Chapter Thirteen

Carson noticed Savannah walking out of Sugar with Wyatt by her side. He was on his way down to surprise her with a lunch outing, but she appeared to have other plans. Wyatt had beaten him to the punch, and it did not help that he arrived in a Rolls-Royce. The man flaunted his money as if he was running out of it. Carson felt sick to his stomach as he watched from afar.

Watching them interact, she could not help but smile. Carson could feel his heart rate rising as he desperately wanted to know what they were talking about. He knew it made no sense to feel this way. As if he had to compete with Wyatt. Savannah had talked to a lot of guys before. Even in high school, this should not have been different. Perhaps Wyatt in particular irritated him.

For the time being, he watched them speed down the street, finally getting away from Sugar. Carson continued walking but was in a bad mood. He would try to hide it because Violet would be in there, and the last thing he needed was to alert her to his feelings. He planned to act as if he had not noticed Savannah leave with Wyatt at all. That was easier said than done because Carson was enraged.

Walking into Sugar, it was obvious that it was crowded, with the smell of coffee being poured and loud chatter among the customers. Carson spotted Violet and another girl he did not recognize. Despite the large number of customers, the job appeared to be relatively easy. Even with its short run time, they got pretty good business as well.

Violet immediately smiled as she looked up at Carson. "Hey, buddy! What are you doing here?" She asked him gleefully.

Carson looked at her, impressed by her ability to multitask. "Umm, is Savannah still here? I know she got off around 12." He pretended he had not just watched her leave. The image of her getting into Wyatt's car bothered him.

"Oh, Wyatt came to take her out for lunch," she explained. "Actually, I arranged it, but they both agreed."

Carson nodded, assuming she was up to it. "I see," he responded calmly. He struggled to conceal his emotions.

Violet smirked at him with a knowing look. "Somebody is jealous," she joked.

Carson's cheeks flushed red. “What? No, I’m not!” He became defensive.

Was this a feeling of jealousy? Maybe it was irrationality. He had no reason to be upset because she was going out with Wyatt. They were not officially dating, and it was beneficial for her to make new friends outside of him and their group. Because he and Wyatt never had a proper conversation, he felt a little on edge with her being around him. Not to mention Wyatt was far better off than he ever could be. Savannah was never going to settle for someone like him.

"You should just tell her," Violet said. "How long have you been keeping this a secret?"

Carson scoffed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said as he took a cupcake.

Violet rolled her eyes. “It’s obvious you feel some type of way about her going out with Wyatt. Which means you still like her.” She concluded. "And you better pay for that cupcake!"

He laughed as he took out money from his pocket and placed it on the counter. There were a few upset customers because he practically skipped the line, but they will survive. “Vie I know you’ve been smelling coffee fumes for the better part of your day, but your assumption couldn’t be any more off.”

"Ha! I’m right and you know it!”

She was right. Carson might have felt more for his friend, but that was not the point. He’d never move things more than they have because he couldn’t make himself commit. He would rather endure the agony of knowing she will spend a lot more time with Wyatt than confess anything. This made things easier for him. Furthermore, he was still attracting her in ways Wyatt couldn't.

Not to say that was all he wanted from her. He was not that much of a pig, but he did enjoy the perks that friends with benefits provided. It makes no difference who she hangs out with as long as they can keep this going. He knew deep down that he could not be bothered by anything she did. However, it was difficult not to notice that Wyatt resembled the dream guy she had described when they were teenagers. Maybe that is where the hatred stems from.

Unfortunately, there were more pressing issues to address than his possible crush on Savannah. He still needed to find a job. He and Cole went all over the place this morning, applying to places that had no definitive answers. These things took time, but they did not have much of it. Soon, they would be expected to pay rent and contribute to the house. It would be difficult to accomplish that without money.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, switching subjects. "Can we talk about something else, like me not having a job?"

Violet looked at him, not surprised. “Do you know how long it took for Savannah and I to work here?” She wondered. “It wasn’t easy.”

He shrugged. “That’s true and I don’t have any job experience.” He took note. “But it’s New York. Shouldn’t the job market be booming?”

"You would think," she scoffed. “But if it’s any consolation, maybe you can work here.”

Even though he disliked the idea of providing customer service; if he could find a simple job, that would work. Not only that but if they work the same schedule, he will be able to stay close to Savannah. Then he could ask Savannah out before Wyatt could. The less time they spend together, the better in his opinion.

Carson's mood improved as his eyes widened. "You could do that for me?" He inquired with delight.

She nodded. "Yeah, I asked Cole, but you know how he is," she explained. "Maeve will get you in no problem."

Carson's nose then scuffed up. "Not Maeve...," he trailed off.

He was hesitant to work with her after their kitchen experience. There is no telling what she would do to make him comply with her every command. It was bad enough that he was resisting the urge to sleep with her. Now he would have to look at her every day and be practically in debt if she got him the job. This was either a brilliant idea or the worst decision he would ever make.

If he had not been desperate for a way to make money, he would have turned Violet down as well. Since he was in a bind, this would be his best bet to get him working as soon as possible. Instead of being concerned about what she might do, he could use this as an excuse to get his way.

Violet raised her eyebrows. “Why did you say her name like that?” Something felt wrong.

Carson scratched the back of his neck. "Well, Maeve's been sort of hitting on me," he admitted. “She’s persistent.”

Her eyes rolled with annoyance. "Maeve hits on every guy that crosses her path," she explained. "That girl knows no boundaries."

He chuckled. “I don’t know, it’s kind of hot that she isn’t afraid to go after what she wants.”

“You think that’s hot?” Violet was shocked. "You men are a simple breed."

Carson laughed at her words but was unable to deny them. “Hey, it’s better than being a complicated mess like you women are.”

Violet pouted as she served the last remaining customers. “Seriously though, do you want to take the offer?”

It was not like he had anything to lose, and the prospect of working alongside Savannah made him eager to begin. They will be able to spend as much time as possible together while stuck in a coffee shop. The pay was reasonable, and if he worked enough hours per week, he would have a nice-sized paycheck. This was a win-win scenario for him.

"Yes, please," he answered. "Thanks, Violet."

She dismissed him. "No need to thank me, Carson," she said, smiling. "We are friends, and I would gladly help you at any time."

He knew she would do as she always did. Violet had a natural desire to assist those in need. She seemed to be unable to go a day without helping someone. Whether it is her friends, family, or a stranger. Carson thought the girl was far too nice, but he was happy to have her as a friend.

“So, I’ll see you when you get home?” He asked her.

She nodded. "Only a few more hours to go," she cooed, as more customers arrived.

>|<

After an hour, Carson heard the door open and saw a smiling Savannah walkthrough. She had not noticed his presence, but he noticed hers. She was far too ecstatic for his liking after being with Wyatt. Her smile appeared to be permanent. It made him wonder what they were doing to make her so happy. Carson has not seen her smile like this since he returned. The fact that someone other than him could elicit such a response from her irritated him.

Carson, munching on a bowl of grapes, called out to her. "Someone has got you cheesing mighty hard," he said, slightly annoyed.

Savannah turned around to find him standing there, unbeknownst to her. “Carson, I didn’t expect to see you so suddenly.” He scared her a little.

"How was your day?" He just wanted to see if she would mention Wyatt. The game he was playing made him feel ridiculous, but he could not resist showing his ass.

She walked over to the counter and placed her bag on top. "It was exhausting at first, but it turned out well in the end," she admitted. “The good thing is I don’t have to wake up early tomorrow because I’m on the afternoon shift.”

He continued to eat his grapes without making eye contact with her. “Uh-huh, what about that date with Wyatt?” He jumped the gun because she had not mentioned it yet.

The silence around them was palpable as Savannah looked at him, perplexed. Carson did not mean to start a pointless argument, but his emotions got the better of him. Knowing he could not even elicit a big smile from her enraged him to the core. He was supposed to be her savior, not Wyatt. The person he was proud to know like the back of his hand sought solace in someone else. There was no reason for him to return here if he had failed to ease her pain.

Savannah let out a nervous laugh, taken aback by his tone. He seemed to be angry with her for no apparent reason. She was not a mind reader and could not tell what he was thinking. More importantly, she had no idea who had told him where she went. Not that it mattered. She was free to hang out with whomever she wanted. Who the hell was he?

“It wasn’t a date,” she clarified while crossing her arms. “What’s it to you anyway?”

“You weren’t going to say anything until I brought up it,” he pointed out. He looked at her, unable to control the rage in his eyes. “So, we’re friends who keep secrets now?”

Savannah was baffled by his behavior. She was listening to him, but she was also surprised that he would make such an assumption. “It wasn’t a secret to begin with. Wyatt’s my friend. Same as you.” She frowned. “What’s your deal?”

He shrugged. "Nothing. I was only wondering," he lied, not wanting to tell her what he was really thinking. How he was upset that she was happier spending one hour with Wyatt than she had ever been with him. How Wyatt was everything she was looking for in a man, and he barely compared. That was something he did not want to discuss.

Neither did Savannah as she took a deep breath. Arguing about this felt pointless, and she knew he would never give her an honest answer. Instead of hiding it, she changed the subject. Something she hoped would bring good news to this contentious debate.

“Any luck with your job search?” She asked as she got water from the fridge.

He nodded. "Yep," he answered.

"Oh, great! Where at?” She was genuinely curious. How did he get so lucky and find a job so quickly? It took her months to get Sugar.

His lips curved into a smirk. "At sugar."

"What!"