Lads & Lattes (High School Clowns & Coffee Grounds Book 1) Read online

  Lads & Lattes

  Book 1 of the High School Clowns & Coffee Grounds Series

  A.J. Macey

  Contents

  Lads & Lattes

  Prologue

  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

  Misters & Mochas

  Acknowledgments

  Also by A.J. Macey

  About the Author

  Blurb:

  Emma’s to-do list:

  1- dump Tyler

  2- survive new school

  3- rock senior year

  My life was as perfect as a teenage girl could hope it would be: friends, boyfriend, straight-A student, loving parents, and all that jazz. Until my entire world comes crashing down. All right, that may be a bit dramatic, but come on, what sane person wants to move halfway across the country after their senior year has already started?

  That’s not all that happened, but I digress. My entire world gets shaken up and suddenly I find myself in the middle of freaking nowhere Nebraska surrounded by three cute guys…

  Reid, the clown of the group,

  Kingston, the laidback, go with the flow kind of guy,

  and Jesse, the closed off one you don’t even want me to get started on.

  Anyway, so here I am facing all sorts of challenges I never even thought of such as a creepy classmate, a mean Assistant Principal, and trouble with the law, but they’ve got my back.

  We can totally handle our senior year and make it to graduation, right?

  Warning:

  The High School Clowns & Coffee Grounds Series is a WhyChoose/Reverse Harem trilogy featuring MFMM meaning the female main character doesn't have to choose between her love interests.

  This book contains references involving PTSD, sexual assault recollections, abuse, underage drinking, and other themes that some readers may find triggering.

  Copyright 2019 by A.J. Macey

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

  may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover: Moonstruck Cover Design

  Editing: Ms. Correct All’s Editing and Proofreading Services

  Formatting: Inked Inspiration Author Services

  Dedicated to:

  My daughter, Evelyn Rose.

  Inspiration is everywhere.

  Lads & Lattes

  Book 1 of the High School Clowns & Coffee Grounds Series

  By A.J. Macey

  Prologue

  May 25th, 2019

  Saturday

  Graduation Day

  We made it! We have officially graduated from high school.

  It’s hard to wrap my head around, you know? My entire life so far has been fairly predictable, up until this last fall, of course, but we’ll get to that in a moment. I had always just been a normal student who went to classes, hung out with friends, did the usual ‘teenager’ thing like parties and spending time with my boyfriend, but that fateful weekend, it turned out, was to be the start of an entirely new life. I mean, really start, like a reboot.

  That may be a bit dramatic, I’m still only 18 though, so I’m allowed to be dramatic for a little while longer. But it’s true. We had our new (albeit a little rough) start, our ups and our downs, we even had a few close calls with the law, but we’re here now. What the story holds for us after this day? Who knows, but we’re excited to find out. Together.

  You want to see how we made it? Keep reading.

  If we can do it, so can you.

  With love,

  Emma

  1

  Nine Months Earlier

  August 31st

  Today, Ty dubbed my style ‘homeless librarian chic’ and all my friends laughed… I must’ve missed the joke part.

  #IGuess #FunnyFriday #Not

  Waving to a few of my friends, I curved around the crowded group of dancers in the Peters’ living room. The upbeat song filtering through the speakers was loud enough that the beat thrummed in my chest and, without thinking about it, I found myself swaying to the music. The modern kitchen with its marble counters, stainless steel appliances, and open concept to the breakfast nook was packed with more students. Kara’s party was the place to be tonight. With her parents out of town on business again and the closest neighbors half a mile away, it was the perfect location for almost the entire senior class and half of the juniors to come drink and socialize.

  I would be socializing too, if I could find Tyler.

  After checking my phone for the fourth time I filled a plastic cup with whatever kind of beer was in the keg. Where is he? Focusing on trying to have fun until my boyfriend decided to show up, I sipped my drink and walked out the open back door.

  “Emma!” Kara’s bubbly voice shouted. “Over here!” She waved me over, her frizzy blonde hair and summer tanned skin lit up by the bonfire.

  “Hey.” I sank into a forest green lawn chair, making sure to smooth my black tulle skirt before getting settled. Several greetings sounded around the group circling the smoky pit which I responded to, but my mind was only half paying attention. I hope Ty’s okay. Kara’s sympathetic facial expression caught my eye, pulling me out of my worrying.

  “How are you doing?” She rested her hand on my forearm. Tilting my head in confusion, I couldn’t understand why she had asked it like that. “You know”—she leaned into me, the smell of alcohol on her breath—“after your breakup.”

  “What?” My brows scrunched at her question. “Tyler and I didn’t break up.” Her eyes widened, and if it wasn’t such a serious topic, I would have laughed at her comical expression.

  “Oh.” She tried to correct her surprise, but her smile turned into a grimace. “Nevermind, must have been mistaken.” She shot up with a quick mumbled excuse and practically ran into the house. Oookay, then. After looking at my phone yet again, I decided to check inside to see if he was here. It wouldn’t be the first time his phone was broken or dead. I had just stepped into the main hallway when I spotted his brown buzzcut curving into one of the side rooms. Must be looking for me, I reasoned, walking toward the door he had just entered.

  Oh.

  My.

  God.

  “Are you freaking kidding me?” I screeched. Tyler was in the process of shoving his tongue down the throat of a girl from my English class. The few minutes it had taken me to swerve around our classmates and get to the room was apparently enough time for my soon-to-be ex-boyfriend to shuck his pants and shove his hands up Laura’s shirt. At the sound of my shrieking, they jumped apart.

  “Emma, it’s not what it looks like,” Ty pleaded, stumbling to pull his jeans up his hips. I couldn’t talk, not when my brain was still attempting to process what I had walked in on. Laura had yet to say anything, instead focusing on covering her chest despite the fact she was still wearing her shirt. Stumbling back out of the room, I didn’t care that I was running into the other partygoers, I just wanted to get far away from him as fast as I could.

  “Emma, wait!” my ex shouted behind me as I dropped the cup of beer on the lawn. Settling behind the wheel of my two-door Nissan, I peeled out of the line of cars. Te
ars poured down my face as I made my way home. They continued to do so when I fell into bed that night.

  September 1st

  Today, I will think about nothing to do with Turdtastic Tyler.

  #DouchebagExBoyfriend #StressfreeSaturday

  “Emma, sweetheart,” my dad called out from the hallway, my bedroom door muffling his voice. “Can you come downstairs, please? Your mother and I have some things to discuss with you.” I sighed, wanting to lie in bed so I could mope and wallow in self-pity, but rolled out of bed anyway. I had gotten up earlier than usual this morning, washing the makeup that had smeared over my face in my bout of crying the night before. With no plans for the day, I’d ended up crawling back into bed over an hour ago.

  Padding down the hall and carpeted stairs with my bare feet, I headed straight for our kitchen knowing my mom would be working at the table. My dad stood at the granite counter, his dark blue button-up tucked into his light gray slacks. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and his black leather belt matched his dress shoes. Knowing his usual schedule for holiday weekends he had a large soiree to attend at the vineyard later this afternoon. My mom wore a pair of jeans and a loose t-shirt, hair in a low ponytail at the back of her head as she sat at the table. Only this time, instead of having papers and other marketing supplies laid out on the wooden surface, it was empty.

  “What’d you guys want to talk to me about?” I asked, sitting in my usual chair across from my mom. Neither of them spoke for a moment, and the tension was growing thicker the longer the silence stretched.

  “We’re getting a divorce, sweetheart,” my dad announced.

  Say what, now? I sat there, stunned. My parents never argued or yelled at each other, and they had had a date night every week for as long as I could remember. So, why are they getting a divorce?

  “All right.” My words were hesitant and drawn out, hoping one of them would shout out ‘just kidding’ or ‘gotcha.’

  They didn’t.

  “I got a new job in Elk Ridge, Nebraska,” my mom finally said. “We’ll be moving Sunday. The movers will be picking things up later today.”

  “Wait, we?” I could have sworn I heard her wrong.

  “Yes, Emma, we. You and I will be moving.” She continued to talk, but I wasn’t listening.

  Moving.

  To Nebraska.

  “I need to get to the vineyard,” my father murmured and, without another word, he walked out of the kitchen. The rumbling of his car sounded a few moments later.

  “Emma?” My name brought me back to the present, my mom’s brows raised at me in question. “Did you hear what I said?”

  “Uh”—I tried to recall, but I couldn’t—“movers today, we fly there next Sunday.” She huffed giving me an exasperated look.

  “Not next Sunday, tomorrow Sunday. Our flight leaves tomorrow evening. I have cars lined up for us, as well as a house we’re going to rent. You’ll be starting school on Tuesday.” She had to be speaking in a foreign language because there was absolutely no way she’d just said we’re moving halfway across the country tomorrow.

  “Don’t I get a say? Why are you even getting a divorce? It sounds like you’ve known about this for awhile if you have these things all lined up. Why am I just now finding out? Why didn’t you tell me before now?” My voice was nearing a shout at the end of my questions. I can’t believe this.

  “Emma Brooke,” she snapped, “do not raise your voice at me. I understand this is quite the change…”

  “Quite the change?” I stood up, yelling. “We’re moving out of state tomorrow, and I’m just supposed to agree?”

  “I get that it’s out of the blue, but my job starts on Tuesday so we need to be there before then.” My mom tried to stay calm despite my outburst.

  I ground my teeth. What about my friends? Classes?

  “Why can’t I stay here?” My voice was whiny. “It’s my senior year, Mom, classes just started the other week. I don’t want to go to a new school in the middle of nowhere. I don’t want to leave Dad either,” I pleaded.

  “I’m sorry, sweetie, but the decision has already been made.” She stood. “Let’s go work on packing up your stuff, all right?”

  I couldn’t believe this. Turning away from my mom, I sprinted up the stairs. The slamming of my bedroom door was loud in the silence of our broken home. I stood there, tears of anger and frustration pouring down my face as I glanced around my room.

  My pictures filled with smiling faces of my closest friends stared back at me. My friends that I was about to leave behind, without any notice. Everything, my entire life, anything I had ever known or cared about was about to be ripped from me in a matter of hours. I received mere minutes to process not only my parents’ divorce but a cross country move, a new school, and new people, while they’ve had… who knows how long. Days? Weeks? Months? They decided without me on everything and then at the last minute remembered I even freaking existed.

  It’s my life too, you know! I mentally screamed. This is so unfair!! Tears built, irritating my already red eyes. I swiped at my cheeks to try and wipe the wet tracks away. Taking in a shuddering breath, I shook myself out of my emotional breakdown and started angrily stuffing my belongings in a bag from my closet. There was nothing I could do regardless of how much it sucked. I was stuck.

  Moving.

  To Nebraska.

  Could it get any worse?

  September 2nd

  New state, new home, new everything. So fun.

  #Sarcasm #FML #SundayFunday

  Yes is the answer. It could get worse.

  I sighed, staring at the ground far below from the plane window. Corn and farm land covered every inch of ground as far as the eye could see. Nebraska certainly wasn’t like California. It was flat. Completely flat with no mountains or even rolling hills, just fields, the interstate, and tiny towns that shouldn’t even be considered towns.

  Awesome.

  My mom and I hadn’t spoken since the day before. I’d packed up my room alone before watching the movers fill the truck with all of my stuff. I knew I should talk to her, I mean it was their marriage that was falling apart, but I was still riding that anger at everything that had happened the last two days.

  At least I won’t have to see Tyler around school.

  Holding on to that rapidly dimming silver lining we disembarked from the plane. The Omaha airport was small, only two terminals compared to the enormous LAX we had flown in from. The gates were filled with the quiet buzz of conversation, monotonous announcements filtering through the speakers, and the clopping of shoes echoing on the scuffed white tile.

  An hour later, we pulled up to our new home. It was a split-level painted in a soft creamy off-white on the top half with a brick facade on the bottom. There was a two-car garage situated under two wide windows. Off the right of the driveway, there was a curved collection of cement steps leading to the front door. The grass was green and the fence surrounding the backyard had a gate to the right of the house. My mom parked in the driveway before getting out. She motioned for me to follow her when she reached the bottom of the cement stairs and I still hadn’t exited the car. It was a nice looking house but I couldn’t bring myself to be excited when all I could think about was the house I grew up in. Sighing, I slipped out of the front seat of my mom’s new SUV and we walked up the steps to the front door together.

  “Ready, honey?” My mom tried to look cheerful, but I knew her better. Her eyes didn’t crinkle as they did when she was truly happy, and they were slightly puffy from the tears she had tried to hide from me. I nodded, looking at the foreign house briefly before glancing back to my mom’s weary face and forced smile.

  “Yeah, Mom, let’s go.” I tried to summon some excitement, hoping my smile didn’t look like a grimace. If she wanted to pretend that this wasn’t painful, then I guess I could too. Her hands trembled as she stuck the key in the lock, unintentionally letting her nerves show. Before turning the knob, she flashed me another qui
ck, strained grin. Letting loose a deep breath, she opened the door to our new home.

  As soon as I stepped over the threshold I was assaulted with the smell of fresh paint and new carpeting. Light cream carpeting lined both sets of stairs and a grayish-taupe tile was laid out in the small entryway. The walls were painted beige, a shade or two darker than our old house, making the white trim stand out against the walls. The living room was immediately off the top of the stairs and was open to a small breakfast area and galley kitchen. It wasn’t furnished other than a stack of paper plates, pack of plastic silverware, and disposable cups. While the kitchen was small, it was updated with dark stone counters and warm-toned wood cabinets.

  Venturing down the hall, I located a bathroom updated similarly to the space I had just left, only with a light countertop instead of the almost black that was in the kitchen. There was a master bedroom at the end of the hall with what looked to be an ensuite and a small walk-in closet. Across the hall from the bathroom was another bedroom, its large window looking out over the front yard. I absently noted that the carpet was soft and plush under my feet making my steps nearly silent in the empty house as I flitted from one room to the next.