Chapter 1

Lucas Miller scanned the crowded coffee shop for an empty seat, the heat from the to-go cup of fresh coffee stinging his hand. He should have grabbed a paper sleeve from the drink station when he had a chance. The counter was now obscured by a group of customers getting their morning cup of joe.

He caught sight of a two top table occupied by a head of curly dark brown hair bent over a laptop, the other seat at the table vacant. As Lucas weaved his way through the coffee shop toward the table, he mentally crossed his fingers hoping the empty chair wasn’t already claimed.

“Hi. Excuse me.” The curly head lifted, bringing into view a friendly and open face.

A pleasant, but cautious smile bloomed on the guy’s face, exposing an adorable gap between his two front teeth. Pushing his black framed glasses higher up on his nose, the guy responded, “Yes?”

“I was wondering if this seat was taken?” Lucas placed his hand on the back of the unoccupied chair. “I miscalculated the popularity of this place when I decided to kill an hour here before my appointment.” He flashed what he hoped was a non-threatening smile.

The guy gestured to the chair. “Help yourself.”

Thankful for the welcome, Lucas set his cup on the table and draped the strap of his messenger bag over the back of the chair. Sitting down, he introduced himself. “My name is Lucas, by the way.”

“Evan.” He extended a hand in greeting. “You must be new to the area if you thought you’d easily find a seat at Holey Java. The university is only a few blocks away, and this place stays busy,” Evan explained.

Lucas shook Evan’s hand. Of course, he knew the university was near and should have known he’d be competing with fellow students and faculty for space here. “I relocated from up north a few days ago, actually. Haven’t had a chance to get acclimated with the city.” He took a cautious sip of his still steaming coffee.

“What did you get?” Evan watched Lucas set his cup down and removed the lid.

“What?” Lucas was still trying to get his bearings and had trouble following what Evan was asking.

“Your coffee. What did you order?” Evan gesture to Lucas’s cup.

“Oh, right. Well, it’s just a plain brew. The line behind me stretched out the door. I figured perusing the menu wouldn’t be the best strategy this morning.” He blew over the top of the open cup in a futile attempt to cool down the liquid.

Evan nodded as if he understood the anxious thoughts that rushed through Lucas’s head as he attempted to make his order as smooth and quick as possible. “Next time you should try the maple bacon latte. If you’ve ever had a maple bacon donut, this drink will blow that out of the water. They special order the syrup from a local plant and fry up the bacon nice and crispy for garnish. Sounds decadent, and it is, but definitely worth a try.”

Not typically one for sweets but also not one for disappointing someone he just met and hoped to get to know, Lucas hummed an agreeable sound. Making friends was a top priority on his list. “I have a feeling there will be many opportunities to explore the menu here.”

“And the donuts holes!” Evan rolled his eyes in pleasure, exaggeratingly. “There’s a maple bacon donut hole, but you wouldn’t want to order that along with the maple bacon latte. While they’re both delicious, pairing the two is too much sugary goodness to handle at once.”

Lucas noticed the display case filled with various flavors of donut holes, some exotic (Italian cherry) and some traditional (glazed chocolate) as he was standing in line. He nerves were already on high alert; the last thing he needed was indigestion.

Evan shut his laptop and focused his attention on Lucas. Evan’s brown eyes, framed by thick, dark lashes, were sharp behind his lenses as he took in Lucas’s figure. Lucas used that opportunity to make his own assessment. Evan’s navy blue, long-sleeved T-shirt complimented his brown skin. The sleeves were pushed back, exposing the sprinkling of dark hair on his forearms.

Lucas caught himself staring and averted his eyes. He needed to make friends in his new town, not scare off the first acquaintance he’d come across by ogling him. He was failing at this starting over thing.

Lucas motioned to the laptop. “Don’t let me interrupt your work. I can sit quietly.”

Packing up the laptop in his own messenger bag, Evan inclined his head, “Nah, I was checking my email. Nothing important that can’t wait.” He placed his hands on the table and leaned toward Lucas. “So, tell me, what brings you here?”

Lucas chewed the inside of his mouth. “Here, as in Holey Java? Or here, as in Westbridge?”

Evan drummed his fingers on the table. “Either? Both?”

Lucas contemplating how much to divulge to his new friend. He decided to go the simple route. “The opportunity to further my education came about. The university here has a great restaurant management program, so here I am.”

Evan’s eyes lit up. “Oh, you’re a student? That’s great! I’m starting my master’s this coming semester.”

This was good news to Lucas. He now had a possible buddy at the university. He was nervous about being a nontraditional student; after all, he was twenty-five—seven years older than a majority of incoming freshman. He knew when he embarked on this journey, he would have lots of mountains to conquer. Having a friendly face around would help ease some of his anxieties.