Late Night Beignets: The Donut Series

By Kitka Buchanan

Blurb:

Chelsea is a creature of habit, everything in order, everything in its place.  However, her world is about to be flipped on its head...and all over one little beignet.

Marcus flies by the seat of his pants. He doesn't believe in making plans...except for one little thing. He loves his late-night beignets. Every night.

When their worlds collide, chaos ensues.  Can two polar opposites learn to share?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fiery Vision Publishing
• Release date: Feb 2, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393129486

Book preview

Late Night Beignets

By

Kitka Buchanan

Dedication

Dedicated to all of my readers.  I’d never keep going without you!  I appreciate you so much.  And to the cast and crew at Fiery Vision.  I love you all!

Blurb:

Chelsea is a creature of habit, everything in order, everything in its place.  However, her world is about to be flipped on its head...and all over one little beignet.

Marcus flies by the seat of his pants. He doesn’t believe in making plans...except for one little thing. He loves his late-night beignets. Every night.

When their worlds collide, chaos ensues.  Can two polar opposites learn to share?

Chapter One

Joe cringed inside when he saw Chelsea walking up the sidewalk. He knew he wasn’t going to luck out on this one. Of course, she’d show up tonight. She hasn’t missed a night in over two years.

Joe wiped his hands on his towel and shook his head the minute the bell above the door sounded. Looking her square in the eye, he bit his lower lip.  He knew she’d be angry.  Chelsea, it’s not my fault!

Chelsea furrowed her brow and smirked at him as she approached the counter.  Ummm, okay.  What’s not your fault, Joe? she asked with a chuckle.

He saw the beignet in the cabinet.  What was I to say...no?

Chelsea’s face fell.  She glanced down at the empty beignet tray in the cabinet in front of her.  You gave away my beignet?

Joe threw up his hands.  He came in about five minutes ago.  I’ve never seen the man.  But I couldn’t exactly turn him away.  He’d already seen it and he knew I had one.  How about a nice maple glazed?

Too sweet, she said as her shoulders slumped. Joe, when was the last time I missed a night?

Two years ago, when you broke your ankle.

Exactly!

Chelsea, have a seat.  I’ll make a fresh pot of coffee and get you an old fashioned or a cruller.

Fresh coffee? she asked as she pulled out a chair at her favorite table.

Yep.

Okay, maybe I only moderately hate you then.

Joe burst into laughter as he stepped behind the counter and grabbed a coffee filter.  I really am sorry, Chelsea.

Chelsea waved him away with her hand.  Just get me my coffee and my donut. He could tell by the smirk on her face that she wasn’t really angry with him; but he knew her and knew that a change to her schedule, even the smallest change, would unsettle the balance.

***

Chelsea strolled the street between Joe’s Donut Shoppe and her home with a disgruntled frown.  She just wasn’t satisfied.  The donut had been delicious.  Of course, it had been.  Joe didn’t make bad donuts.  But it just wasn’t her nightly beignet.

For the past four years, she had done the exact same routine every single night.  She had a cup of coffee and beignet at Joe’s right before he closed as she read a book, she walked home, grabbed a hot shower, and went to bed.  Tonight, she’d still grab that hot shower and go to bed.  But it just didn’t feel the same.  Funny how one little donut could change her whole world.

She walked into her little house.  It wasn’t much, but she loved it.  It was cozy and quaint.  Just what she needed.  She kept it neat, clean and organized.  Just like her life.

Throwing her keys in the bowl on her entry table, she pushed the button on her answering machine to retrieve the one and only message.  She got so few, so she wasn’t surprised when her best friend’s voice echoed out of the machine.

Chels, it’s Maggie.  Don’t forget.  Eight a.m. meeting with the new boss.  Marcus Dumbo...wait, that can’t be right...

Teresi, Chelsea thought with a sigh.  Maggie was going to call him Dumbo to his face one day.  Chelsea was just sure of it.

Whatever his name is.  I know you hate meetings but be there.  I’d hate to see you written up on his first day.

Chelsea deleted the message with a groan.  Surely, the world was trying to kill him.  First her beignet, now Dumbo.  Damnit, Maggie!  Now she was doing it, too!

Chelsea just wanted to arrive at work in the morning and go to her office and start working.  Meetings were pointless.  Apparently, Marcus Teresi wanted to introduce himself to everyone and meet everyone.

Chelsea needed a hot shower to wash away all of the stress this evening had brought on.  Making her way to her bedroom, she stripped off her clothes and placed them neatly in her laundry basket.  Pulling a pair of pajamas out of her dresser, she grabbed her slippers and headed to the bathroom.  Turning the water as hot as it would go, she stepped under the warm spray and let it wash over her tense muscles.  But as she closed her eyes, she couldn’t get the vision of an elephant with giant ears leading the morning meeting.  Thanks Maggie!

Chapter Two

Chelsea’s morning had been chaotic.  She logically knew that she couldn’t blame it on a missing beignet, but it sure felt like that one little donut sent her life into