landed on
my coffee on the pavement. He was now standing directly next to me,
and the breeze carried the soft scent of his cologne into the car.
God, he smelled good. It was like a mixture of ocean and something
else wonderful.

“Today has not been your day, has it?” A
slight smirk appeared on his lips as he reached into his suit
jacket, grabbing his wallet. “Listen. Here’s my card. If you need
anything, give me a call. California’s a huge state. One wrong turn
and you’re in a place you really don’t want to be.”

I took the card from him and he smiled.

“Thanks,” I muttered, glancing at the
card.

Luke Fletcher

Fletcher Security

Private Security, Risk Management, and
Counter Terrorism

“You know,” he began, bending over and
picking up the empty cup. “I can’t, in good faith, let you leave
here without a cup of coffee. I’ll be right back.”

“No,” I called, but it was too late. He was
already out of earshot on his way back into the coffee shop.

I leaned my head against the headrest and
let out a garbled groan as I thought about how screwed up things
were. How could things go so wonderfully well over the last several
days only to end up in the worst possible scenario, without a
running car and no money? I needed to get out of here before he
came back. He was too much. All of it was too much. I turned the
key again and this time the engine almost turned over. I counted to
ten and tried again.

“Come on,” I muttered.

“Trying to escape?” I heard Luke laughing as
he brought me my cup of coffee.

“Uh, no. I mean,” I laughed. “Maybe. That
was faster than I thought.”

“They remembered me and gave it to me free
of charge.” He smiled.

I took the cup of coffee from him and placed
it in the coffee holder. I might’ve been sheltered for the last
twenty-two years of my life, but I wasn’t stupid. I wouldn’t be
drinking something from some strange guy, no matter how appealing
he was. The more I looked at him, the closer I felt to him, which
was just as dangerous.

“I’ve got to get going,” I muttered, waving
him away, but all I was met with was deep laughter.

“Are you planning on Flintstoning it out of
here?” he asked, his brow arching. “I really don’t mind giving you
a ride.”

“That’s not what I meant,” I said, glaring
at him, but I couldn’t help but laugh. “But no thanks.”

“Oh, right. That was my cue. Listen, you
have my business card. I don’t want to make your day any worse so
I’ll let you do what you think you’ve gotta do, but if you change
your mind… Call me and I’ll get a cab to come for you.”

I nodded and watched as he walked away from
my window. He was distracting enough that the loneliness had
somewhat dissipated until I realized he was leaving. Then it slowly
seeped back in.