Chapter Eight
JOSIE
As I stood in the kitchen in the back of Firehouse Café, nostalgia rolled over me with the delightful scent of cheese rolls in the oven. I opened the door to the oven, peering inside. I couldn’t help but take a nice deep breath.
Janet came bustling in from the storage area, chuckling when she saw me. “Smells pretty good, huh?”
Casting her a smile, I closed the oven. “They’re almost done. Do you still have the same policy for food?”
“You mean, if you work here, you can have two of anything we make? Of course! And as much coffee as you’d like.” She waggled her brows. “Now, do you need a refresher on how this place works?” She set a few things on the counter just as Casey walked in through the back door.
Casey’s smile was wide when she saw me. “Hey!” She slipped out of her jacket, hanging it on the hooks by the door and switching out from a pair of winter boots into practical tennis shoes.
“Hey!” I returned. “Are we both on duty today?” I glanced at Janet.
“Yes, please.” She nodded vigorously. “I usually have two people on duty in the morning. We’ve been floating by for awhole month with just one.” Janet let out a sigh. “It’s the middle of winter.”
“It’s almost spring,” I pointed out. “Technically, it’s next month.”
Janet gave me a strong side-eye. “It’s February. We get the most snow this time of year, and it’s usually the coldest.”
Casey was tying an apron around her waist. “Itiscold.”
“Where are you from?” I asked as I went to fetch an apron. The aprons were bright red with a cute little Firehouse Café logo on one side.
“Coastal North Carolina, right near the Outer Banks. I’ve gone to the mountains in the winter there, but snow is extremely rare where I grew up. Like seriously. The whole world stops if even a single snowflake floats from the sky,” she teased.
“How are you handling winter here?” I asked.
“I’m handling it. I love it! It’s a novelty for me, so that makes it fun. Though I’m not sure I’d be the best driver in the snow, so it’s handy that I live next door.”
Janet chuckled as she began prepping to make something on the baking table. “Okay, girls, I’m going to be busy back here. You two handle the front.” Her eyes landed on me. “Everything’s pretty much the same, although the prices have increased, and we have a new register. We have one of those touchscreen pads. I feel very modern, but if you have any questions, ask away. At some point today, the donut lady might be here, but I’m not sure. I can tell she already came by because—” Janet gestured toward one of the proofing cases. “There are ten trays ready to go in the oven. As soon as the cheese pinwheels come out, those are going in. The donuts will be gone before you know it.”
My mouth started watering. “Oh wow, those look so good.”
“They are.” Janet waggled her brows.
“They sure are. Luna takes what’s left from her batch and makes a few small ones so we can eat off those,” Casey said, herauburn ponytail bouncing as she nodded. “Come out front with me!”
It was remarkable how quickly I slipped back into the rhythm here. With it being February in Alaska, it wasn’t even close to daylight yet. I loved the way it felt to be here while it was dark out as we turned on the lights and got the tables ready. It felt cozy.
I loved how it felt so good to simply be home in Alaska. Willow Brook would always be home for me, and I was so grateful to be back. Money would be tight for a little while, but it would be okay. My mind spun back to my conversation with Tate last night.
Even at the height of my career, I’d known skiing was a short career. Once you got seriously injured, that was it. I always knew I needed to have other plans. I just needed a little cushion of time to sort the details out. I loved Firehouse Café. It would give me the time I needed. I would always be happy to cover shifts here. Janet was my first boss and still my favorite.
Casey was easy to work with. We quickly settled into a rhythm of switching off as customers came in, taking turns handling the register, prepping coffees, and heating baked goods. I was busy enough that I didn’t dwell too much on Tate. Although since the moment I’d woken up, our kiss last night played on a loop in my brain. I blushed just thinking about him.
It was all good until Casey went in the back for a bathroom break. The bell chimed over the door as I finished wiping down the counter between customers. I reflexively glanced toward the door to see Tate walking in. My pulse kicked up his heels and took off like a happy little pony let out to pasture after days of being cooped up. My lungs seized, and butterflies amassed in my belly. I couldn’t have looked away from Tate if my life depended on it.
I blinked. “Hi,” I squeaked when he stopped in front of the counter.
“Good morning, Josie.”
The counter was the only thing between us, and it felt like nothing. I actually had to curl my hands on its edges to keep my knees from buckling.
“How are you?” he asked.
My brain felt like an engine that needed a jump-start. I’d never noticed that Tate had this almost growly voice. It was sexy. Since when was Tate’s voice sexy? But then, apparently, every detail about him was sexy now. The way he rested a hip against the edge of the counter, and the way his jacket hung open, and I could see the subtle flexion of his muscles. His muscled chest when he shifted his shoulders slightly. The way his lips kicked up at one corner before his smile stretched over to the other. His straight dark hair was a little shaggy around the edges of his jacket collar, and his lips had a sensual curve. I’d never noticed any man’s lips. They just weren’t something I paid attention to. But now, I knew how Tate’s lips felt over mine. I experienced how he commanded a kiss. And I knew what it felt like to climax with his name on a whisper.