“I need someone to open Monday through Saturday,” she said, challenging me, “six hours on the weekdays, four hours on Saturday.”

“Perfect! I’m a morning person,” I lied.

The manager gave me a once-over, her eyebrow quirked. “Have you ever worked for Starbucks or another coffee shop before?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Have you ever had a job before?”

“No, but I’m dedicated and pour myself into everything I do.” Pun so not intended.

“If I considered this, when would you be able to start training?”

“Right now.”

Her smile widened again and she nodded her head toward the back door she’d just come through. “Let’s go talk.”

WE ENDED UP talking and had a formal interview in the back room for almost an hour, and after telling me the uniform I would need to go buy, she told me to come back in five hours for my first day of training. After the week of training and two classes, I started opening six days a week, just like she said.

The boys were thrilled that I was doing something, but Tyler started grumbling soon after I started about never waking up next to me anymore. I’d rolled my eyes at him. I hadn’t been aware that waking up next to each other had become a favorite part of his day. Especially since he fell right back asleep, and I would go to the kitchen to hang out with Gage. But Tyler was my best friend; if he wanted to grumble about something like that, then I would let him. As for Gage, we didn’t get to drink coffee together but I still got my morning hug from him. Only now it was as I was jumping out of his truck when he dropped me off in the mornings.

I had protested at first, but he usually woke up anywhere from quarter ’til to five, so waking up the extra thirty minutes early wasn’t a big deal, according to him. Honestly, I think he and Ty were just terrified thinking of my walking the mile and a half to work in the dark, because they let me walk home every day. Not like they had a choice; they’d both be in class unless it was Saturday.

So that’s how we were now: Gage would drop me off in the morning, I would come home and fall asleep for a few hours while they were in classes, and then I’d make dinner for when they got home. At first, it was just the three of us, but then all their other friends started finding out that I actually cooked, and now three days a week, I cook for six ridiculously obnoxious college guys while they all take turns playing Xbox. Thank God tonight wasn’t one of those nights, because I hadn’t slept at all the night before, which meant I slept straight through their classes and then some.

“Wake up, darlin’.” My eyes flew open when Gage’s deep voice drawled in my ear.

“You’re home?” I croaked, my voice raspy from how long I’d slept.

“We’ve been home for a while, but Tyler had to go to some study group. Said he would be gone ’til eleven.”

I glanced at the clock and gasped when I saw I’d slept for six hours. “Crap, I’m so sorry. Let me make dinner.”

“No way, you do too much for us. Besides, I was kinda hoping you’d let me take you out tonight.”

“Out?”

“Yeah, I wanna go driving.”

My face fell. “Oh. Okay.”

He chuckled and pulled me off the couch. “Go change, we’ll grab some food on the way.”

“Where are we driving to?”

“Not sure, we’ll see when we get there.”

I gave him a confused look but rushed into the bathroom to rinse off my body since I still smelled like coffee. Even though it was the middle of November, it was still pretty warm, but I’d already learned far too well that could change quickly. So I pulled on some jeans, rolling up the bottoms, and a light long-sleeved deep-V-neck shirt before grabbing my jacket and running back to the living room.

“Ready!” Gage’s smile stopped me in my tracks. Dear Lord, he was so handsome. And there were those dang dimples again. Those things alone could reduce me to a puddle on the floor.

“If you want, we can go eat somewhere, or we can just grab some burgers.”

“And you aren’t going to tell me where we’re going?”

He put a hand on the small of my back as he led me out of the apartment. “I don’t even know where we’re going, Cass. Really. I just wanted to go for a drive with you.”

“Fine, don’t tell me. Burgers are fine.”

Gage chuckled and shook his head as he shut my door.

Okay, so he was being serious. He really did just want to go for a drive. We’d drive, and if we came to a T in the road, he told me to choose which way to go, and every now and then we’d take a random road just because it was the first one we’d come across in a while. After a little over an hour and a half, it was already dark outside and he pulled over into a small field.

“Uh, is this the part where you kill me and leave me in the woods?”

“Now, why would I do that? Who would keep me fed?”

I smacked his arm and he pretended it actually hurt. “Rude.”

“You in a hurry to get home?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Lie. I didn’t want this night to end. We’d kept the windows down and sang to the radio. I’d propped my feet up on the dash, and Gage had his arm resting behind me on top of the seat. In between songs we’d tease each other, and I don’t think either of us had stopped smiling since we’d gotten in the truck. Tonight was simple and perfect. “Up to you.”