At this rate, I may need to enlist Lily’s help before my presentation. She has the skill set to cover the bags under my eyes from not sleeping. Dressed in my usual workday wear—jeans and a tee—I head out to my truck and drive toward my coffee dealer.
“Hi, Tal. Please tell me your espresso machine is working. I need a double today.”
The shoppe has a bunch more patrons today. I’m later than usual. There’s more staff near seven thirty than near seven.
“Worried about the presentation?”
I nod. My usual seat near the window is taken, so I opt for one near the back corner. I’m staring blankly at the pictures on the wall when I hear Tal call, “Tommy.”
Rising from my chair, I round the counter toward the pickup area and reach for the cup that has “Tommy” written on the side.
“Excuse me, I think that’s mine,” a deep voice rumbles behind me. His voice sounds… Arousing is the only word that springs to mind.
I turn and find myself face-to-face with my eye candy from yesterday.
“I thought your name was Joey?” He was paying attention to me yesterday. Interesting.
I laugh. “No, it’s not Joey or Tommy. It’s Frankie. Pleasure to meet you, Tommy.” I extend my hand to him. His hands are surprisingly rough for someone who wears a suit to work—a tailored suit that fits very well, just like my hand in his. I wonder what causes the callouses.
His brow wrinkles. “I’m confused. Do you have a few minutes to talk with me and explain why you have three commonly male first names?”
Tal calls, “Tommy,” again. Her head is bobbing up and down enthusiastically. I wave her off behind my back so Tommy doesn’t see me.
“Sure. Does one of the tables outside work?” I suggest.
He finds the other cup labelled Tommy and follows me to the door. “After you.” He opens the door for me.
I step outside in the early fall sunshine and take a seat at one of the Sweet Face bistro tables. Once seated, I recheck the label and note I indeed have his cup of coffee instead of mine.
“This one is yours.” I pass it across the table, and he exchanges it for mine. I note his order, a double shot of espresso with cream, one sugar, and a shot of cinnamon.
“So, Frankie, why does your barista friend label your coffee with commonly male names? Although I must admit, I’m glad she chose Tommy today.”
I’m grateful myself. “Talia is the owner, the barista, and my best friend. She has been picking on me about my name since we met in third grade. I stood up to one of our classmates who was tormenting her. When I told her my name was Frankie, she complemented my warrior mentality for shoving Jimmy. We’ve been best friends ever since.”
“Do you have a bunch of older brothers who taught you to stand up for yourself?”
I smirk and wonder if he’s worried they might be overprotective. “I have three sisters and one moderately overprotective brother, and he’s enough. Tommy, is that what you prefer to be called? What about you?”
His smile is breathtaking. “I have two brothers and a sister.”
“Where do you fall in the birth order? I’m the literal middle child.”
A hearty laugh slips past his lips. “I’m the oldest. As far as my name, it’s what people call me because it’s also my father’s name. As much as I would love to stay here and talk with you, I have a meeting at nine thirty. Can I meet you here tomorrow, say around seven?”
“I’ll be here. Have a good day.”
“It was a pleasure to meet you, Frankie. I’ll see you tomorrow at seven. Bye.”
It isn’t until I turn to watch Tommy walk away that I notice Tal casually and purposefully cleaning the tables near the windows to spy on my impromptu coffee chat. Before I acknowledge her, I need to process how my assessment yesterday fell short. Tommy is tall, but the tailoring of his suit hides what appear to be buff arms, given they stretched the jacket when he leaned closer to me. His eyes are a gorgeous shade of blue, and the cleft chin is disgustingly attractive too.
Once she’s sure he is gone, Talia joins me outside. “Oh, girl! He’s hot!”
I shake my head. “Ya think?”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Yes, Tal. He’s hot, in case my sarcasm wasn’t clear.” He has a large family too. Hopefully, they’re close like we are. A boisterous family can be off-putting to someone who isn’t close to theirs or has none or one sibling.
“Did you get his number?”
I chuckle. “No, but we’re meeting here tomorrow for coffee.”
Concern mars her face. “Why here?”
“It’s what he suggested. If I had to guess, he’s been out of the dating game for a while. Slow is fine with me.”
“I love you, Frankie, but you need to get laid—hard, fast, and very, very soon.”
Blunt as ever. I love her for it too. She probably knows down to the day the last time I had sex. “Maybe so, but I have to worry about tomorrow before anything else.” She isn’t wrong. It’s been way too long since I’ve met a decent guy, forget the sex part.
Tristan was the most recent date. He works at another landscaping company. We met at the garden center where I was pricing items for the project Eric installed yesterday. The same night we met for drinks. When I shared the company was mine, he was suddenly protective of his company’s name and his bosses. As if I need to steal his clients to be successful. The one before Tristan was a blind date set up by my older sister, Lina. I didn’t even get through drinks with him. As soon as he learned Luca was my brother, the date was over. I love my crazy, overprotective brother, but I can handle myself. Hell, he taught me.
“Yet you agreed to meet him before your big presentation.”
“I’ll be here anyway. Don’t crush my hot-guy flush please, Tal.”
“Not trying to at all. He seems nice. He comes in here a few times a week. Only on Wednesdays is his daughter with him. He has seriously sexy single-dad vibes written all over him.”
He does. “I gotta get to the office, Tal. Thanks for choosing the right name today. See you in the morning.”
“Bye, Tommy.” She winks at me and finishes clearing the table. Talia hasn’t had it easy in the dating department. Her ex-husband is currently serving time for involuntary manslaughter stemming from a bar fight. Ever since then, she hasn’t been with the same guy more than once. I don’t blame her one bit.
I note Eric is already in the office this morning as I park in the lot. “Hi, Eric.”
“Morning, Frankie. Finishing up my notes for yesterday’s install. We were able to get the immature trees planted so the timeline won’t be affected by this afternoon’s predicted rainstorm.”
“Great. Thank you. Is your schedule still clear for tomorrow after lunch?” I ask him.
“Yup. I’ll be here to answer the phones while you land the lucrative contract with the Hayward Group.”
“I appreciate your confidence, but it’s a huge step up for this company. I was happy to capture the opportunity to present my bid.”
“You’ll land the contract, boss lady.”
I shake my head. “Don’t call me that.”
“Why not? It’s completely accurate, not offensive, and politically correct. Amy would have my head if I called you ‘boss babe.’”
I laugh and retreat to my office. I boot up my laptop and field today’s inquiries. There’s a confirmation for my presentation tomorrow at two from Melissa at the Hayward Group. I forward the request for a fall cleanup estimate to Eric, who is typing away in his office. Even though I know it inside, outside, forward, and backward, I review the presentation repeatedly. Before I know it, it’s past one and I haven’t eaten lunch yet.
I sigh and rummage through my desk drawers for a cup of noodles or granola bar to tide me over until dinner. I pull out my phone and check my texts from this morning. I was so focused, I didn’t hear it chime.
Lina: Hey there. I need to talk when you have a few minutes.
Me: Text or call?
Lina: Call. Then I know who to blame if this gets out before I’m ready and there’s no record of what I said.
I dial Lina. “Hey, sis. Is everyone okay?”
“Yes, Antonio and Emilia are fine. It’s about me and a guy.”
Generally, Lina goes to Luca or Lily for advice about dating. I’m intrigued why she chose me. “What’s up?”
“There’s a guy who keeps coming into the bank when I know he doesn’t need to. It isn’t stalkerish, but he wants to talk with me. I would go out with him, but with the kids and Luca, I don’t know.”
“He’s a cop with YPD?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re afraid Luca won’t approve, right?” I question her.
“That’s disturbingly spot-on.”
“Aside from the fact Luca probably knows this guy, what else?”
“He’s younger than me by a decent amount.”
Even though she can’t see me, I roll my eyes. “How much younger? Never mind, it doesn’t matter. If you’re interested and his age doesn’t bother you, say yes. Accepting a date with a guy won’t necessarily lead you down the aisle again.” Lina has been divorced from Derrick for over six years now. If the right guy came along, I could see her marrying again.
“What’s his name, Frankie?”
“How?”
“It’s in your helpful advice.” Lina snickers.
Ugh! “I met him this morning. There isn’t really much to tell, other than he’s genuine and I think he has a daughter.”
“What do you mean ‘think’?”
I mentally slap myself for saying too much. “I saw him yesterday with a young girl at Sweet Face. She’s cute but tall and awkward. I quite literally remember being in her shoes. Anyway, this morning I accidently grabbed his coffee instead of mine and we started talking.”
“Good for you. Is he hot?”
Always to the point. “Yes, he’s hot.” Disgustingly so.
“Thanks for listening, Frankie. Please don’t share with our siblings yet. I have to decide if I’m willing to not only put myself and my kids out there, but with someone who I know Luca will be against from the start.”
“I won’t, but keep in mind, this is about your happiness, not Luca’s. He’ll get over it… eventually.”
“Good luck tomorrow.”
I smile. “Thanks, Lina. See you on Sunday.” I hang up and head home in the pouring rain. After drying off, I prepare a meal and curl up with a book in my granite fireplace. A few hours later, I clean up and stand in front of my closet to select an outfit for tomorrow—both my morning coffee date and my presentation. Is it a date? I’m not sure. Once complete, I fall into my bed and hope Tommy shows up in the morning.