Chapter 20
20
W hat’s not to love about a coffee shop which not only serves the best cold foam brews in the whole state of Iowa, but welcomes dogs onto the patio? We were traveling through town when we spotted this cute little café. It was a great respite for my hubby and me, as well as our two dogs. Thanks, Coffee Loft ! ~ the Beerlman Clan
T wo hours into his hot chocolate bar shift, Cal got a desperate call from Charlene. Someone who’d volunteered to walk dogs that night had a family emergency, and there was a no-show. Can you come ? she’d asked.
He’d begged off of the last hour at Coffee Loft after he found Ginger in the kitchen, helping the new hire catch up on washing dishes.
“Of course, Cal. We’ve got it covered.” Ginger dried her soapy hands on a dish towel and faced him. “Thank you so much.”
Unspoken words flowed between them as he looked down at her. She smiled.
“I’ll see you soon, then?”
Ginger nodded as her smile broadened. A pink hue spread across her cheeks.
“You will.”
With a full kennel, he and Charleen and one other last-minute volunteer managed to get the dogs exercised in just under two hours. It was a crazy jugglefest of moving dogs out of their kennels and into the larger outdoor pens, giving them as much recreation time as possible without the full roster of volunteers available.
When Cal hooked the leash onto the rack inside the shelter, having walked the last dog of the night, Charleen poked her head out of the office and summoned him.
“Just got this message from one of the board members,” she said, looking at her phone. “The city wants us out of the building by the end of next month.”
“ What ?! That’s sooner than anyone expected.”
“They want to demo this place before winter, so they can start work as early in the spring as possible.” Charleen sighed. “I don’t know where we’re going to go, or how we’ll afford what we need on such short notice.”
“The gala couldn’t come at a better time,” he mused, his mind running through the logistics of relocating thirty kennels while causing the least amount of stress to the dogs as possible. But if there was one person who could do it, it was Charleen .
“Even with the proceeds from that, it’ll be tight,” she said.
“Whatever you need, I’m here.” He could rearrange his work schedule to accommodate the other volunteers. They’d need everyone to step up. Everyone and their families for such a task.
Charleen leaned against her desk, crossing her arms. “I appreciate it, Cal. If you know of anyone with a building this size, let me know. Of course, we’re looking for a bit of property with it, too.”
“I’ve already put some feelers out around town.” He rubbed the stubble underneath his chin, thinking about Ginger’s efforts earlier tonight. “Did I tell you about what they’re doing for us at Coffee Loft?”
“If you did, I’ve forgotten. My mind is mush with everything happening at once.”
“My friend Ginger?”
“The woman I met at your house. With Peaches.”
“Yes. She’s soliciting donations tonight at the festival downtown for the shelter.”
“That’s wonderful. Bless her heart.” Charleen slipped on her coat.
“You’ve been to Coffee Loft, right?” He stepped aside as she closed her office door behind her.
“Are you kidding? Their dirty chai lattes are to die for. I don’t go as often as I’d like, though.”
She walked down the hall ahead of him, shutting off lights. In the other room, the cacophony of barking had died down as it usually did this time of night as everyone settled onto their beds. Muted classical music played softly from the speakers, a soothing sound for the dogs .
As he walked to his car, he wondered if Ginger was still at Coffee Loft. He could swing by, and he would count himself lucky if he caught her still cleaning up. Maybe he’d offer to help. And maybe they’d pick up where they left off with the conversation that had almost struck him speechless before the interruption.
But when he drove by the shop a while later, it was dark. In the apartment above, a single light illuminated the drawn curtains of one window. He slowed, thought of parking for a while to sit and relive the events of the day in the peace and quiet, before he went home to the love fest which would greet him when he walked in the door.
Was Ginger in bed, reading? Or having a cup of tea on her couch, with one hand resting on her cat? Whatever she was doing, he could imagine her face, every smile line and lustrous wave in her hair. Someday soon he hoped that he wouldn’t have to settle for just daydreams. Someday soon could be tomorrow or the next day.
With a sigh, he rolled up to the stop sign at the corner and pointed the car in the direction of home.
And silently said goodnight to the light in the window.