A Cherry on Top (Cupid's Cafe Where love is on the menu Book 7) Read online

  A Cherry

  On Top

  Cupid’s Café

  Where love is on the menu

  Book #7

  By Ashley Lauren

  Copyright © 2017 Ashley Lauren

  All Rights Reserved.

  http://www.ashleylaurenbooks.com

  No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including scanning, photocopying, or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder.

  Any inquiries regarding this book, please email

  [email protected]

  Tab le of Contents

  Introduction

  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

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Introduction and Note from Author

  In downtown Berkeley, California there’s a small diner where big things are happening. The locals gossip that at Cupid’s Café love is on the menu… and they would be right!

  Hi, this is Ashley, and I love the Cupid’s Café series, especially Katy. Also, I love my readers, I want to offer you the fifth book in the Cupid’s Café series. All you have to do is go to

  http://www.ashleylaurenbooks.com/#!free-romance-novella/v1lmi

  And tell me where to send your complimentary book.

  Chapter 1

  Cupid’s Café was unusually calm for a Friday afternoon. Its usual patrons were probably soaking up the sun on one of the lovely California beaches. Still, a few regulars were tucked away in booths by the open windows.

  “Beautiful day outside, isn’t it, Katy?” An older man who visited Cupid’s every Friday for a cup of coffee and slice of cherry pie sat at the counter, his long, gnarled fingers wrapped around his mug.

  “It is. Finally feeling like summer.” Katy smiled, her face glowing at the thought of blooming flowers, the smell of freshly cut grass, or the sight of kids playing outside.

  The man nodded in agreement, taking a sip of his black coffee.

  Katy wiped down the counter with a moist rag as she looked out the window. She had recently planted some pansies in a window box. They were dancing in the gentle wind, their petals fluttering as if celebrating the perfect weather. Katy’s smile deepened. Things are just as I like them.

  A familiar tingle swept through her and her green eyes glimmered with delight. That feeling meant that someone needed her help. Someone was about to find their perfect match. The sounds, smells, sights, and even warmth of summer couldn’t compare with the satisfaction Katy felt in helping people find their true love.

  Katy knew something or someone was coming, but would never have guessed it would be the person who came barreling through her front door. The bell above her door chimed loudly and nearly flung itself off the hook. The door rattled on its hinges as a whirlwind passed through the 50’s-themed diner.

  Everyone stopped and stared at the woman that looked like she had just survived a hurricane.

  Faith Mason stood in the middle of the restaurant, her breath erratic, and her skin pale.

  “Why, Faith, it’s so good to see you,” Katy called out from behind the counter. The buzzing under her skin confirmed that Faith was definitely the one that needed her help. Though Faith’s frazzled state would have told Katy that if her gift hadn’t. Katy did find it interesting that Faith had come to her.

  She’d been working behind the scenes, encouraging Faith to visit her more often. Her darling brother Emmitt and his girlfriend Tasha had been dragging her in every couple of weeks. Still… Katy hadn’t had much success in breaking down Faith’s tough shell.

  Katy knew something had happened to the young woman, something that had hurt her deeply. Wounded souls spoke to each other, and Katy’s own tender soul knew the signs of loss.

  A milkshake! That’s just what Faith needed. She would protest, but Katy knew even a few sips would help calm whatever crisis had brought Faith to her. She started to make one of her famous milkshakes. She carefully scooped up three scoops of vanilla ice cream, each one perfectly spherical. They settled into the cup, nestling against one another as some of the ice cream started to melt against the glass.

  Humming to herself, Katy waltzed behind the counter, grabbing a carton of milk and adding a splash to the mixture. Most people would have taken out a measuring cup, but Katy knew exactly how much to put in.

  Following the milk, she added a few drops of vanilla extract before drizzling the concoction with a generous helping of chocolate syrup.

  With a bright smile painting her face, she poured everything into the blender and turned it on before turning back to Faith who was still standing in the middle of the restaurant, still as a statue.

  There was a wild look in her jade-colored eyes. Usually, the Berkeley professor was calm and collected. She always knew exactly what she wanted and when she wanted it, but now, she stood there like she didn’t even know how to move her body.

  “Why don’t you take a seat? I’ll have a milkshake out for you in a jiffy.” Katy’s eyes crinkled with her smile, and she motioned to one of the stools in front of the counter.

  “I…” Faith’s mouth opened and closed as if she was about to say something, but all she managed to do was smash her lips together into an irritated grimace. Her hair was sticking up everywhere, and her light, button-up sweater was buttoned wrong.

  Katy suppressed a grin as she looked at the professor. It wouldn’t do any good to annoy Faith with her own amusement, but it was good to see her a little frazzled. She was always so uptight and serious. A shake up would do her some good.

  With a heavy sigh, Faith walked up to the counter and took a seat. The swiveling stool spun underneath her, and she nearly lost her balance, desperately holding onto the edge of the chrome countertop. She mumbled under her breath, spotting her reflection in the shiny hubcap propped on the back wall. Faith attempted to smooth back her hair for just a second. Then, she gave up and dropped her head into her hands, burying her face.

  “How are things?” Katy asked as she added a mountain of whipped cream on top of the shake. She placed it in front of Faith before plopping a delicious-looking cherry on top. “My treat.”

  “I don’t drink milkshakes…” Faith pushed the glass away and shook her head. “I mean no disrespect.”

  “Come now, everyone likes milkshakes. No one’s looking, and I promise it will help with your troubles.”

  “I don’t have any troubles.”

  Katy arched an eyebrow.

  “Fine, I’ll try it.” Faith pressed her lips together into a frown. Hesitantly, she wrapped her fingers around the cool glass and brought the red and white striped straw to her lips. Her eyes widened as the sweet taste exploded in her mouth. She didn’t want to admit it, but this was one of the best things she had ever tasted. Unable to resist, she took another sip.

  Katy smiled to herself. “So, what brings you here alone? Usually, Tasha and Emmitt drag you here for a tuna melt, light mayo and please hold the fries.”

  “Fries are filled with grease, calories, and fat.” Faith said in a flat tone.

  “I know. That’s what makes them so good.”

  “It’s not healthy!” Faith protested.


  “Honey, it’s not healthy to eat them every day, but occasionally we need a change. Just so that we can fully appreciate the life we’ve been given.”

  Faith heard the double meaning behind Katy’s words. They hit Faith right in the heart. She’d been happy… or she’d thought she’d moved on since the incident, but with Emmitt finding Tasha and her mother’s constant nagging… a hole that she’d thought she’d sealed had sprung open. “I just…” She trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. She racked her mind for the right words, but it was like her tongue had stopped working. Faith looked into Katy’s eyes and pleaded patience. She needed to gather herself, take stock, and figure out a way to ask for Katy’s help without getting too much help.

  Katy took the hint and moved down the counter, checking in on an older gentleman. Faith sighed, running her fingers through her blonde hair, trying to make herself presentable. She glanced down and shook her head. She’d been so frazzled by her mother’s little visit this afternoon that she’d left her office looking like a five-year-old had buttoned up her sweater. She unbuttoned it, her fingers shaking. Her mother’s voice kept echoing in her mind and her ultimatum.

  Chapter 2

  Faith had been in her office, grading some papers for her summer class when her mother came barging in.

  “Why are you staying cooped up inside on such a beautiful summer day?” Her mother demanded, opening the blinds until bright light flooded the small room. Dust particles could be seen in the air, fluttering with the sudden movement. “And haven’t you ever heard of dusting?”

  “Mom…” Faith narrowed her eyes at her mother as she leaned back in her chair. “I’m working… what are you doing just barging in here?”

  “I tried calling you, dear, but you never answered.” Charlotte waited for her daughter to respond, but Faith just continued to stare at her. “Anyway… I’m here to tell you that I’m hosting this year’s Fourth of July party.”

  “You always host it. What’s the big news?”

  “You are required to bring something this year.”

  “You couldn’t have texted me about bringing potato salad or whatever?”

  Charlotte clicked her tongue at Faith. “I hate texts. So, impersonal. Anyway, you’re required to bring a date. I won’t take no for an answer!”

  Faith grew tense in her chair, her fingers tightening around her pen. “Why?”

  “I’m not getting any younger, dear, and I want grandchildren. Your brother found a nice girlfriend. Why can’t you find someone?”

  “I’m fine by myself, Mother.”

  Charlotte didn’t look convinced. She pinned a stand of her gray hair behind her ear. “I just want you to be happy.”

  “I am happy.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “I’ll find the right guy when the time is right.”

  “Well, how are you supposed to do that if you’re spending all your time in here?”

  “You aren’t going to let this go, are you?” Faith sighed.

  “Nope.” Charlotte flashed a dazzling smile. “Now, I expect you to come to the BBQ with a cute date, or I’m going to invite Logan.”

  Faith’s eyes widened at the ultimatum. She knew she had no hope but to enlist the help of Katherine Cupid, Berkeley’s famous matchmaker.

  ***

  Faith slurped at the last bit of her milkshake, surprised that she’d drank it all. She grabbed the straw and played with the cherry swimming at the bottom of the glass.

  Katy had returned to the counter, drying some plates with a rag. “Would you like another?”

  “No.” Faith pushed her cup away and sighed, knowing she really had no other choice. She took a deep breath to steady herself.

  “Is everything alright?” Katy asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

  Faith leaned in, both of her hands resting on the countertop. Her eyes sparkled with a sort of wild desperation Katy had never seen before. The corner of Faith’s lips started to twitch as the seconds crawled by.

  “You have to help me.”

  Katy did her best to suppress her surprise. It wasn’t every day that Professor Faith Mason asked for help. It was a good sign though. It meant she was willing to bend.

  “Of course, what can I do?” Katy asked with a bright smile on her face. Her cheeks were high, making her look friendly and inviting. Katy loved helping people, and it showed on her face.

  Faith tried to take a deep breath, but her lungs felt constricted inside her chest, making it hard to get oxygen to her brain. She took a moment to settle her thoughts. The conversation with her mother kept replaying over and over in her mind. She couldn’t go to the BBQ with Logan. She would do anything to avoid seeing him again. Anything.

  So, she needed to get another date, and Katy was the only person she could think of that might be able to help.

  Faith wasn’t oblivious to her students or the gossip that went around campus. She knew that Katy Cupid, one of her mother’s oldest friends, was a notorious matchmaker and that was one of the main reasons she’d always stayed away from her.

  Faith pressed her fingertips into the countertop, trying to keep the desperation she felt out of her voice. “I need a date for my family’s annual 4th of July party.” She bit her lip before continuing. “My mother is threatening to set me up with a family friend if I don’t find a date on my own.”

  “If he’s a family friend, couldn’t you survive one day with him?”

  Faith struggled for composure, feeling her heart clench at the mere thought of seeing Logan again. “No, I couldn’t do that. It’s… I… it just wouldn’t be possible.”

  Katy saw the panic and pain in Faith’s eyes. This Logan person had to be one of the reasons Faith was so closed off. She didn’t know what had happened, but by the look on Faith’s face, she had a guess.

  Katy took Faith’s trembling hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. “Don’t worry, dear. I’m sure I can find you the perfect date for the BBQ.”

  “I don’t need perfect. Just someone who can survive my family for a day.”

  Katy laughed. “They aren’t that bad.”

  A small smile crept back onto Faith’s face. “You know they are. I love them all, but I can only take them in small doses.”

  “It’s a good thing you have Emmitt then. He’s a sweetheart.”

  Faith’s eyes lit up. “I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

  “From what he and Tasha tell me, you’d probably forget to come out of your office for days at a time.”

  Faith wondered what was with everyone trying to get her to be more social lately. Aggravated, Faith said, “I love my work. It makes me happy. Why can’t that be enough for everyone?”

  Katy patted Faith’s hand. “Books speak to the mind, but human connection speaks to the heart. You love your brother and your connection to him lights up your face. Everyone who loves you wants to see more of that light.”

  Faith thought about Logan and how he’d given light and color to her world. And then… “Eventually, the light gives out.”

  “Oh, honey, no. It doesn’t have to be that way.”

  Faith pulled away from Katy and stood. Pain, humiliation, and everything she’d felt that day threatened to overwhelm her. She couldn’t break down here, in front of everyone. She’d made a big enough fool of herself already. “No, I should go. Just forget I said anything. I’ll find a date.”

  Katy watched Faith run out the door, flinging it shut behind her. The slam of the door jostled a few of her patrons, but the regulars only smiled. David Rivera, a long-time patron and Professor at UC Berkley, waved Katy over from his corner seat. Katy sighed, looking at the front door. Faith needed a gentle hand and a lot of love. She made a mental note to tell Charlotte to leave Faith up to her. Charlotte had the subtlety of a momma bear protecting her cubs.

  Katy grabbed a decaf coffee pot and headed over to David.

  As Katy topped off his coffee mug, David commented, “You’ll have a tough time with t
hat one.”

  Katy had bantered back and forth with David for years, but he’d been more vocal about accusing her of matchmaking since she’d matched his daughter Sophie. Denial and charm generally worked with David. “I don’t know what you mean by that.”

  David smiled and took a sip of his coffee. “She’s a wonderful professor. A tough grader, but she truly loves what she does. I respect her for that, but she doesn’t get out much.”

  Katy snorted. “As if you’re one to talk. You live and breathe your work.”

  David raised his mug in salute. “Exactly. I’m set in my ways. She is too.”

  Katy considered the wisdom in David’s words. He was right. Faith would be a hard one to match, but that extra sense buzzed along her skin. It was time. Katy just had to pay attention and be ready to act.

  Chapter 3

  Faith had been walking since she’d left Cupid’s, too churned up to go home or do anything but walk off the pain and anger. It had been a long time since she’d let her emotions overwhelm her, but the thought of having to spend time with Logan was something she couldn’t bear.

  At one point, she realized she was walking toward Logan’s neighborhood and any of the calm her walk had given her fled. She felt the punch of his betrayal all over again. And not just his treachery, but that of her entire circle of friends. What gave people the right to think that they could treat people that way? It was deplorable and awful. Faith had never understood what she had done to deserve such treatment.

  Incensed, she turned on her heels and headed back to campus. Walking another mile or two miles would be good for her. By the time she reached campus, Faith had regained some semblance of calm. She spotted the crew team running as a group through the main green, their footsteps in perfect sync. A few of them were taking her summer course on Ancient Mesopotamia. Faith smiled, some of them were even passing. They’d have to work a bit harder if they wanted a high enough grade to remain on the crew team.