Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Nori
This may sound irrational, but I’m starting to think last week’s escargot encounter at Vincenzo’s unearthed some kind of physical magnet between me and Dr. Cash Briggs, and now I can’t seem to escape his gravitational pull. Forget about PantyGate. That was only the beginning.
I keep bumping into him everywhere.
Like …
Everywhere .
For example: I was getting my mail on Monday at the same time he entered the building, and he flashed me a smile, so I acted super-focused on the fliers while I fled up the grand staircase. Two days later, as I pulled into the parking deck, he was coming out in his big man truck, so I kept my eyes straight ahead and pretended not to see him waving. Then yesterday, when all I wanted was a little sun in the courtyard, he was already out there with some muscly guy who looked way too much like him to be unrelated. So I took a detour to the rooftop and hung out with Sophie instead. She tends the garden up there—the flowerbeds and plants. I was quick, but the McBrother saw me anyway. He called out, but I acted like I didn’t hear so I wouldn’t end up in a conversation with him and Cash Briggs.
I simply must limit my exposure.
As it is, the good doctor has already shown up in the mirror with me twice. Holding my hand. Both times. Or at least trying to.
What’s that about?
I’m not an unfriendly person, but I can’t be fantasizing about my neighbor like that. I mean, sure it’s possible he was legitimately trying to help me at Vincenzo’s. And he might’ve been amused by our encounter in the laundry room.
You’re welcome, Dr. McBoxer Briefs.
But even if there were more to the guy than his surgical-sized ego and his giant man truck and his look-at-me eyes, Cash Briggs is already dating another beautiful doctor. He’s not going to be interested in a manager of a tea shop who drops food on the ground and leaves her underwear in the dryer. Being attracted to him is about the stupidest thing I could do. Unfortunately, the more he waves and smiles at me, the more attracted to him I become.
My only escape is the whirlwind at Serendipi-Tea, and luckily the weekends here are extra busy. Since we opened this morning, the shop’s been a blur of cappuccinos and chai tea served alongside butter-soaked croissants and cinnamon scones. The smell of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the floral tang of tea leaves in the air. I inhale deeply, and the familiar scent fills my lungs, reminding me that everything will be all right.
Probably.
There’s a jingle at the door, and a trio of women in yoga regalia bustle in. I recognize them from high school, although they were a few years ahead of me. Hayden and Keeley should be arriving any minute too. When Hayden’s in town, she usually spends her Sundays here grading papers and mainlining smoothies. And Keeley always grabs a breakfast sandwich to bring to her gramps at Silver Springs retirement community.
We sometimes sell out of our sandwiches by midmorning, so I grab one for Keeley now and set it at Hayden’s favorite corner table to reserve the spot. Good. That was two whole minutes during which I didn’t think about Cash Briggs or his boxer briefs or the way he seemed to be reaching for me in the mirror.
Much.
My gaze slips to the pastry case now, and I half expect to see his face reflected there in the glass. Instead I’m confronted by a glittering display of frosted cookies and sugar-topped muffins.
“So how did your date go?” Yvette asks me from her spot at the register. She’s a perky blonde with a nose full of freckles who’s about to graduate from Bridgewater College.
“What?” I blink at her. “Who?”
“Your second date with that lawyer. The one with the weird name. Wasn’t it last night?”
“Oh. Right.” I’d totally wiped Phoenix Something-or-other from my brain, even though we saw each other less than twenty-four hours ago. Turns out his last name’s Fernsby, and his sister, Scarlett, actually lives in my building.
Scarlett’s great and all, but I’m afraid things could get messy. Especially since I’m not one hundred percent sure her brother isn’t a tiny bit of a player. But I’m not going to speculate about the man unnecessarily. I’m just not going out with him a third time. Problem solved. “Phoenix was perfectly fine,” I say. “Handsome. Knowledgeable.”
Yvette wrinkles her nose. “Knowledgeable?”
“Let’s just say we weren’t a love match.”
Yvette sticks out her lip in a sympathy pout. “I thought for sure you’d meet someone special this time.” She shrugs. “You know. Since you’ve been so distracted all morning.”
“Distracted?” I scoff. “I’m not distracted.”
Ben, my favorite barista, lets out a guffaw and wipes his hands down the front of his I’m A Real Matcha Man T-shirt. “You do seem a little preoccupied, Nori.”
“That’s just me being … managerial,” I protest. “And focused,” I add. Then, to prove how managerial and focused I am, I leave the counter and move around the shop wiping down tables and restoring order to out-of-place chairs. This would be more convincing if I couldn’t perform the routine on autopilot. But the truth is, I know every inch of Serendipi-Tea by heart.
The original structure—a two-story Victorian—was Violet and Joseph Baker’s home for more than thirty years. Violet still lives upstairs, but after she was widowed, she converted the downstairs into a successful business.
The shop is straight out of a fairytale. From the street, it even looks like a gingerbread house. As for the inside, imagine if a couple of HGTV hosts swooped in to redesign your grandmother’s house, combining old-school quaintness and charm with the perfect modern touches.
The main room features overstuffed armchairs, mismatched sofas, and cozy loveseats, with bistro tables, quirky floor lamps, and antique consoles scattered amongst them.
Violet’s also got a green thumb to rival any florist, so the shop is full of plants and potted trees breathing fresh oxygen into the room. The vibe is warm and cozy but also bright and airy.
I absolutely love working here.
I started out here when I’d just turned sixteen, a couple of years after Serendipi-Tea opened. Hayden worked here then too. Besides being baristas, we took on the most menial tasks: mopping and dishes, restocking the self-serve station, even cleaning the public restroom.
Not our favorite.
During junior college, while I was still living at home, I helped Violet with orders and deliveries. I learned to handle payroll and scheduling. Then, when I was at NYU and only in town on summer breaks, I’d sit in on hiring interviews and train our new employees. Hayden had moved on to getting her teaching credential at that point. Meanwhile, I was busy gaining experience in every aspect of the business. I kept coming back until I thought I’d moved on and found my own career.
Not so much.
Last year, when I ended up back in Serendipity Springs, Violet asked me to take over as general manager.
At first I was worried she just felt sorry for me, but she promised the transition was simply her first step toward retirement. She’s still super-spry. In fact, her employees think she’s got another five years in her. In the meantime, though, I basically run the place. Waiting my turn. And even though it’s work, this shop is my security blanket. A home away from home.
With a boss.
“Yoo-hoo! Nori?” Violet calls to me from the swinging door behind the barista counter.
Speak of the boss.
“Can I have a word with you in my office?” She motions for me to follow her, then disappears into the kitchen. By the time I reach the swinging door, she’s already bypassed our walk-in refrigerator and the storage pantry. I have to practically break into a jog to catch her as she books it up the stairs.
See what I mean?
Spry.
Violet’s office is the first door on the right. At the other end of the hallway, there’s a full bathroom and her bedroom. A series of carpet runners cushion her footsteps as she makes a beeline for her mahogany desk. “This won’t take long.” She lowers herself into the rolling chair, and tucks one side of her silver bob behind an ear.
“It’s all right.” I drop into the seat opposite hers. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you, too.”
Even as I say this, my pulse kicks up a notch. I wasn’t prepared to give Violet a verbal PowerPoint presentation on my ideas for the shop today, but everything else about my life feels off-balance right now. I might as well try to take charge of the one place I’ve still got some control.
“What a coincidence.” Violet tilts her head. “Why don’t you go first?”
“Really?” I draw in a quick breath. “Okay. The thing is”—I gulp—“since I came back to the shop, I’ve been brainstorming ways we could expand the business.”
Violet peers at me over her glasses. “Expand?”
“Yes.” I nod. “We’re doing great here, don’t get me wrong, but I think we can reach new customers, and the transition from spring to summer feels like the perfect time to experiment.”
“Experiment?” she repeats.
“Uh-huh.” And thanks for the parrot imitation, Violet . “As things stand, we’re usually busy in the mornings, then we’ve got our regulars who trickle in throughout the day. But if we really want to increase traffic, I propose some new programming at night.”
“Nori.” Violet’s eyes go soft behind her lenses. “I wasn’t?—”
“Hold on.” I throw up a hand. “Before you say yes or no, just hear me out. Please.”
Her mouth opens and closes, wordlessly, which I take as permission to continue. “What if we establish a book club night?” I indicate the shelves behind her desk. “We could pick a new title each month and invite everyone in town to come discuss the selection.”
“Everyone?” Violet murmurs.
Again with the parrot.
“I mean, realistically, we’d be lucky to get half a dozen people showing up at first.” I let out a little snort. “But enthusiasm would grow if we kept at it. Word of mouth can work wonders as long as we don’t give up. That will be the key to all my ideas.” I pause, waiting for Violet to say she loves the idea. Or that she hates it. Either way, I’m expecting some reaction. But she simply studies my face without offering feedback, so I forge on.
“I was also thinking we could let local poets read some of their work.”
Violet wrinkles her nose. “Poetry night?”
Okay. Guess she’s not a fan of that idea. “If poetry is too specific,” I say, “how about a weekly writing group? Aspiring authors could bring their laptops for writing sprints or share pages of their works-in-progress.”
“Are you writing a novel, Nori?”
I blink. “No.”
Why is Violet being so weird?
Maybe she got in a fight with her boyfriend. Larry was up here with Violet in her office for most of yesterday, and she made herself scarce all morning. She could just be in a bad mood. “You know what? If now isn’t a good time …”
“I don’t think there will be a better time.”
Okay, fine. I guess that’s my cue to carry on. “I’d also love to host an indie music night every Friday.” I press a smile onto my face, hoping my favorite idea will finally get her excited. “Wouldn’t it be cool to kick off the weekend with local musicians performing here?”
“Oh, Nori.” Violet’s gives a small shake of her head.
“I know finding people every week sounds daunting, but we could advertise at Blue Notes—that’s Keeley’s brother’s music shop—and there are so many talented singer-songwriters in the area. Anyone with a guitar or keyboard could set up in the corner right by the front window. People driving by would see what’s happening. And if only a fraction of them stop in …”
“I wish I’d known you’d been giving this so much thought.” Violet looks down at her lap. “These are such big changes you’re suggesting.”
“Exactly! We’re still in spring, the season of new beginnings. The whole world is calling out for a fresh start. Can’t you hear it?”
Violet lifts her gaze again, and I offer her my brightest grin. She examines my face for a moment. Then her mouth shifts into a strange, wrinkly twist that sends a prickle up my spine.
Uh-oh.
I lean forward, suddenly on high alert. “Are you all right?” A knot jolts into my throat. “I feel like something’s up with you.”
Please don’t let it be bad. Don’t let her be sick or ?—
“Something is up,” Violet says, slowly. “I just haven’t had a chance to share my news yet.” My heart pounds hard, but the twist in her face slides into a shy smile. Then she lifts her left hand and flutters her fingers.
And that’s when I see the diamond twinkling.
Whoa.
“Larry proposed?” I leap up, rushing to her so fast I practically trip over her desk. I give her a quick chair hug, then slip back into my seat again so I can grin directly at her. “This is amazing,” I squeak. “I kept going on and on, when all you wanted to do was tell me you’re engaged! When did this happen?”
“Last night.” She beams back at me. “I can still hardly believe it myself. I’m getting married, Nori. Again!” A giggle slips out of her and she slaps a hand over her mouth.
“I’m so happy for you.” Tears sting the corners of my eyes.
“I’m so happy for me too.” She ducks her head. “I was going to wait to tell you after closing, but I got too impatient. I just really needed you to know.”
“Awww.” I swipe at my nose, which has started stinging too. Violet’s always made me feel so loved. Like I’m extra special to her. And I want her to feel the same way. “You should get married here,” I chirp. “I’d be honored to help plan everything. I’ve watched Hayden pull her wedding together on short notice, and …” My voice trails off.
Violet’s gone quiet again. “I’m sorry, Nori.”
“Oh, please.” I wave her apology away. “I got a little carried away there for a minute, but I’m sure you and Larry have your own vision for your wedding.”
“We do,” she says, and I catch a slight tremble at her mouth. “But that’s not the problem.”
My heart sinks, and I put a hand to my chest. “If my ideas for the shop upset you, just forget I said anything. I understand why you’re not looking to take on anything new now. You’ve got a wedding to plan. And things are going great here,” I rush to add. “Serendipi-Tea is already my favorite place in the world.”
Clearly Violet’s not in the right headspace to worry about the business. And that’s all right. I can be patient with her. She’s been so patient with me. “So we don’t have to make any changes yet,” I say, brightly. “Maybe in another year or two?—”
“Nori.” Her shoulders sink. “There isn’t going to be another year or two.”
“But … why not?” The air starts leaking from my lungs and my insides deflate.
Is Violet sick after all ?
She inhales deeply, then says the last thing I expect to hear: “I’m selling Serendipi-Tea.”
All the remaining oxygen flees my body, and I find myself gasping for breath. “No.” That’s the only word I can manage.
“Yes.” She nods, slowly. “Larry has a ranch in Montana. We’re going to move there. It will be an experiment, like you said.”
“You”—gasp—“want to be a farmer?”
Violet puts a hand to her throat. “Well, technically, it’s ranching,” she says. “And I want to be with Larry.”
My heart pounds so hard, I can feel it in my ears. My mouth opens and shuts, but no words come out.
“For thirty years, this was my home with Joe.” Violet gestures around the office and out the window. “Then Serendipi-Tea became my life for more than a decade.”
I finally find my voice. “Does Larry resent the time the shop takes away from him?”
“Not at all.” Violet shakes her head gently. “I’m the one who wants something different for my future. A new adventure.” Her shoulders hunch. “I’m ready for my third act, Nori.”
“So when are you thinking of selling?”
She folds her hands on the desk and the diamond winks at me. “Larry has a friend in real estate. Glen Cottage. Have you heard of him?”
I nod, picturing the bus bench with his face on it.
“Glen says the housing market in Serendipity Springs is really booming, and his son wants to get into the business too. Their plan is to buy this place and call it Cottage and Coffee. Part real estate office, part coffee shop. Business in the front, party in the back. Come for the caffeine, stay for the escrow. Stuff like that.” Her shoulders edge up. “If you ask me, the idea sounds a little gimmicky, but who am I to question their marketing? With all the beautiful old Victorians on this block, Glen says this place could provide its own advertising for homes in the area, so he’s willing to take the risk.”
“Wait.” My insides clench, as I struggle to process this information. “You just got engaged last night. How is this happening so fast?”
Violet takes several seconds before she responds. “Larry and I have been in talks with Glen about this for a while, but there was never a good time to tell you. You already had so much on your plate, with East moving away. And now Hayden’s getting married, so you’re losing your roommate.”
Not to mention the job I lost in New York.
“So you were protecting me,” I murmur.
Just like East does.
“I didn’t want to upset you, dear.” Violet averts her gaze. “You’re like the daughter I never had.”
“Please don’t say that.” I gulp against the lump in my throat.
Violet shifts her focus back to me, her eyes widening. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up your?—”
“It’s fine.” I cut her off and square my shoulders. “I just can’t believe you’re selling your home after so many years.”
“Oh, I’m not selling the house,” she says. “The mortgage is paid off, so I’ll keep the place for now, for sentimental reasons. Besides, Larry and I will need somewhere to stay when we visit.”
I gulp. “What about your employees?” At this point, between baristas, counter clerks, bakers, and custodial staff, we’ve got a dozen people who count on this job.
I count on this job.
Violet slips off her glasses and rubs the bridge of her nose. “We’ll give whoever Glen and his son don’t need several months’ notice, and they already promised to keep you on as their office manager and head barista. Think about it, Nori. You were under so much pressure in New York. And this way …”
Violet doesn’t have to finish her sentence. We’re both obviously thinking about the book stores I couldn’t save last year. And I don’t blame her. People warned me the chain was too far gone by the time Book Smart hired me as a strategy consultant. I took on the challenge anyway, with all the confidence in the world.
And I failed.
Still, New York City is a whole planet away from Serendipity Springs. And I’d been hoping Violet would see the difference. That someday she’d trust me enough to give me a chance. That with enough time, she’d see me as someone who could actually own this shop myself.
Apparently my time is running out.
I clear my throat, and my pulse picks up. “Would Larry be mad if you sold Serendipi-Tea to me instead of to his friend?”
“Of course Larry wouldn’t be mad, dear. He’s grown to love you almost as much as I do. And under different circumstances, you would’ve been my first choice to take over the business.” She breathes out a sigh. “I was just trying to be … realistic. And maybe a little selfish. The opportunity Glen presented was just too good to pass up. And I didn’t want to add any more stress to your life. I also didn’t want you talking me out of the idea. I figured you’d be convincing.” She shoves her glasses back on. “And I wasn’t wrong.”
“So it’s not a done deal, then?”
“Not yet.” She peers at me over the rims. “We weren’t planning to make any concrete moves until the fall.”
“Good.” I grin at her. “Then give me the summer, and I’ll buy this place myself.”