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  Chaps & Cappuccinos

  Book 3 of the High School Clowns & Coffee Grounds Series

  A.J. Macey

  Contents

  Chaps & Cappuccinos

  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

  Chapter 20

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  Also by A.J. Macey

  About the Author

  Blurb:

  Emma’s to-do list:

  1- deal with my overbearing mom

  2- learn self-defense

  3- rock senior year with my boys

  Moving cross-country a month into my senior year was turning out to not be so bad despite all my initial dramatics. Even after all the stuff that had gone down since arriving, I was grateful for my awesome friends, great part-time gig at the coffee shop, and let’s not forget my three boyfriends.

  But as the school year goes on, more trouble builds up. Our issues with the assistant principal grow more frequent, my mother’s secrets finally come tumbling out, and one fateful night lands me in a world of hurt. Will we be able to deal with all the stress, or will we end up in over our heads?

  We can totally handle everything being thrown at us and make it to graduation, right? #AGirlCanDream #GoodbyeStressFreeSaturdays #WishUsLuck

  Warning:

  The High School Clowns & Coffee Grounds Series is a four-book WhyChoose/Reverse Harem series 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.

  Please note: the dates in this book will align with 2018 dates while books 2-4 and the novella align with 2019 and 2020 due to the gap writing between books 1 and 2, but this should not affect readability.

  Copyright 2020 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: Emma Rider at Moonstruck Cover Design & Photography

  Editing: M. Stewart at Ms. Correct All’s Editing and Proofreading Services

  Formatting: A.J. Macey at Inked Imagination Author Services

  Dedicated to:

  My daughter, Evelyn Rose.

  Find the extraordinary in the ordinary.

  Chaps & Cappuccinos

  Book 3 of the High School Clowns & Coffee Grounds Series

  By A.J. Macey

  1

  January 28th

  School was weird. No words to describe it.

  #StopStaring #IAmNotAMuseumExhibit #TickedOffTuesday

  It was freezing, flurries swirling around us in a fresh dusting of snow as the three of us stood in the parking lot. First day of school after the trial. Kingston and Jesse flanked me as we stared at the stone building. I wished Reid could have been with us but shoved the useless hope away knowing he had another day before he could return from his suspension. Ugh, if only Assistant Principal DeRosa didn’t have a grudge against us, I thought glumly. Taking a deep breath, I readied myself for what the school day could possibly bring.

  You can totally do this, Emma.

  I hope.

  The blast of the heater in the entryway felt good, thawing my shivering Cali born body, but the eyes I felt on me only emphasized the goosebumps that had pebbled on my skin. Kingston’s hand migrated to my lower back, Jesse’s gloved hand clutching mine tightly as we walked over to our usual table. It was clear everyone knew what had happened at the trial yesterday, but the majority of the school glared, obviously unhappy about the outcome.

  Well, screw them because Brad deserved to be locked up for a long time, that way he couldn’t do to anyone else what he had done to me.

  With that sentiment, a thought that had crossed my mind several times since testifying came to the forefront—had Brad done something like that to other girls? If so… I shoved the thought away, a shiver working through my body at the idea. I could contemplate that kind of thing later, maybe even talk to Kaleb about it if I feel it may be true.

  “Hey, Emma!” Zoey greeted brightly, her smile wide as she waved. “I love your hat. Is that the one Kingston got you for your birthday?”

  “Yeah, it is,” I told her with a shy smile. Even though it was unintentional, just Zo and Aubrey being themselves, I couldn’t help but appreciate that they always distracted me, keeping life moving as normally as possible.

  “It looks good,” Aubrey added with a thumbs up.

  “Good?” Kingston countered with a brow raise, his warm coffee eyes shifting to meet mine. “I think she looks beautiful.” Despite the gazes and glares on my back, the butterflies soared, my cheeks burning with a blush at his laidback grin.

  “I have to agree,” Jesse murmured, barely loud enough for me to hear him, but the sparkling within his nearly onyx irises and his soft squeeze of my hand was loud and clear.

  “You guys are going to give me diabetes,” Carter teased, “too sweet.” Sticking my tongue out, I felt the tension of what the school day would be like start to mellow.

  “Oh, hush, it isn’t like Aubrey and Jason aren’t the same way,” Zoey joked, nudging Aubrey with her elbow where she was curled under Jason. Two pink patches bloomed on Aubrey’s face, a shy smile growing at the teasing that gave away the happiness beneath the slight embarrassment. It seemed that Jason wasn’t ashamed either because, with a cocky grin that reminded me of Reid, he kissed Aubrey hard and unapologetically.

  “Yes, yes, we get the point,” Brayden playfully whined, covering his eyes to hide from their show of affection. Our group broke out in a fit of laughter, the mood bright and cheery despite the early hour. Before anyone could say anything else, the bell rang, and everyone started to migrate to their homerooms.

  “See you soon, Babydoll.” Kingston cupped my face, kissing me softly before going with Zoey, Carter, and Jason.

  “Come on, Em,” Jesse said with a gentle nudge on my arm. Following, I tried to keep my mind from wandering back to the feeling that a piece of my day was missing, but it was difficult. Jesse and Brayden chatted the short distance before the latter broke off and headed down the hall to his own classroom.

  “You all right, Em?” Jesse questioned as we took our seats. Guess I hadn’t been as discreet about my mood as I’d thought.

  “Yeah,” I assured him softly, but based on his brows knitting together and his pursed lips he could see right through me. Sighing, I tried to figure out how to explain what I was feeling. “I miss Reid, and I just feel… I’m not really sure. Like a piece of my ‘normal’ is out of order. It’s not that I can’t go through my day and be totally fine, but it just feels ever so slightly off.”

  “I’m sorry, Em. Is there anything I can do? After school, we could do some browsing in the library for our next book if you want,” Jesse offered sweetly, his shoulder raising slightly in a shrug. “It’s not jokes and humor like Reid can give you, but it might help take some stress away even for a little while. Or you could video chat with all of us tonight if that would help,” he suggested, making my heart squeeze at his thoughtfulness.

  Ever since I’d finally ch
ipped away at his shell and got him to tell me—and Kingston’s parents—about his home life, my soft-spoken and gentle boyfriend had started to grow, ever so slowly, more affectionate in public places. More and more, he was gaining that confidence I had seen on our weekend away in Lincoln, and I had to admit, I liked seeing it.

  Really liked seeing it.

  “I would love to pick a new book with you, Jess. Well, if I’m not grounded,” I muttered with a frown, remembering I had unfinished business at home. Putting off the confrontation any longer than necessary would probably be bad. “Last weekend, I left without my mom’s permission again because Tyler was there. Told her I wouldn’t be back until he was gone, and since he didn’t leave until yesterday, I’m sure I’ll have to deal with that whole nonsense.”

  “Ugh, yeah,” Jesse groaned, a grimace passing over his handsome features. “At least the douche is gone though.” He was trying to be reassuring, but his body betrayed his uneasiness. Unconsciously, his shoulder lifted in a half-shrug, and the grimace couldn’t quite be wiped from his face.

  “Too true, Jess, too freaking true. Good riddance” The bell rang, signifying the end of homeroom. Getting up, I slung my bag over my shoulder and smiled at Jesse who had waited for me. “Going to walk me to class, Jesse Parker?”

  “Only the best for my Em,” he whispered, his lips brushing over my cheek as he leaned in to give me a soft kiss. When he pulled back, his smile was more strained than I’d hoped to see. “Brad might be in jail, but Dylan and the other assholes still go here. I want to make sure you’re okay; no one gets to bully you.”

  The reminder that a jerk like Brad still had supporters and followers stung. I had made a lot of progress in putting an attempted rapist in jail which was something I should feel proud about, but the thought of douchebag Dylan and his cruel words made it hard to keep my smile going. When my mind fully processed everything Jesse had said, his declaration to watch over me made my heart warm.

  “I love you.”

  A bright smile appeared, his teeth a brilliant white against his deep skin, and in that moment, Jesse appeared truly happy. That makes everything we’re going through seem that much easier than it is, I thought with a quiet sigh.

  “I love you too, Em.” He opened his mouth to say more, but a familiar voice filled the space, cutting him off.

  “Aww look, how sweet. The delinquent and the slut,” Dylan cooed with a sneer, “such a cute romance. You two should be a movie.” My lips thinned, my irritation growing as the crowd laughed.

  “Hey!” Ms. Ester, my American History teacher, called out from down the hallway, a hint of ice threading into her words. When she had the hard expression on her face, the resemblance to Lyla, who had that exact look perfected, was undeniable. “I do believe you have classes to be going to instead of harassing fellow students. If I see it again, I will send all of you to the office, am I clear?”

  The crowd grumbled but didn’t continue to throw insults toward us. Somehow understanding that I didn’t have it in me to verbally spar anyone else today, Jesse and I continued down the hall without so much as a backward glance.

  “Thank you.” I spoke quietly, ignoring the glares that were no doubt burning holes into our backs.

  “Always,” he told me with a grin. “I’ll text you.” With a final kiss, he broke away from me toward his own class, leaving Ms. Ester and me alone in the hallway.

  “Thank you,” I repeated, shifting my bag strap on my shoulder in a fresh wave of nerves. Lyla and I were extremely close, heck, I would even consider her my best friend, but Ms. Ester was still my teacher.

  “No problem,” she said, a soft smile curling her lips as she looked at me. “Lyla told me all the nonsense that was going on. If you need anything, you’re more than welcome to come to me. In or out of school, okay?” Nodding, I gave her a grateful smile and walked into the classroom, murmuring a quiet acknowledgment for her holding the door open for me.

  I appreciated her help. Knowing I had at least one person on the faculty—other than my counselor Ms. Rogers—backing me was a good boost to my security, but when I sank into my seat, the pang of sadness grew anyway. Reid wasn’t here to give me a silly face, tell me some ridiculous joke, or tease me mercilessly, but it was temporary, and I knew I could get through school and my mom all on my own.

  It may suck, but if I can survive Brad and his stupid boat shoes, I can get through this too.

  History and AP English passed in sort of a blur, my mind so focused on scribbling notes across the page that I had little time to think about anything else. Kingston was content to just walk with me through the halls to my next class, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on my lower back. Since we’d met, he had always known how I was feeling, could see right through the façade I wore, so he knew my mood was precariously balanced on the line between sour and decent and didn’t push. Instead, he chose to show his support through his actions—a gentle touch, laidback grin, and a toe-curling kiss.

  Before I knew it, I was seated at my desk in Nutrition. I could tell Ashley and the twins had questions, their gazes just brimming with eagerness, but the bell rang, and Mrs. Sanders called the start to class before they could ask what they wanted to. I wonder… the previous thought about Brad and his behavior started to filter in before I pushed it away. I don’t want to know if he’s done this to someone else, not right now anyway. With that somber reminder, I focused on my teacher.

  The period passed like all the others, scribbling a quick doodle in the corner of the page, then a haze of information filtering in and my pen flying across the paper. At least until Mrs. Sanders called us to study by ourselves or in small groups for our upcoming anatomy test.

  Here come the questions.

  “Hey, Emma,” Ashley greeted with a tentative smile, surprising me with the fact that she got my name right.

  Over the last few months, the gossips of Arbor Ridge and I had come to a tender truce; they came to me for the truth, and I trusted them to counter any crappy lies the student body was trying to listen to.

  “How’re you holding up?”

  I chuckled softly, the sound barely holding back the intense wave of emotions that flooded me. One simple question and I was already about to spill the waterworks.

  “Uh,” I started, struggling to make the simple lie that danced on the tip of my tongue come out, but after another moment I couldn’t stop the truth from tumbling out instead. “Not great, but you know… pushing through.”

  “I can only imagine,” Right Twin said with a sad smile.

  “It must have been super difficult to go up on that stand,” Left Twin took over, “but I mean… it’s pretty awesome that you did. I mean… you know, standing up for what’s right.”

  “Thanks,” I murmured. The signature burn of tears filled my eyes, but I blinked them away, knowing they wouldn’t do anything other than inspire more gossip.

  “I, uh, think it’s brave,” Ashley whispered, and something filled her gaze, but it was gone before I could figure out what it was or if I had truly seen it at all. “Do you have to testify against Brad?” Her voice was soft and held a hint of worry that confused me, but I brushed it off. With the way things had been going today, it was probably just me overanalyzing.

  “I don’t know yet, but I’m sure I will,” I told her. “Though the thought kind of makes me sick to my stomach.” The statement was filled with a bubble of laughter, almost too tense to sound real, but based on their sympathetic smiles they understood. This wasn’t a laugh of happiness but one to keep myself grounded amidst the storm.

  Ashley hesitated for a split second, seeming to be debating with herself before opening her mouth, but Mrs. Sanders’s reminder that we were supposed to be studying silenced anything she was going to say.

  Well, that went way better than I was anticipating, I thought before the bell rang a few minutes later. Gathering my stuff, I moved slowly, waiting for the crowd to filter out of the room before following. Even amongst the crowd of
a few thousand students, I felt isolated, like this barrier separated me from the lighthearted students who seemed unburdened by anything other than what class they had next or what was for lunch.

  As I walked the busy halls, my eyes scanned the other students. Their faces were bright, bits of their laughter echoing through the hallway. They wandered from class to class, not plagued by reality. They could lose themselves in today’s gossip... or at least make it appear that way. The train of thought had my mind stuttering. Jesse had blended in with the others while still hiding his horrible secret. How many others are holding back some kind of dark, terrible moment in their lives? I wondered in a startling moment of clarity.

  My stomach squeezed in a fit of nausea. How many of us are facing unknown challenges… pain from something that we don’t let anyone see? In that horrid realization, I no longer felt alone. Despite that sensation though, I didn’t feel any better.

  The warning bell rang, rousing me from my dour thoughts. Shuffling faster through the quickly dwindling crowd, I hurried to Civics. Like all the other classes so far this morning, it flew by in a wash of note-taking and rambling facts, and before I knew it, I was on my way to lunch.