Logan gave him a patient, condescending smile. “I’ll be fine. I know how to take care of myself.”

  Unfortunately, Tate knew that was true. Few seventeen year olds were more mature than Logan was and for some reason, that made Tate feel sad.

  CHAPTER 3

  Zion found David waiting at the counter, chatting with Dottie when she came in the next morning. David’s face burst into a brilliant smile. He wore a casual polo shirt and chinos. He looked like he was off for a round of golf.

  Their date the previous night had been nice and low-key. Corkers had been crowded, but David easily secured a table. As one of the few lawyers in town, he got special amenities on occasion. They’d returned to Zion’s cottage, shared a few kisses on the couch, then he’d left. For some reason, Zion just wasn’t ready to take the relationship any further yet.

  She knew Rebekah thought she was crazy, but then Zion had always thought Rebekah threw everything into her relationships maybe just a bit too fast. She didn’t wait for them to develop into something deeper before she was agreeing to move in with a guy. So far, Rebekah had lived with five different guys. Every time the relationship went south and Rebekah found herself homeless again. It was exhausting and Zion didn’t have any desire to try it.

  “Hey,” she said, smiling at him.

  “Hey, yourself,” he answered, putting an arm around her waist and giving her a light kiss. “Thought I’d stop by for some coffee and one of Dottie’s famous cinnamon breadsticks.”

  Zion glanced at the perfectly browned confection on David’s plate. The smell was heavenly and Zion knew it drew people into the shop.

  “Morning, Dottie.”

  “Morning, sweet girl,” said Dottie, bending to place a tray in the display case.

  Zion slipped out of David’s embrace and crossed around the counter, taking her purse into the office and placing it in her desk, then she returned and grabbed a clean apron from under the counter and tied it around her waist.

  The bell above the door jingled and Tallah walked through. Zion was surprised to see her. Usually Tallah worked the afternoon shift with Dee. “Hey, Tallah? What’s up?”

  “Morning,” the girl said, waving at everyone. “Remember I swapped shifts for today, Zion.”

  “Oh, right, you’ve got the concert this afternoon.”

  “Yep.” She beamed happily, crossing around the counter and going in back to deposit her stuff. When she returned, she also took an apron and tied it around her waist, then went to the sink to wash her hands.

  “You’re leaving at noon?”

  “Yeah, the concert starts at 1:00.”

  “You be careful out there, young lady,” said Dottie.

  “I will,” Tallah promised. “It’s just a day show and I’m going with a bunch of friends. We’ll be fine. Besides, Mom’s driving and picking us up.”

  “That’s good,” said Dottie, going into the kitchen to prep some more baked goods.

  “Are you excited?” asked Zion.

  Tallah opened her eyes wide. “Are you kidding me? I’m so excited. I’ve never seen Anaconda live. It’s gonna be epic.”

  David and Zion laughed.

  “Has anyone heard how it went last night?” asked Zion. “Any more fights?”

  David shook his head. “I haven’t heard anything.” He took a sip of his coffee. “I didn’t get called down to the courthouse to bail anyone out or anything.”

  Zion playfully slapped his arm. “You’re terrible.”

  He chuckled and took a bite of his cinnamon breadstick.

  The bell jangled above the door and a large group entered. David wrapped his pastry in a napkin and grabbed his coffee. “I’d better get out of here,” he said, bending over the counter to kiss Zion’s cheek. “Talk to you later. Maybe we can catch a movie tonight?”

  “Sounds good,” Zion said, waving him off.

  As he slipped out the door, another group entered. Zion shared a look with Tallah, glad the girl had come in early after all.

  * * *

  At 11:30, Deimos entered the coffee shop. The customers had been steady all day, but they were tapering off now. Cheryl followed Dee in and he held the door for her.

  Zion looked up from taking an order and waved at her friends. “Hey, Dee, Cheryl.”

  “Hey, boss lady,” said Dee, coming around the counter and grabbing an apron. “Looks busy in here.”

  “All morning.”

  “Hey, Zion. I’m glad to see that girl of mine working for her keep,” said Cheryl, giving her daughter a pointed look.

  Further conversation was cut off as Tallah ran the coffee grinder. Zion figured she did it to stop her mother from commenting about her behavior in front of strangers. As soon as she finished, Dee had washed his hands and was taking the next order.

  Dottie came through the bar doors, her purse slung over her shoulder. “How was the concert last night, Deimos?”

  “Awesome,” said Dee, running a credit card. “Not as good as tonight’s though.” He jerked his chin at Tallah. “You’re going to see Anaconda now, right?”

  “Right,” she said. She’d been smiling all day; she was so excited “I can’t wait to see them perform Edge of Nothing.” She started to sing, “The next day I thought my heart had broken, I thought my heart had burst into flames.”

  Dee picked up, “I was standing on the precipice, standing on the edge of nothing.”

  Tallah joined him and they began to harmonize. “She was my lover, my lover, my pilot, my dream.”

  A loud clapping sound came from the front door. Although the room was crowded, Zion could see a young man had entered, backed by two burly guys in black. Tallah gave a scream, covering her mouth with her hands and dancing excitedly in place.

  “Holy shit!” breathed Dee, his eyes bulging.

  “That was awesome,” said the man. He had white blond hair, a dirty blond beard and moustache, and full-sleeve tattoos on both arms. Piercings ringed his ears from the lobe all the way around to the top. He wore torn jeans and a black t-shirt with a green snake winding around his abdomen. The band name, Anaconda Glee Club, was emblazoned around the bottom of the shirt in red stylized letters.

  The two burly guys moved to either side of him and glared menacingly at the crowd as he made his way to the counter. Tallah still had her hands over her mouth when he stopped before the register.

  “Maybe you two should be backup singers tonight,” he told Tallah and Dee.

  Cheryl and Zion exchanged a look and Cheryl mouthed the word Jaguar to her. Zion wasn’t sure what that meant.

  “Holy shit!” said Dee again, staring. “I can’t believe it’s you.”

  The man smiled. His teeth were surprisingly even and white. “In the flesh. So, are the two of you coming to our concert?”

  Tallah nodded her head vigorously, still covering her mouth with her hands.

  “Yeah, tonight,” said Dee. “Dude Jaguar, you’re on in like an hour. What are you doing here?” Then his face drained of color. “I mean, dude, you’re here! Holy shit!”

  Jaguar laughed.

  Zion realized all movement had ceased in the coffee shop, everyone staring in rapt adoration at this man with the many tattoos. She hadn’t heard of Anaconda before Redwood Stock, but Tallah and Dee sure thought this guy was a big deal.

  Dottie cleared her throat. “Maybe he wants coffee,” she suggested to Dee.

  “Oh, yeah, dude, do you want coffee?”

  Jaguar’s remarkable blue eyes lifted to the menu above Dee and Tallah’s head. “What do you recommend?”

  Dee just gaped at him, his eyes wide. He didn’t seem to be able to speak coherently. Zion started to move to intervene, but Tallah stepped forward. “What about tea? Anything with milk will ruin your voice.”

  He dropped his gaze to her. “Smart girl. I’m partial to café au lait, but you’re right, the milk isn’t good for the pipes. Surprise me with a tea choice.”

  Tallah went to prepare it, her hands shaking. A few of the customers eased forward, glancing at the burly men. “Can I have your autograph?” asked a girl with purple hair.

  “Sure,” said Jaguar.

  Zion wished he’d move away from in front of the register, but more people were now getting up the courage to ask him for autographs or to take a selfie with him. Tallah set his tea on the counter, putting a protective sleeve on it. He gave her another smile.

  “Anything else?” she asked, her voice quavering. “Do your bodyguards want something?”

  He snapped his fingers at the men. “Order whatever you want,” he said.

  Both ordered black coffee. Tallah got that too because Deimos didn’t seem able to do anything but stare. Zion went to the register and pushed him out of the way, ringing up the sale. She told Jaguar the amount. He snapped again and one of the bodyguards handed Zion a twenty. She frowned at that. She didn’t like the snapping. What a jerk!

  Tallah held the coffee out to the guards as Jaguar turned back to the counter. Zion offered him his change, but Jaguar waved it off. “Keep it,” he said.

  Zion stuffed the remainder into the tip jar, motioning the next customer to the register. She wasn’t impressed with the rockstar one little bit.

  Jaguar took a sip of his tea and nodded. “Good. I like mint.”

  Tallah beamed.

  “So, you didn’t say if you were going to my concert or not?” he asked her.

  “I am. I’m going to the one in an hour.”

  “Ah, well, I’m glad to know I’ll have at least one friend in the audience.” He snapped his fingers again. “Give her two backstage passes,” he told the guard on the left.

  The man stepped forward and held out the passes.

  “Just show those at the door and they’ll let you back,” said Jaguar. “I look forward to seeing you.”

  Tallah smiled, breathing a little too fast.

  Dee finally recovered. “Can we get a picture, Jaguar dude?”

  “Sure,” said Jaguar, taking another sip.

  Tallah and Dee raced around the counter, poising next to the rockstar. Zion marked he held the Caffeinator’s cup out so the logo was visible. Maybe she could use this visit for marketing purposes and his obnoxious behavior toward his bodyguards would be worth something after all.

  As soon as the picture was finished, he headed toward the door, holding up a hand. “Later gators,” he said and exited with his bodyguards flanking him.

  The room exploded in excited conversation. Tallah and Dee were staring at Dee’s phone, then they both danced in place excitedly. Dottie shook her head. “I’m going home. That’s enough excitement for this old woman,” she said. She stopped by Dee and Tallah. “You be careful at that concert, both of you,” she scolded.

  “We will,” said Tallah. “Send the picture to me,” she told Dee.

  “Bye Dottie,” Zion called to the older woman.

  “Later gator,” mocked Dottie, waving over her shoulder.

  As Zion rang up a customer, Tallah wandered back to the counter, staring at the backstage passes.

  “No, you don’t,” said Cheryl, “just hand those over right now.”

  “Mom, he gave them to me.”

  “No sixteen-year-old daughter of mine is going backstage with tattooed and pierced rockstar. What do you think your father would say?”

  Tallah gave her mother a disbelieving look, then she turned to Zion, appealing for her interference.

  “Don’t look at me. I don’t think you should go either. He’s too old and I don’t like the way he treats people, Tallah,” Zion said.

  Cheryl gave her a grateful nod behind Tallah’s back.

  Dee came around the counter. Tallah focused on him, sensing an ally. “Tell them it’s harmless, Dee.”

  Dee went to the sink to wash his hands again. “I can’t do that, dude. I love me some Jaguar, but he shouldn’t be hitting on no sixteen-year-old kid.”

  “He wasn’t hitting on me. He was being nice.”

  Dee gave her a level look. “You’re a smart kid, Tallah. You’re too smart not to know when a guy’s hitting on you. Listen to your mom. She knows best.”

  Cheryl held out her hand. Tallah huffed, then slapped the backstage passes on her palm. “Fine.” She looked at the time on her phone and untied her apron. “We better get going or we’re gonna miss the concert,” she said.

  Zion took the apron from her and gave her a smile. “Have a good time,” she told the girl.

  “Thanks. See you tomorrow.”

  “See you tomorrow,” said Zion, watching her wend her way through the crowd to the door.

  Cheryl paused in front of Dee, holding out the backstage passes. “Knock yourself out,” she told him.

  He stared at them, then he reached for them and threw his arms around Cheryl’s shoulders. “Thank you!” he said excitedly.

  Cheryl patted his back. “No problem. Thank you for supporting me.” She waved at Zion and extricated herself, moving toward the door. “See you tomorrow,” she called.

  Zion rang up the next customer as Dee made the drinks. They fell into an easy routine until they had most of the customers served and the line had dwindled. A few people sat around at the bistro tables, but most had taken their coffee and sweets to-go.

  Just as Zion rang up the last customer in line, the bell jangled and a young woman entered. She had long blond hair, hanging to mid-waist and held back with a floral crown. Tattooed stars circled from her cheekbone up around her left eye to her brow ridge. Earrings dangled from multiple holes in both ears and she had a small nose ring like Tallah’s in her right nostril. She wore a long, flowing tie-dyed skirt with a teal peasant blouse and sandals. Her toenails were painted black with white stars.

  “Hey, Dee!” she shouted above the sound of the grinder.

  Dee glanced over his shoulder. “Hey, Merilee. Give me a minute.”

  “Sure,” she said.

  Zion thought the name sounded familiar, but the girl didn’t acknowledge her at all, so she busied herself with wiping down the counter. Dee set a coffee drink on the pick-up counter and called out the name of the customer, then he leaned on the counter in front of Merilee.

  “This is my friend, Merilee,” he told Zion.

  Zion held out her hand. Merilee gave her two fingers and shook half-heartedly. “Nice to meet you,” said Zion. She knew she’d heard the girl’s name before, but she couldn’t place where.

  “You want something to drink?” Dee asked her.

  “Naw, I just wanted to see what time you wanna meet for the concert.”

  “Dude,” Dee gushed. “You should have been here just half-an-hour ago. Jaguar was here.”

  “Shut up!” said the girl, pushing Dee’s shoulder. She was pretty if you didn’t look too hard at the tattoo on her face.

  “Yep, and he gave me these.” He took the backstage passes out and laid them on the counter. “Well, he gave them to Tallah, but her mom didn’t want her to go.”

  Merilee stared at the passes in wonder. “Backstage? We’re going backstage?”

  “Yep. What you think?”

  “That’s awesome.” Her eyes twinkled as she stared up at him. “Can you believe it? We’re going backstage with Anaconda.”

  “I know.”

  “Wait.” Merilee tilted her head. “Why’d he give them to Tallah? She’s what? Thirteen?”

  “Sixteen.” Dee shrugged. “Dude sees a pretty girl and doesn’t stop to think she might be under aged? How’m I supposed to know?”

  “What time do you wanna leave?”

  “This one’s gonna be crowded. I wanna be up front. I say we get there an hour early.”

  “You’re gonna pick me up, right?”

  “Right. Everett ain’t gonna be there, is he?”

  She waved a hand. “I told him to get out. He picked a fight with Gunner the other night. We were just getting something to eat and he got all possessive. I don’t need that shit.”

  “Word,” said Dee. “I don’t need it either, Merilee. I ain’t looking to get mixed up in your love life.”

  Zion glanced over, concerned. Some part of her felt responsible for Dee. Merilee met her look and scowled at her. She leaned up on the counter, bringing herself closer to Dee. “We’ll talk about it later.” She jerked her head toward Zion.

  “Whatever you say. I’ll pick you up at 8:00.”

  She tapped her hand on the counter. “See you then.” A moment later, the bell jangled as she left the coffee shop.

  “I didn’t mean to listen in, Dee,” said Zion.

  “No worries, boss lady. It’s your shop. Merilee’s good people, she just gets mixed up with the wrong guys.”

  “So the two of you aren’t…”

  Dee looked over at her. “Aren’t what?”

  “Romantically involved?”

  “Shit no. Merilee is way too much work. We grew up together. She’s like my little sister.”

  Zion nodded. “Good to hear.” She didn’t add anything else because she didn’t want to push Dee too far, but Merilee seemed like she might be a whole lot of trouble, just the same.

  * * *

  Zion saw Tate getting out of his truck as she drove down the street to her house. She pulled to the side and rolled down her window.

  “Hey, stranger, I haven’t talked to you in a while. You haven’t been in the coffee shop lately.”

  He turned and smiled at her, walking toward the Optima. “Hey, how are you? Yeah, sorry, it’s been crazy busy at the store. I’ll bet you’ve been busy too.”

  “I have. Come down to the house and have a beer.” She jerked her chin toward the cottage at the end of the street.

  “Sounds good. Just let me put on some clean clothes. I’ve been digging through the storeroom all day and I feel like I’ve got cobwebs in my hair.”

  “No problem. See you in a bit.” Zion drove the rest of the way to the cottage and pulled into the carport. Climbing out of the car, she grabbed her purse and walked to the mailbox in front of the gate, opening it and pulling out the collection of bills and advertisements. She leafed through them as she pushed open the gate and walked up the granite walkway to the small porch. Shaking her keys, she found the one for her lock and opened the door, dropping the keys into her purse. She stashed the purse in the coat closet, smiling as she heard the jingle of Cleo’s bell.