Chapter 5 Shifts and secrets

The cafe buzzed with the usual mid-morning rush. Ethan darted between the tables, trying not to spill the lattes on the tray he was balancing precariously in one hand. He glanced over his shoulder at Sophie, who was effortlessly handling the flood of customers at the counter. How was she always so calm under pressure?

As he passed by the register, Sophie shot him a quick smile. "You're spilling foam everywhere, by the way."

Ethan groaned. "You don't miss anything, do you?"

"Not when it's that obvious," Sophie teased.

He grumbled something incoherent and continued to the table, where a group of chatty regulars waited. As he placed their drinks down, the doorbell jingled, and in walked a man Ethan had never seen before.

The stranger was tall, well-dressed, and had a presence that immediately drew attention. He wasn't here for coffee, that much was clear. His eyes swept the room until they landed on Sophie, and a small, unsettling smile spread across his face.

Ethan's gut tightened.

Sophie didn't seem to notice the man right away; she was too focused on filling orders. But the moment she looked up and saw him, her expression faltered. It was just for a split second-so brief that anyone else might've missed it. But Ethan didn't.

Sophie quickly composed herself, but something had shifted. She wiped her hands on her apron and moved around the counter to where the stranger stood, her jaw set.

"Greg," she said, her voice tight but controlled.

"Sophie," the man-Greg-replied smoothly. "Long time no see."

Ethan's eyes flicked between the two of them. Whoever this guy was, it was obvious Sophie wasn't happy to see him.

"What do you want?" Sophie asked, folding her arms across her chest.

Greg's smile didn't waver. "I just came to check on you. You know, make sure everything's alright."

"I'm fine," she said curtly. "You can leave now."

Greg chuckled softly, as if her irritation amused him. "Come on, Sophie. Is that any way to treat an old friend?"

"I wouldn't call us friends," Sophie snapped.

Ethan, now standing behind the counter with a rag in hand, had no idea what was going on, but his instincts screamed trouble. He stepped forward, clearing his throat.

"Hey, everything alright here?" he asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

Greg's gaze slid over to Ethan, his eyes narrowing just slightly. "And who might you be?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "I work here."

Greg's smirk returned. "Oh, I see. Just a barista."

Ethan bristled at the dismissive tone, but Sophie quickly interjected. "Ethan, it's fine. Just give us a minute."

Reluctantly, Ethan stepped back, though he kept a close watch on the situation. Sophie's entire demeanor had shifted. Gone was the confident, quick-witted girl who could charm the grumpiest customer. In her place was someone who looked like they were standing on the edge of a cliff, waiting for a push.

Greg leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "You know this little cafe gig isn't going to solve your problems, right? You can't hide here forever."

Sophie's hands clenched into fists at her sides. "I'm not hiding," she said through gritted teeth. "I'm working. Now leave."

Greg straightened up, his smile fading. For the first time, his expression hardened. "You should remember who you owe, Sophie. I'll be in touch."

Without another word, Greg turned and walked out of the café, leaving a tense silence in his wake. Sophie stood there for a moment, staring at the door, her face a mask of barely-contained anger.

Ethan didn't know what to say. He'd never seen Sophie like this-so rattled, so vulnerable. Finally, he stepped up to her side.

"Who was that?" he asked cautiously.

Sophie blinked, as if snapping back to reality. "No one. Just an old... acquaintance."

"Didn't seem like just anyone," Ethan pointed out. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Sophie let out a shaky breath and forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry about that. It won't happen again."

Ethan wasn't convinced, but he didn't push her further. Still, something about the whole encounter didn't sit right with him. Greg had walked in like he owned the place, and Sophie had reacted like she was trapped.

The rest of the shift passed in a blur, with both of them working in relative silence. Ethan couldn't stop thinking about what he'd witnessed, and it didn't help that Sophie was acting like nothing had happened. By the time their shift ended, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to her story-something deeper than she was letting on.

As they cleaned up the cafe for the night, Ethan finally broke the silence.

"Look, I'm not trying to pry or anything," he began, wiping down the espresso machine, "but if you ever need to talk... you know, about anything, I'm here."

Sophie paused, glancing at him from across the counter. For a moment, she looked like she might say something, but then she just gave him a tired smile.

"Thanks, Ethan. I appreciate it. Really."

He nodded, though he could tell she was still holding something back. Whatever it was, she clearly wasn't ready to talk about it.

As they locked up for the night and stepped outside, Sophie pulled her jacket tighter around her. The streets were quiet, only the distant hum of traffic filling the cool night air.

Ethan stuffed his hands in his pockets, walking alongside her. "Do you need a ride? I've got my bike."

Sophie shook her head. "No, thanks. I'm not far from here. I'll walk."

He watched as she started down the street, her figure disappearing into the shadows. Something gnawed at him, a sense that she was in over her head, and that Greg wasn't done causing trouble.

Ethan sighed, pulling out his phone to check his messages. As he scrolled through, a text from Larry caught his eye.

Larry: Board meeting tomorrow at 9. Don't be late.

Great, just what he needed-more billionaire responsibilities to juggle. Ethan stared down the street where Sophie had gone, then turned back toward his bike.

"Guess I'm not the only one with secrets," he muttered to himself before riding off into the night.