Chapter Twelve
I missed my daily caffeine jolts, but I found myself missing Elliot more, and in spite of all of that, I couldn’t make myself step into the Coffee Loft. Instead, for a couple of days, I had to settle for a homemade coffee in a travel mug which wasn’t anywhere close to the deliciousness of whatever concoction Elliot created for me. It was sad really, as was my life these days.
It was Sunday, and I arrived at the bookstore slightly before my scheduled time as I needed to get that dang astronomy book display set up before Harvey arrived. The store was too busy yesterday to have spent any time getting it done and it didn’t help that I had been on my own.
Setting down the bag of goodies I brought with me, as I’d had a brainstorm last night, I started making my creations.
Taking two aluminum foil tart wrappers, I hammered out a five-pointed star, ensuring not to have the holes touch. Then I hot glued a flameless candle to the inside and dabbed a few dots of hot glue along the edges of the tart wrapper, pushing the other tart wrapper on top.
“Wow.” I held it up. It would’ve looked quite amazing if I’d actually turned the candle on before I sealed it up.
My next one was better, and the third one was impressive, if I said so myself.
By the time I had hammered out the fourth one, Harvey unlocked the door and meandered up the stairs to the counter. “Hey, Sage. Whatcha making?”
I held up the working prototype. “A star light. Figured I could hang a few from the roof over the display.”
He shrugged with a weak grin of approval. “I like it. Great idea.”
But it wasn’t my idea. It had been Elliot’s; the one he mentioned he was going to make to light the paths for the festival next weekend. “It was a friend’s idea.”
“It’s all fine, whatever works.” He lumbered to the back room, and I went about constructing more, wondering how I could swap out the battery-powered lights without damaging the tart shells.
I set up the window display—a recessed pocket that displayed everything at the perfect street height—and erected books on astronomy and displayed the tiny model rockets the rocketry club had dropped off. One was apparently a Saturn V, not that they ever launched those, but the kids (or adults) could paint one of the models to look like it. I had agreed to sell a few kits on consignment, and the buyers could take them to the school field and have a little fun.
Stretching on my tiptoes, I taped one of the decent-looking star lights to the top of the window, allowing it to dangle above the books and rockets. Shrugging with acceptance (and a modicum of hope) that in the evening with the store lights off and battery inside, it would look pretty neat. Maybe the addition of a few fairy lights would help give it more curbside appeal. I made a mental note to bring in a string on my next shift.
Just as I taped on another dangling star light, Elliot walked on by carrying two takeaway cups. As he neared the bookstore, his stride shortened but he didn’t look toward the entrance. Instead, he stopped on the sidewalk for a second. A small smile, but not a real deep and pleasant one, spread across his pensive face.
My heart hammered hard against my ribs, and I put a hand over my chest in fear they’d break from the strength. With my breath held, I waited to see if he’d come into the store, but instead, he continued down the sidewalk and handed off one of the takeaway cups to a gorgeous redhead. It wasn’t his sister, and she didn’t look familiar, but they had a friendly exchange all the same .
Just like that, he was gone, and my heart started aching all over again. But this time, it was because I’d been wrong about him – he’d already moved on to someone else. So much for our night together.
* * *
Since it was clear that Elliot was now friendly with someone else, there was no reason for me to avoid going to the Coffee Loft. Although, if I were trying to protect my own heart, staying away should've been the smarter choice.
A week after the storm, I entered the coffee shop for the first time, and a sense of familiarity wrapped all around me. The strong scent of the coffee beans, the aroma of a cinnamon bun someone had heated, and just the overall feeling of comfort.The place was packed, and we were still two days out from the Dark Sky Festival. I couldn't even imagine how busy the place would be once the festival started.
Accommodations at the motels and various B it comes out after the fact.” The snotty and sarcastic words slipped out too easily.
“Sage. They’re not all bad. Do you think that of Chad? ”
I shook my head, cringing from the inflection of pained curiosity in her words. “No, of course not. He worships you. Everyone knows that. You’d be more likely to cheat on him than he would on you.”
“And that would never happen.” Cassie cut the cheese perfectly into thin little strips and arranged them on the wood cutting board.
“Oh, I know. You two are meant for each other.”
“Maybe you and Elliot are too?” She took a sip of my wine and grabbed a few grapes from the bowl in the sink, adding them to her makeshift charcuterie board. “But you need to give him the chance. Talk to him.”
“I tried.”
“Did you really? Or are you just saying that?” That soul-piercing look she gave me was making my chest ache. “You know what? Give it time. Maybe a solution will come to you.”
“You think?” I hopped off my stool and rummaged through the pantry. “All we have are saltines.”
“Really? Where are the good crackers?” She said it hypothetically, and we both glanced out the window to where Chad was in the backyard raking the leaves, knowing he was responsible. “At least he didn’t leave an empty box in the cupboard.” She laughed.
I ripped open the sleeve of saltines and popped one into my mouth .
“Anyway, back to the conversation at hand. The talk, if you will, it happened between Chad and me. I had to suck it up, tell him everything, the good, the bad, the truly awful, and let the chips fall where they may. And you know what? He was all in after that.”
“But how?”
“Because we acted like grownups.”
A weird huffing sound rolled out of me. “I am being a grownup.”
“No, you’re not. We talked. We didn’t leave everything to fate, we made it work. And we still do.” She pushed the charcuterie board in my direction. “So talk to Elliot. Open up to him.”
I sighed, but she was right. I’d played the avoidance game for over a week now.
“Anyway, Alice has enlisted me to help out with the festival and…” The last word hung in the air like a giant question mark, begging to be asked for more information.
“Oh no, you don’t.” I grabbed a slice of mozzarella and sandwiched it between two saltines, taking a bite. “I see where this is going.”
“No, you don’t. Stop worrying.” She waved her hand through the air dismissively. “She’s having me assist her at Lake Annette.”
“Don’t you think for one second of asking for my help so you can force Elliot and I together.”
She set down the grape she was about to pop into her mouth. “Alice claims he’s working at the high school, getting people on the bus, and covering whatever needs to be done at the Coffee Loft. I am helping Alice at the first drop-off, near Lake Annette, where they have some telescopes set up and a variety of activities on the beach. I think there’s a tent set up too with a dark sky presentation.”
“That’s good.”
“They’re looking for more volunteers.”
“Can’t help. Sorry, I’m working.”
The look that came my way would’ve silenced her students. “I didn’t even tell you when or what time or suggest what you would even be doing.”
She had me there. “Fine.” I sighed. “When?”
“Friday night. Just that night. She has enough volunteers otherwise, but not on Friday. Oh, please say yes. We can volunteer together, like we used to with Mom when she’d do the Crusaders Music Camp.”
“And we were always paid in cookies.”
“Oh, there’ll be cookies. At least, so I’m told.” She pushed her glasses up with her knuckles. “Please? It could be so much fun.”
I inhaled sharply and took a drink of my wine. The bookstore closed at six, so it was doable, if I was up for it. “What would I be doing, exactly?”
She dug into her pocket and pulled out her phone, scrolling. “We’ll be guiding the people to the activities as they get off the bus. There are lit pathways, but it’ll be dark, so we’ll be offering any assistance to help them find their way. She has a box of red flashlights so the lights don’t take away from the night vision and the guests will still be able to see the stars. If they’re lost, we take them right to where they need to go; telescopes, tent, or treat.”
“And I don’t have to know anything about astronomy or the like?”
“I certainly have no knowledge of it, and I’m volunteering.”
It didn’t sound ideal.
“There will be hot chocolate on site as well to go with the cookies.” She flashed the recruitment flyer on her phone at me.
“Well, that does stack the deck somewhat favourably.” My shoulders rolled inward with defeat. “Just the Friday night?”
“Yes, please.” There was a begging tone to her voice. “Please. Please. Please.”
I shook my head. “Fine.”
“Yes!” She popped a grape into her mouth but it didn’t stop the smile in the least. “Dress warm and wear your good shoes.”