1 one brave thing oak.., p.1
1 - One Brave Thing: Oak Haven, page 1
part #1 of Oak Haven Series
One Brave Thing
Oak Haven Romance
S Bolanos
Chaotic Neutral Press LLC
Copyright © 2022 by Chaotic Neutral Press
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
A Sneak Peek at
About the Author
Series
Chapter 1
Ash
Ashtyn stared at the mirror and the floppy happy hat that had seemed like a good idea at the time. Ash loved hats, loved them. It really was a shame they didn’t return the sentiment. She let out a frustrated huff and tossed the wretched thing across the room. It landed with an unseemly plop on the floor beside her modest queen bed where it continued to mock her.
She pulled on the same hoodie she’d worn yesterday and possibly the day before that as well. It wouldn’t hide all her shortcomings, but at least she could be comfy. Ash ruffled her hair so the short brown strands fell with total disregard for anything remotely fashionable or ladylike and glared at her reflection. Her mother would be scandalized, but then Ash didn’t feel much like a lady. Never had. Not a gentleman, either. She was something in between.
Ash played with the hem of the dark green hoodie and debated losing it like she had the hat. Deep down she knew it wouldn’t matter, though. Whatever she did wouldn’t be enough, because Ash herself wasn’t enough. Not feminine enough, not masculine enough. Her breasts were too small, but not small enough. And it wasn’t even worth getting into her demeanor. Ash could practically feel her mother’s disdain as she looked her daughter over from head to toe and said, “No one wants a brash woman.”
Ash forced her jaw to unclench and let out a long breath. Her mother wasn’t here. Like the rest of her family and their expectations, she was far away. Thanks to the generous inheritance left by her grandmother, Ash had been able to move clear across the country. Thinking of her nana always brought a smile to Ash’s face. Willamina “Will” Fairheart had been a wild card of a character and they’d been the brightest light of Ash’s childhood. Thanks to them, Ash had screwed up the courage to be herself. Will had been the first-person Ash had felt confident enough to tell she was genderqueer.
Ash would never forget the smile on her nana’s face as they pulled her in for the biggest hug of Ash’s life. Ash had apologized repeatedly for bursting into tears, but Will had only shook their head, cupped Ash’s face, and said the words Ash had never known she’d needed to hear: “I’m so happy you feel safe enough to be yourself with me.”
A rogue tear streaked down Ash’s face and she quickly wiped it away. She still couldn’t believe Will was gone or that they’d left her essentially their entire estate with explicit instructions for Ash to live her life freely…somewhere else. Will knew better than most how unaccepting their family could be and had done their best to provide a safe haven for Ash to come into her own. They had taught Ash how to be brave. A skill Ash was still working to master.
Before she could second guess herself, Ash yanked off the hoodie, straightened her faded Pink Floyd t-shirt, and ventured downstairs. The second she opened the door leading to the coffee shop, the enticing aroma of roasted beans curled around Ash and banished the last of her morning anxiety. Pride warmed Ash. Kaleidoscope Coffee perfectly combined funky coffee house, with its multitude of mismatched artwork splashing color across the walls, and ultimate reader’s haven, complete with intimate tables, plush chairs, and an entire corner dedicated to local authors. And it was all hers.
Ash walked up to the side counter where ready orders would await thirsty patrons. It was empty right now, but it wouldn’t stay that way. The shop’s grand opening in the spring had been met with rousing success that had only increased once tourist season had gotten into full swing. She rapped on the sparkling white marble that everyone had tried to tell her would be a mistake. Unlike many decisions in Ash’s life, though, this was not one of them, nor was sinking every penny of her inheritance into opening her dream coffee house in Oak Haven, the cutest, queerest town she’d ever seen.
Kaleidoscope’s barista and manager, Carol Heusen, glanced at Ash from where she was currently brewing an espresso. Her collection of light freckles seemed to dance as her mouth quirked into a half smile. “So, the dead do rise. I’m surprised to see you before noon.” She straightened up from dumping the dark liquid into a cup of steamed milk. “And do my eyes deceive me, or is that a t-shirt?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Ash reached over the counter and felt along the shelf below until her fingers brushed the familiar edge of a paperback. Smiling, she pulled her latest book out, careful not to dislodge the bookmark. “You make it sound like I’m some kind of vampire who never wears shirts.”
Carol pointed at Ash. “This is maybe the third time I’ve seen you in a short-sleeve shirt. I was starting to think the hoodie was to cover the sparkles.”
Ash snorted and held up her current read. The cover boasted a bad-ass woman with dark brown skin, an obscene amount of red, and what was probably a dead body. “Real vampires don’t sparkle. See?”
Carol rolled her eyes and plopped a fresh mocha in front of Ash. “I still don’t understand why you leave your books down here instead of taking them up to the loft.”
“Consider it my incentive to get up in the morning.”
The manager shook her head, dusted her hands on a remarkably pristine apron, and turned to make sure everything was cleaned and put away. Ash sipped the most perfect cup of mocha she’d ever had and wondered if she really did look like a vampire. She certainly hadn’t gotten much sun before she’d come to Oak Haven. Maybe a little outside time was overdue.
She tucked the book under her arm and ventured out onto the quaint patio to the small set-up of tables and chairs. The pergola broke the morning light into manageable rays that fell around Ash as she settled in and resumed her spot in Bite Me.
An hour later, Carol ducked her head outside. “Oh good, you’re still here.”
Ash looked around, mildly confused. Where else would she be?
“I’ve got to pop out a little early. Larry has his doctor’s appointment this afternoon, and it’s always a disaster when we get to the clinic.”
“Okay,” Ash said, still not sure how any of this was relevant. If Carol needed to go, she should go. As the manager, it wasn’t like she needed Ash’s permission.
“You’ll need to cover the counter.”
That got Ash’s attention. She sat up, nearly dropping her book to the ground, and stared at Carol in horror. “What? I thought we were hiring an extra person.”
“It’ll be fine. Jace is already on his way, so it shouldn’t be for long.” Carol untied her apron as she turned to go back inside. “And you know as well as I do, that we can’t afford to bring on another person after that pipe-burst fiasco.”
Ash surged out of her seat, barely remembering to bookmark her place, and followed Carol. “But I don’t have any idea how to work…” She gestured broadly to the various machines that Carol used to magic up heaven.
“You would if you would let me teach you.” Carol quickly held up a hand to stall Ash’s protests. “You’ve got this. No one’s been in or out in at least thirty minutes. I doubt anyone will show before Jace gets here.” Some part of that raised a red flag for Ash, but she was far too distracted by the fact that Carol was currently walking out of the shop...leaving Ash on her own.
The chime over the door faded out and the soft music of today’s current station to fill the otherwise quiet space. Ash swallowed thickly and navigated her way around the counter to stand in front of the intimidating machines. She reached out to poke a button on one and screeched when it let out a jet of steam. Ash glanced at her watch and tried to recall when Jace’s shift was supposed to start, but had no idea. Carol ran the coffee house. Ash just owned the place.
Her terror that someone would come in and—universe forbid—want a cup of coffee gradually eased as the minutes ticked by with no patrons. She glanced at her book sitting on the counter and inched closer. She was debating whether to continue reading or return it to its shelf when the door chimed.
Relief blossomed in Ash’s chest as she spun to greet Jace, only to freeze, mouth open mid-greeting. A man who was most definitely not Jace walked into the shop, his curious gaze spanning what once had been Ash’s refuge. When his gaze landed on Ash, a smile spread across his warm, tawny brown face and popped a dimple in his shadowed cheek.
“You are open. I wasn’t sure when I didn’t see anyone. Or an open sign.”
Ash’s gaze flicked behind him to where the usual sign that hung on the door was notably absent. “What’ll it be?” she asked, echoing what she’d heard Carol say for the last six months, while she flailed blindly behind her for an apron. She caught a hint of laughter in his dark brown eyes before she ducked her head through the loop.
“How about…” He l
Ash blanched and spun around to see what the hell that was. Carol’s only condition in agreeing to run Kaleidoscope Coffee had been to have free rein over the drinks, including giving them quirky names that “spoke to their personality.” Ash was a huge fan of the fun names, though not so much of Carol’s belief that a person’s order said a lot about them. After all, it wasn’t like Ashtyn Fairheart would ever be considered a Midnight Casanova—literally the only coffee Ash had drunk since she’d hired Carol despite the plethora of alternative.
The man must have picked up on Ash’s horror, because he changed his order. “Or…maybe a Regular Joe would be better.”
Ash’s gaze found the beverage on the board, and she let out a relieved sigh. A plain cup of coffee. How hard could that be? Her optimism, however, fell by the wayside as she approached the daunting machine. Why had she let Carol talk her into only serving individually brewed cups? If they had an actual pot, this impending disaster would already be over.
The portafilter shook as Ash placed it beneath the grinder and dropped fresh grounds, only some of which didn’t land on the counter. Once it was sufficiently full, she moved over to the machine to slide it into the holder.
“Do I know you from somewhere?”
The sudden question startled Ash, and the portafilter cracked against the cradle and fell. She rushed to catch it before coffee grounds could go everywhere, but instead hit the devil button, invoking another scalding jet of steam. Ash yanked her hand out of the way in time to prevent getting burned, leaving the portafilter to bounce off the floor and shower her and everything else in the vicinity with coffee grounds. “Motherfucker!”
“Oh shit, are you okay?” The guy raced around the counter to check on Ash, already reaching for her hand by the time she registered his blatant disregard for the “Employees Only” sign.
“I’m fine. Not singed. Just a mess.” Ash plucked at her shirt and grounds of coffee flew off. “In more ways than one.” She snorted then cast an anxious glance at the guy. “I…uh don’t really do this.”
“New?” he asked as he plucked a fresh portafilter from the canister and proceeded to breezily start a cup of coffee for himself.
Ash finished dusting herself off and watched in amazement as he navigated everything with ease, even going so far as to sprinkle a dash of cinnamon on the frothed milk he’d ladled on top. Finally, his question sank in and she shook her head. “No. I own the place.”
He gave her a quizzical look as he escorted himself back to the customer side of the counter. “I hope it’s okay, but I went ahead and made the Star-Studded Cast.”
Ash glanced at the machine that had tried to kill her and back at him. “It’s fine.”
A smile twitched at his full lips and heat surged up Ash’s neck. This was not a convenient time to realize the guy who’d witnessed her failing miserably was attractive.
“What do I owe you?”
“Nothing. After all, you’re the one who made it.” Ash focused on the coffee-strewn floor so she wouldn’t have to see those dimples in his round cheeks or notice how his gaze seemed to focus on her to the exclusion of all else. She went to scuff away some of the grounds with her toe and instead nearly lost her footing. After an awkward moment of flailing, she regained her balance and squeezed her eyes shut. Jace needed to hurry the fuck up before she accidentally burned this place to the ground.
“I swear I know you from somewhere,” he said.
Ash’s eyes flew open in time to see recognition sparkle in his eyes. No, no, no. This isn’t happening. There’s no way he could recognize me from--
He snapped his fingers, and Ash jumped. “You were in the stands at that Halberd game.”
Oh yes, that Halberd game, because today wasn’t bad enough. Forget the fact that Ash hated football and hadn’t wanted to be at the pro-game in the first place, but epically biting it in the stands for all the world to see was now her only claim to fame. Her glorious tumble down the stands had made the jumbotron, the national news, and even the papers. What were the odds that someone not only remembered her from that, but had actually been at the game?
He chuckled. “I knew I recognized you, though I doubt you’d recognize me unless you were a mega-fan. I was on the team. I was a lineman for the Halberds.”
Ash definitely should have worn the hat.
Chapter 2
Nicco
Nicco could have smacked himself as he left Kaleidoscope Coffee and the adorably awkward barista behind. Of course, they wouldn’t want to be reminded of an event that had probably dogged their steps for years. He’d been so surprised to find a familiar face from his professional football days, he hadn’t stopped to think. Not that he’d been a pro for long. One bad tackle had been all it took to throw his shoulder so out of whack that it was either risk losing mobility in his right arm or stop playing. As far as Nicco was concerned, he’d made the right decision to come back to his hometown.
He finished the free whimsically named coffee and tossed it in a handy recycling receptacle as he made his way down the street. There had to be some way to make up for his blunder. The owner had all but turned into a monotone robot the second he’d mentioned the Halberd game. Maybe he could go back later and apologize. But what if they weren’t there? He didn’t even have a name since they hadn’t been wearing a name tag. They also hadn’t seemed all that receptive to Nicco’s attempts at flirting. The single dimple trick had always worked in the past. Maybe being out of the dating game for so long had killed his charm.
Nicco turned the final corner and Oak Haven High sprawled out before him. He put the car in park, grabbing his messenger bag from the passenger seat before striking out. The russet bricks and low hum of voices brought a smile to his face. Nicco loved his job as a social studies teacher, even if he did sometimes miss the adrenaline rush of being out on a field with the clock ticking down and fans roaring in the stands. As he approached the main entrance, waving to a few other teachers in the milling crowd of students, he shifted his focus to the present. He could figure out how to make amends with the new coffee shop owner later. Right now, he had a meeting to get to.
The hallway stretched out before him, no different than many other high schools with its painted white concrete walls and pale laminate flooring. How the school really stood out were the murals that decorated the walls. The riot of colors created by openly queer artists never failed to inspire Nicco. When the school had decided to make some updates, they’d called on the members of Oak Haven’s thriving art scene to make what would normally be a drab space truly spectacular. Even more than all of that though was the students themselves. Nicco loved these kids and thanked his lucky stars every day he got to work in such an incredible place.
Nicco rapped his knuckles on Principal Bertrand’s door. At a shout to enter, he twisted the handle and let himself in. Elias Bertrand spun around from pruning his bonsai and his face split into a broad grin that wrinkled his weathered tan face. He’d been a no-nonsense Physics teacher back in the day and though he’d softened a bit since then, he still fought hard for his students and his faculty.
“Morning, Mr. Rodriguez. Please, have a seat.” He gestured at the chairs in front of his desk that had no doubt held a fair number of students, parents, and teachers alike over the years.
“How many times do I have to say? Nicco’s fine. Only my students and my cranky uncle call me Mr. Rodriguez.”
Principal Bertrand laughed and shook a knowing finger. “Just so. Alright then, Nicco, I already know what you’re here for and I’ve got news.”
Nicco squared his shoulders, much like the cute barista had when they’d faced off against the machine before it vanquished them, then what Bertrand said registered. “News?” he asked as he plopped gracelessly into the seat.
Bertrand took his seat, leaning back with his fingers laced over his stomach, and considered Nicco for a long minute. “How long have you been working here?”
“Five years, sir.”
“And how many years have you come to me asking about this course?”
