Page 125 of Problematic

My stomach sank. “Sam.”

“Okay.” She lifted both hands. “Before we go in, I need to tell you something.”

“If this is about my sex-demon situation, I’m full to the brim.”

“It’s work related.”

“Oh, great. What else can go wrong in my life right now?”

She glanced at the coffee shop, then back at me. “Someone bought it.”

I stopped walking. “What?”

“Someone bought the coffee shop,” she said. “New owner. New policies. New supply order. New everything.”

My body went cold in a way that had nothing to do with the weather. “No.”

“You haven’t heard the good parts.”

“I know the genre.”

“Unlimited PTO.”

I stared at her. “Excuse me?”

“And sick days,” she rushed on. “Unlimited sick days, Liv. Paid ones. So, all the days you’ve been out? Covered.”

My throat tightened before I’d given myself permission to feel anything.

Sam’s eyes softened, but her mouth kept moving because she knew if she paused, I might break. “Our stock doubled. We aren’t out of anything anymore. Oat milk, vanilla, chai, lids, napkins, caramel, those stupid brown sugar packets rich demons ask for like we keep them in a vault. Mandi sent me pictures. The shelves are full. The cold brew machine works.”

I glanced through the front windows.

The shop looked different.

The pastry case was full. The counter had been polished until it caught the morning light. The old menu board was gone, replaced by a sleek black one with white glowing letters. Fresh paint. Butter. Clean metal. Expensive coffee beans instead of desperation and burnt espresso.

“I heard the new owner is planning on franchising,” Sam added.

My eyes cut to hers.

She swallowed. “Opening two more locations.”

The door opened from inside, and Mandi stuck her head out, eyes wide, iced coffee in hand like a trophy.

“You missed the email,” she said.

I pointed at her. “Do not.”

She grinned. “Dental.”

I threw the brown apron over my green shirt just as the first customer walked in. I put on my customer smile. “Welcome to City Coffee,” I said. “What can I get you?”

Chapter 19

Liv

By the time I tied my apron around my waist, I had decided three things.