Romance: Edge of Desire by Kelli Sloan Page B

interrupt her, squashing any hope. I don’t want to go down that path again. “I’m so broke Nicole, that I can’t even afford hope. There’ll be none of that. Today has to be my final day here. Today has to be the day when I put up the white flag and admit that the city has beaten me.”
    Nicole stops preparing her next cup of coffee and runs over to embrace me into a large, tight hug. It is a hug full of friendship and love.
    As she pulls away from the hug, I can see the tears in her eyes.
    “We knew this was going to happen,” I try to confront her. “We knew this was coming. We’ve had time to prepare for it.”
    “It still hurts, Harper. I don’t want to lose you. Work won’t be the same without your beautiful smiling face around here anymore.”
    This time I embrace her into a hug and hold on tight.
    As we pull away from the hug, and we both wipe the tears from our eyes, I say, “No more tears today, Nicole. If this is going to be my last day then we have to promise to make it a good one. I want my memories about this place to all positive – I don’t want to spoil it with one last sad day.”
    Nicole nods, “Of course. I can save my crying for tomorrow when you’re not here.”
    “That’s my girl,” I force a smile. “Now let’s open up the store and get these New Yorkers their coffee fix.”
    Nicole and I have had an amazing time in New York. From the first day that I worked here, I knew we were going to be friends. It was obvious from the first time she smiled at me.
    This coffee shop, this job, has been the foundation for my city adventure. Nicole, the main barista here, has taken me under her wing and showed me all of the city’s great sights and nightlife.
    When I discovered that she was living in an apartment just across the road from mine, I knew that we would be close.
    We have danced, partied, laughed, cried and rescued each other from disastrous dates.
    Then we laughed some more.
    These last two years have held some of my greatest memories. I have had a lifetime of memories jammed into two short years.
    What an adventure.
    Quietly, I told her that I was broke a month ago. 
    I knew it was building up to this moment. I had planned ahead and I could see all the bills that were due to arrive over the upcoming months, but I wanted every last minute out of my experience.
    I was going down fighting.
    “Something exciting better happen today,” I mention as I make my first coffee for the day, “Today has to be a day I never forget.”
    The usually very chatty mouth of Nicole hasn’t said another word.
    Luckily, I don’t have to wait long for the excitement to arrive.
     
     
     

Chapter 4
     
     
     
     
     

 
     
     
    It arrives in the form of a strapping, tall and devilishly handsome man strolling in the front door. 
    “Good morning Brad,” I nervously greet him. “How may I help you?”
    He takes a few moments to respond, “A latte to take away please.”
    “What size?”
    “Pardon?”
    “What size?”
    “Well, I don’t normally get asked that first thing in the morning,” his smile is cheeky and disarming. 
    “For the coffee,” I stop the sexual innuendo with this beautiful man. “I meant what size for the coffee?”
    “Oh, the coffee,” he jokes.
    I smile, “What will it be then?”
    “Large,” he winks.
    Oh yes, Brad. I bet it is large…
    The chemistry between Brad and I has been building over the past month. He has come in every day, sometimes twice a day, and we always hit it off. He is definitely the highlight of my day.
    By my calculations, we have had thirty-four interactions… roughly!
    “You don’t look like your usual, perky self this morning? Was it a big night last night?” he asks with the cheeky grin still on his face.
    “Not really…” I avoid answering his question.
    “What’s wrong, Harper?” the change of tone in his voice captures me off-guard.
    Despite having grown a flirty relationship with him, this was the first time I had heard