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The door to the Mystery Spot Café opened and closed with a jarring clang of the tinny bell above it. Claire Novak entered; a whirlwind of blonde hair and “give ‘em hell” attitude.“Jesus, Hasselhoff, did the Mystery Machine literally throw up in here?” she sassed to the man behind the counter.“Get some new material, Miley Cyrus!” He responded, non-plussed.Claire said something to that effect every day since she’d moved to New York about a month before starting classes at NYU. Her father Jimmy was a professor there, and her tuition was free as long as she lived with him. She was blessed with another luxury every college student needed in the form of free coffee, as her stepfather, Dean, owned the very coffeehouse she had just entered and insulted. “How has the first week of school been?” Dean asked as he passed her typical drink across the counter.She took a long pull of her venti iced caramel macchiato before answering. “Your husband,” Claire pointed accusingly at Dean, “is evil! It’s the first week and he’s already assigned a research paper!”Dean raised his hands in surrender. “Hey, he was your father before he was my husband. It’s not my fault.”Claire huffed in response and stomped off to her usual spot, a quiet corner she not so subtly (or creatively) called “the mystery nook.”
She made the perfect picture of a diligent college student. The table in front of her was covered with her laptop, text books, and spiral notebooks. Before she could slip her lime green Beats headphones over her ears and lose herself in her studies, Dean appeared at her side. “Here, Miley, this should make you feel better.” He slid a plate in front of her that held a fresh, hot chocolate chip scone.“Thanks, Daddio,” Claire said as she inhaled the sweet fragrance. “I think I prefer it when you call me Hasselhoff,” Dean muttered.Claire ignored him in favor of taking an appreciative bite of the pastry. She hummed as she savored the chocolatey goodness.Dean looked at her expectantly as she carefully chewed and swallowed. “So, what did you think?”Her blue eyes widened in recognition as she finished off her bite. “Dean, is this Daphne’s recipe?”He nodded in affirmation. “How’d I do?”“Oh, Dean, this is very nearly perfect!”That was high praise. Dean knew he could never do the recipe perfect justice. But he was happy to get pretty damn close. Claire had been missing her mom, Amelia, and her step mother, Daphne since she left Pontiac, Illinois to come to New York. This was just one thing Dean was trying to do to help her feel more at home. Dean placed a soft kiss on top of her blonde locks. “I’m glad you like it, Kiddo.” Before walking away, he took in her set up. “So…are you going to be here for a while?”Claire snorted and rolled her eyes. “Yes, Dean. Once Charlie gets here, feel free to go home and have gross old dude married people time.” She slid her headphones fully onto her head at that, effectively dismissing him.Claire was so involved in her studies and wrapped up in her music that she didn’t notice Charlie come in. Or when Dean left. Or when cute the boy from her History 305 class came in and slid behind the counter.***Kevin Tran took his place behind the counter and tied his apron in place as the café buzzed with early evening activity. “Where’s Dean?” he asked Charlie once he was settled behind the register.“Hopefully making me a sex tape with that dreamy husband of his,” Charlie replied.“Gross, Bradbury,” Kevin groused. “You’re not into dudes anyway.”“I’m an equal opportunity pervert, Kevin. You should already know this.” The redhead responded with a waggle of her eyebrows.“Please stop talking.” Kevin said as he looked everywhere but at her. As his gaze wandered over the café, it turned laser focused as his eyes landed on the blonde in the corner. Without taking his eyes off of her, he reached over and grabbed Charlie’s arm. “It’s her, Charlie, it’s her!”“Her who?”He turned to face Charlie and gripped her forearms. “Her! The girl from Dr. Novak’s class. She’s gorgeous and smart and the only freshman in a junior level history class!”“Oh! Her!” Charlie replied. “The girl you’re already in love with even though you’ve never spoken to her.”“Shut up…but yes.”When Charlie realized who he was talking about, she barely repressed a snicker. “Dude, do you even know her name?”The wind died in Kevin’s sails. “No. She doesn’t really talk to anyone except to debate the finer points of ancient history with Dr. Novak. Charlie, I don’t think she has many friends.”“Well, then, why don’t you introduce yourself?”“Are you crazy? I can’t talk to that-that goddess!”Charlie snorted and started preparing a tray. She made a venti iced caramel macchiato and put a plate with a chocolate chip scone next to it. “Here, take this over there and just say ‘hi’.”“Oh yeah, like it’s that easy,” Kevin replied, rolling his dark chocolate eyes. A triumphant grin crossed his face when a line started to form at the register. “Besides, I’m busy.”Charlie huffed and rolled her own hazel eyes before picking up the tray and carrying it over to the corner. Kevin watched her every move and finished with his last customer in time to eavesdrop on the conversation.Charlie pulled Claire’s headphones off with an easy familiarity. “Here ya go, kiddo,” she said in greeting.“I didn’t order this,” she responded.“I know. It’s from a secret admirer.”Claire rolled her eyes. “I’m sure Aunt Jo will be pissed if she knows you’re plying me with coffee and pastries.”Charlie snickered. “While I do have a thing for sassy blondes, obvi, I am not your secret admirer.” She subtly tipped her head towards the counter before walking away.Once she’s back behind the counter, Kevin grabbed her arms again. “Did she just refer to your girlfriend as ‘Aunt Jo’?”Charlie nodded in the affirmative.Kevin’s voice grew more frantic and high pitched. “Your girlfriend as in JoAnna Beth Smith? As in Dean’s baby sister? As in I’ve been pining over the boss’s daughter???”Charlie nodded again, a mirthful smile gracing her lips.Another realization dawned on Kevin as the implications hit him. “She’s Dr. Novak’s daughter? The professor I’m counting on for a reference and a TA job once I’m in grad school????”Charlie was outright giggling at this point, damn her, as she continued to nod.“I’m so very screwed.” Kevin’s brown eyes locked on Claire’s blues, and she actually winked at him. “Just so very, very screwed.” He leaned his elbows on the counter, dropped his head into his hands and groaned.