Springtime in Bayberry (The Bayberry, Vermont #4)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Christmastime, Bayberry

Agentle snow had begun to fall.

It was almost time for the annual tree lighting.

“I’ll be home for Christmas” played in the background as Abby Clark worked to close up the Steaming Brew coffeeshop.

She’d hoped to have it done by now. But with the dropping temperature for the tree lighting, Bayberry’s residents had decided a hot drink was exactly what they needed to keep them warm until the main event.

She’d even sold a number of the personalized insulated tumblers. There was now an empty space on the display shelf. She made a mental note to pull some more from the backroom in the morning. All in all, it had been a really good day.

In a holly jolly good mood, she’d already let her staff leave early. The tree lighting was a huge event, and no one wanted to miss it, including her. In Bayberry, people clung tightly to their traditions. She happened to be one of those people.

With the coffeeshop empty, the floors mopped, and the machines turned off for the evening, she decided it was time to head out. There was something extra special happening this evening. She’d been warned not to be late.

A glance at the clock let her know she had five minutes to make it to the center of town. She rushed to her office and switched into her snow boots. They were warm and comfy. She shrugged on her winter coat and grabbed her bag.

On her way to the door, she noticed something red sticking out from under the pedestal of a table.

When she bent over to pick up the holiday napkin, she felt a rush of cold air.

She turned her head in that direction. Her gaze met a pair of dark jeans and an unzipped black leather coat over a light-blue collared shirt.

When she straightened, she found the man standing in the open doorway, a few feet from her.

He was tall with broad shoulders. As he stepped forward, her gaze rose, taking in his strong, clean-shaven jawline.

He had a straight nose that led to unforgettable ice-blue eyes.

They were framed with dark lashes and brows.

The breath caught in her lungs. This guy had strikingly good looks—like movie-star quality. He wore a frown like it was a shield, as though to keep people at a distance. It made her all the more curious about him.

He was definitely new to Bayberry. Of that, she was certain. There was absolutely no way she’d forget that handsome face.

She was going to say something to him, but she forgot what she’d been about to say. It didn’t help that her mouth had gone dry, and her heart was racing.

“Excuse me.” His voice had a rich timbre that added to his allure.

In that moment, her mind and her mouth continued their disconnect. When the man sent her an expectant look, she realized she was in his way. She took a step to the side. After he passed by, she gathered herself and followed him.

Now that he wasn’t staring at her with those penetrating blue eyes, her brain began working again. As the man headed for the counter, she retraced her steps.

She’d already shut down all of the machines. But she still had the single serve coffee machine. So, it wasn’t a big deal to serve one more customer—so long as he didn’t mind drip coffee instead of something fancy.

Abby made her way around the counter. She dropped her bag next to the old espresso machine. All the while, she told herself not to look at the clock. The sooner she got this guy taken care of, the sooner she could get to the tree lighting.

She pinned on her professional smile and hoped when she opened her mouth that her voice cooperated. “Hi.” So far so good. “I’m in the process of closing up. Most of the machines are already down for the night. So, I’m sorry, but I’m limited on what I can serve you.”

Not only hadn’t he smiled back, but he didn’t even acknowledge that he’d heard her. He wasn’t the first. Some of the tourists who came through the coffeeshop acted as though she were invisible, until they knew what they wanted.

She inwardly sighed. He was so good-looking; too bad he didn’t have a matching personality. The smile slipped from her lips as she waited for the man to peruse the handwritten menu above her head.

She’d started the coffeeshop not quite five years ago. Back then, she wasn’t sure it would turn a profit. Her mother had tried to talk her out of it. She said it was too big of a gamble. She’d repeatedly stated the high percentage of new businesses that fail.

But Abby knew if she hadn’t given her dream a try, she would have always wonder what could have been. And so with a wish and a prayer, she’d put together a business plan and got a small business loan. Thankfully, the Bayberry residents had rallied around her to make the coffeeshop a success.

Granted, she wasn’t rich. In fact, she was far from it. But she could pay the lease, the bills, afford a few employees, and still earn a modest income.

“Let me have an eggnog latte.” He still didn’t look at her.

“I’m sorry, but we don’t have any espresso this evening to make the latte.”

He lifted his head and looked at her. His blue eyes took on a frosty glare. “What are you talking about? How can you be a coffeeshop without any espresso?”

“Um…” He obviously hadn’t paid any attention to what she’d told him about the machines being shut down. Still, she was used to feisty people who showed up in the morning, craving their caffeine fix. She could handle him. No problem. Let’s try this again. “I’m closing up for the evening.”

It was only then that he seemed to notice she had on her coat. When he opened his mouth, his deep voice carried with it a rumble of irritation. “The sign in the window says you’re open until eight.”

She nodded. “Normally that’s true. But this evening is different. There is a closed sign on the door.”

He paused as though she’d caught him off-guard. “I didn’t see it.”

She didn’t know how he missed it, but she digressed. “I’m afraid all I have available is plain coffee. However, I could add some eggnog, if you’d like.”

“So, this was a waste of time.” His frown deepened. “Is there somewhere else I can get a decent cup of coffee?”

She nodded. “Mel’s Grille. They have some of the best food in town.”

“Let me guess. They don’t have espresso either.”

She had no idea what was bothering this man, but it had to be more than not getting an eggnog latte.

“They do not. If you come back tomorrow morning, we’ll definitely have a latte for you.

” Her smile broadened as she thought of a peace offering.

“In fact, tomorrow you can have an eggnog latte on the house.”

His brows briefly rose. “You can’t make a profit giving away your product.”

She shrugged. “Sometimes, it’s more important to do the right thing.”

He didn’t respond as he pulled his phone from his pocket. She couldn’t tell if he was impressed by her kindness or not. Not that she was trying to impress him or anything. But she wanted to make her customers happy, even the grumpy ones.

After he typed something on his phone, he looked up at her. “Fine. I’ll take a coffee with skim and one packet of sweetener.”

A genuine smile lifted the corners of her lips. “Now that’s something I can get you. Just give me a moment.” She turned and reached for an extra-large cup. “Are you visiting Bayberry, or did you recently move here?”

The Bayberry Candle Co. was growing and, in the process, it seemed there was always a new face around town. The newcomers were breathing new life into the local businesses.

Her question was met with silence, as though the man wasn’t planning to answer her. Then he said, “Only visiting.”

She dropped a pod in the coffeemaker. It took a moment for the steaming hot coffee to fill the to-go cup. She added milk and sweetener before adding the lid.

When she returned to the counter, she said, “We’re happy to have you. The tree lighting is tonight in the center of town. You don’t want to miss it.”

He was busy on his phone and didn’t look up. “How much do I owe you?”

“Nothing.”

He didn’t speak—not even a thank you. She restrained a sigh. Instead of paying her any attention, he was thoroughly distracted by his phone.

She slipped a red cardboard sleeve onto the cup before holding it out to him. He held out his hand to take the cup. Their fingers touched. Her pulse jumped. It was like there was a burst of static electricity that arced between them. The reaction startled her. She immediately yanked her hand back.

Time slowed down as the full coffee cup fell…