Red-Line: The Shift (Volume One) Read Online Free Page A

you, Rachel. I know you’re trying to help. I’m just not feeling the need to start anything new right now. To be honest, it scares the hell out of me. I just want to finish my day, go home, and go to bed.”
    Rachel sighed. “Well, I won’t push you then. Do me a favor, though, and go get yourself another cup of coffee. You look like you’ll need it.”
    Sarah eyed Rachel suspiciously.
    “You don’t have to talk to him or even look at him,” said Rachel. “Just go get a refill, and we’ll head out.” She put her chin in her hand. “Party pooper.”
    Sarah did want a little more coffee. She figured she could safely get a refill without having to bump into her prior customer, considering how his nose was buried in his paper as he munched on his sandwich. She decided she could walk by his table without being noticed.
    “I’ll be right back.” She stood and swung her purse over her shoulder. Rachel stood as well and headed for the door as Sarah walked to the counter. She passed his table without looking down.
    “Can I get a refill, please?” she asked the cashier. The lady took her cup, refilled it, and handed it back to her. Sarah grabbed a lid and covered the drink. As she turned to leave, the busboy approached to clean a table behind her. Sweeping at a mess of spilled chips, he arced the broom out, and Sarah’s foot caught on the bristles just enough to upset her balance and cause her to fall forward. Instinctively, she moved to stop herself on the chair in front of her to slow her forward momentum. Successful in preventing an embarrassing fall, she unavoidably let the coffee cup slip from her fingers. She stared in mute horror as her mind processed in mere microseconds where the coffee would fall - right at the feet of the man she was trying so hard to avoid.
    The coffee hit hard, the lid flew off, and dark brown liquid spewed out in a wide spray. The man jumped up, yelping in the process. The hot liquid splattered up on him, and his pant leg took a direct hit. He looked down at the mess, assessing the damage. Then he looked up, directly at Sarah.
    Sarah stared back, completely frozen, at the scene before her. She didn’t know what to say. Rachel, seeing the scene unfold from across the room, also stood in shock. For what seemed like several seconds, no one said a word. The moment was broken, though, by the agitated busboy, who exclaimed how sorry he was as he moved to clean up the mess.
    Finally, Sarah’s vocal cords released. “Oops.” She could feel her cheeks redden.
    “Oops?” said Ramsey. He broke his eye contact with her and made to blot the liquid from his pants. He couldn’t believe his luck. He’d been about to stand and deliberately bump into her when the perfectly timed coffee spill had occurred.
    “I mean I’m sorry! I’m so sorry,” said Sarah, still tongue-tied. “I’m such a klutz. Did you get burned?”
    He swiped at his pants again with a napkin. “I’ll live. No permanent harm done,” he replied. “Were you aiming for me?”
    “What?” she asked, confused.
    “That was a hell of a shot. Guess I should be glad it didn’t end up in my lap. That would have been unpleasant for a variety of reasons,” he said, sounding lighthearted. He noted her stricken face. “Are you okay?” he asked her.
    “Um, what? What do you mean?” she asked.
    “Well, you look a little ashen. You’re not going to faint on me, are you?”
    “Faint on you?” Sarah asked, finally getting her voice back. “No, I’m not going to faint on you. I’m just so embarrassed. God, I just spilled hot coffee on you. You’re sure you’re not hurt?”
    “I’m fine. But does this mean I get a free book?” he asked, unleashing his most charming grin.
    “A free book? Why…?” She surmised then that he remembered her from the bookstore. “Oh, sure,” she retorted, surprising herself by playing along. “I’ll buy you a book on homemade remedies. I’m sure there’s something I can find about