Chapter 18
18
Y ou’ll think you died and went to coffee heaven once you taste Coffee Loft’s lavender frappe. Pure delight! ~ R. Klybourne
C al ambled up to the walk-up window at Coffee Loft late Saturday afternoon, hoping to get his café au lait without Ginger spotting him.
Yesterday morning had been a dream that went off the rails. He still wished for a do-over.
He’d cursed himself for the rest of the day, feeling the fool for taking her hand. His folly was only outshone by his hope that she’d call to finish what he’d started. Something like, Cal, I can’t stop thinking about you taking my hand. Wanna get together and try it again ?
Right.
He couldn’t be more out of practice with this whole dating thing, not that they were dating. Far from it. The gala was a week away, and he needed to get a grip on himself. Seal the deal, so to speak. If he failed, he didn’t foresee another chance to make Ginger see how right they were for each other.
At the window, he placed his order with Alice, the new employee. While she took his payment, Ginger scurried past the window inside, two mugs in hand.
His mouth went dry.
She did a double take, a smile lighting her face when she noticed him. She mouthed “wait” before she disappeared again.
Alice handed him his change, then he parked himself on a cedar bench in the brick-paved garden area to wait for his drink and Ginger. His mind whirled, trying to come up with something witty in case the awkwardness from yesterday remained.
“Hey there.”
Ginger walked toward him, carrying his drink. She’d swept her dark hair into a high ponytail, though the ends still brushed her shoulders. Sun had kissed her nose and cheeks as if she’d spent time outside over the last day. It only enhanced the greenness of her eyes, and he swallowed hard. He couldn’t imagine a time when the sight of her wouldn’t make it hard to breathe.
“You have a busy night ahead of you.” He made more room on the bench when she sat next to him.
“Are you coming? I figured it’d be a perfect time to bring Peaches.” Her eyes grew large as she pressed a hand to her chest. “Wait, did she get adopted?”
“No. She didn’t get along with the family’s dog. ”
Ginger slumped. “Oh, thank goodness… I mean, I’m glad they found that out before they brought her home.”
“We’ll find her the right family eventually. For now, she’s getting more content by the hour.” Had Peaches worked her magic on Ginger during the sleepover? If he wasn’t mistaken, Ginger seemed genuinely concerned about the little pooch.
Maybe this self-proclaimed cat person was making room in her heart to be a dog person, too . It’d be one more reason to adore her.
“Did I hear something recently about the shelter having to move?” she asked.
“It’s true. There’s a new sewer project going through the property. Charleen tried to stop it.” He shook his head. “We have to find a new place by the end of the year, if not sooner.”
“That’s awful. Any leads?”
“Maybe? The board will know more soon.”
She perked up. “Hey, good news. I got word that I’ve been short-listed to the top five in the Forty Under Forty.”
“Congratulations. I didn’t expect otherwise.” He put up a hand, and she high-fived him.
“They’ll announce the top candidate in a few weeks.” She clasped her hands in her lap. “I get nervous just thinking about it.”
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” He marveled that someone as accomplished as Ginger doubted herself.
Ginger toed the bricks, nodding. She was quiet for a moment, and he studied her to gauge her mood. Should he apologize for yesterday, or would that add another dose of awkwardness to the situation ?
“So, will you come?” she asked again, keeping her attention on the ground.
“I’ll come, but I’ll leave the dogs at home. The crowd might be a little overwhelming for Peaches. And you know how Ridley acts in public. Everyone is his best friend.”
She wore a wistful smile. “I’d really love your help.”
“Yeah?”
“I need someone to man the hot chocolate bar. Merris and Alice will be busy behind the counter. Jace is out of town, but my newest hire will be working the kitchen, and I need to be peeking in on him quite a bit.”
“I’m your guy then.”
She was studying her shoes again, but the smile crinkled the skin at the corner of her eye.
“I like the sound of that,” she said softly.
Maybe his ears were playing tricks on him. At least that’s what he thought she’d said. Maybe yesterday’s hand-holding episode had worked a little magic overnight.
“What time?”
She stood and brushed her hands together, grinning down at him. The back of his neck tingled.
“Five thirty. Sharp .”
H e took Ridley and Peaches for a quick walk around the park before he was due back at Coffee Loft. The sharp, sweet scent of wet cedar hung in the air after an afternoon drizzle. Now, an impressionist sunset was in the making. Gold and pink swaths painted the October sky, dappled with blue where the feathery clouds broke apart.
Ridley, probably sensing Cal’s do-or-die desperation surrounding their new houseguest, toned down his enthusiasm around the much smaller dog. Watching Ridley with Peaches was a sight. He’d nose her head as he walked alongside her, as if he gently reminded her of his presence. Peaches, all business, held her nose high as her little legs did double-time to keep up with him and Ridley. She’d curl her lips if he got in her face for too long, but Cal had yet to see her nip. A good sign. Their yin-and-yang dynamic would eventually gel into a compatible one soon. It’d make it much easier to get a good night’s rest, at least.
He changed at home, fed the dogs, then walked back to Coffee Loft, arriving five minutes earlier than Ginger’s requested time. Tables had been moved to make room for an additional long table that she’d draped with a tablecloth when he walked up behind her. He lifted the silver urn he spotted on one of the nearby tables and set it down as soon as she smoothed the table cloth.
She glanced sideways at him, her eyes popping. “You made it.”
Why wouldn’t he? “Of course, I did. You asked.”
“I know. But then I felt guilty after I’d asked. You’ve had a lot on your plate lately.”
“I’m not so busy that I couldn’t be here for your big night.”
Ginger briefly touched his arm, sliding her hand down his sleeve. “You’re almost at café au laits-for-life status,” she teased. “Thank you. ”
He smiled so the tinge of disappointment wouldn’t register on his face. Her doubt that he wouldn’t come after she’d asked for help bothered him. Like she’d prepared herself to be let down. More fallout from a bad relationship like he’d suspected, no doubt.
Ginger gathered the wicker basket in her arms from the other table and set it next to the urn, then unloaded condiment jars, napkins, and a small hot chocolate bar sign.
He took the lid from one jar to peek inside. Sprinkles. Another jar held cookie crumbs. There were also chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and cinnamon candies.
“Do you have chocolate-coated spoons?” He replaced the lid on the last jar.
Ginger nodded to the other table. “I do.”
“Edible stir sticks?”
That drew a blank from her. “What do you mean?”
“Peppermint sticks or those waffle straws with the chocolate inside?”
She turned and put a hand on her hip, wearing a half-smile.
“Maybe I should have consulted you before tonight.”
He chuckled. “I’m only a software guy.”
“But it sounds like you’ve done this before,” she said.
He smiled back, lifting a brow. “You could say I have a little experience.”
She slowly shook her head. “How are you not taken?” she mused.
He felt his face grow warm as he held her gaze. “Maybe I haven’t found anyone I want to get taken by yet.”
Ginger’s smile faded as they stared at each other .
“That’s too bad,” she answered softly.
There was no mistaking the subtle undertones of Ginger’s words this time. If they weren’t standing in the middle of Coffee Loft right now, with Alice and Merris within sight, he’d seriously consider seizing this moment. Or he could stop second-guessing himself, take her by the hand, and lead her into the back room for some privacy. Those parted, rosy-hued lips begged for?
Ginger let out a squeak when Merris popped in between them.
“Here, boss. What do you think?”
He almost leaned against the steel pole nearby, so intense was his desire to prolong the moment. Ginger must have felt it, too. She placed a hand against her cheek as the skin of her throat rippled. The smile she wore for Merris’s sake was strained.
“It’ll be hard to miss, which is exactly what we want, right, Cal?” she said as her voice cracked. She tossed her ponytail behind her shoulders as if resetting herself.
That snapped him back to earth. He focused on the painted box she took from Merris. Fall hues of green, gold, and orange would definitely grab attention if that was the goal. But then he noticed something about the lidded box with a cut-out on the top that made him pause—the faint paw prints stenciled in black scattered over the surface.
“It’s perfect,” Ginger raved. She placed it at the end of the hot chocolate station.
“Sidewalk traffic is picking up,” Merris said. “I’d better check in with Alice and close the walk-up window.”
“Yes, thanks. We’ll have a hard enough time keeping the counter customers moving if we don’t.” She fiddled with rearranging the jars and other items on the table to make room for the box.
He pointed to the box. “So, what’s that for?”
She leaned against him, giving him a gentle nudge with her arm, and it took every ounce of concentration to make sense of what she said.
“It’s for the shelter. I want to help.” She took a standing frame from inside the box and handed it to him. “This explains about the shelter having to relocate. The box is for donations.”
She’d taken the time to type up a flyer, explaining the dire situation at Hearts Fur Love. He read her plea for more volunteers and donations, ending with the contact info to help. His throat tightened as he noticed the photo she’d used. It was one of Charleen and him standing next to the shelter sign in front of the building. At his feet was Ridley. It was the first day he’d brought him home as a new foster.
Ginger cleared her throat. “I found that picture online. I hope that’s okay to use. Maybe I should have asked first.”
“This…it’s very generous. Amazing, actually.”
She faced him and stepped closer, close enough that he noticed how her lashes fanned out against her cheek and her irises were more teal than green. He gulped.
“You’ve really inspired me. Between watching you come to the patio with your dogs, and…and what you did for me after the storm…you’ve just made me think. I want to make an impact, too.”
“But you have. I’ve told you that. Coffee Loft isn’t just a place serving coffee. It’s a refuge for a lot of people.”
“I want to do more.”
Ginger’s gaze lingered on his face until her focus shifted from his eyes to his mouth as she tugged gently on her bottom lip with her teeth. Stars popped into his vision before he realized he held his breath or locked his knees or both. He let out a silent breath. He could almost feel her fingers caressing his face.
“You’ve done more than you realize.”
“I want…more,” she said again in a husky whisper.
Only this time he assumed she didn’t mean donating to charity or volunteering or making a community impact in some way.
She wanted more of them .
Of him .
And he was here for it. Today, tomorrow, for however long she wanted him.
But then the bells above the front door jingled next to them, and the spell was broken.