Page 56 of Rough

“Just a dose of stupidity.”

Her long face gave indication that she wanted more. After a few seconds of silence, she shook it off and grinned. “Was it a hot drink or a cold one?”

“Cold.”

She glanced over her shoulder, toward the drive-thru window. “Anyone know what Pee Bee got the other day for the girl in the car without the door?”

“Iced caramel macchiato,” someone shouted.

“Oh wow. You remembered his name?”

“Pee Bee?” She laughed. “He’s in here about ten times a week.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Him and Crip. And Peyton. She comes in quite a bit, too. Cholo every now and again. And a few of the others.”

I was surprised. I didn’t expect him to be such a coffee connoisseur. I wondered who Peyton was, and found myself feeling oddly jealous.

“Huh. That’s neat. But yeah, it was an iced caramel macchiato. That’s what I need.”

“What size?”

I returned a confused stare.

“Tall. Grande. Or Venti?”

“The big one,” I said.

“Venti iced caramel macchiato,” she hollered. “Name?”

“Uhhm. Actually, I need two. One for Tegan. And one for Marcus.”

“Okay.” She poked her fingers against the keys on the register, and then looked up. “That’ll be $10.32.”

It could have been worse.

I paid for the drinks, put the change in her tip jar, and then looked at the things on display as I waited. Within a few minutes, I was on my way to the apartment, complete with a cute little cardboard carrier.

As difficult as it was, I made it all the way home without taking so much as a drink. With the cups in the carrier, and the straws neatly placed between them, I shouldered my purse and picked up the drinks.

Carefully, I walked across the street, through the parking lot, and along the sidewalk between the buildings. By the time I reached our unit, my mouth was salivating at the thought of having a drink of the macchiato.

It was Marcus’s day off, and he had no idea I was coming. It was a surprise of epic proportion. Finally, I reached his door and knocked on it with the side of my foot.

“Open up.”

I heard him moving around.

“Open up. I’ve got a surprise.”

He unlocked the door, and then slid the chain from the secondary lock, which seemed weird. I never knew him to use it.

The door opened a few inches.

I pushed it against it with my foot and stepped inside.

My jaw – and the drinks – hit the floor at the same time.