Chapter 27
27
C hai love you lots, Coffee Loft ! ~ The Harris Group
A fter a sleepless night, Ginger spent the morning downstairs in the shop even though she typically took Sundays off—her one sacred day during the week. Keeping busy was the only way she’d get through it without wallowing in uncertainty and fear.
It’d also keep her from answering the phone. Cal had called at least a dozen times. She didn’t trust herself to not sound reasonable and in control if she asked him about what she’d seen on his laptop. She hated confrontations. She’d finally texted him that she needed some time. His simple “okay” was somehow more heart-wrenching than witnessing the pain on his face when she’d left his house.
While she restocked the pastry case with a fresh batch of blueberry-almond scones, Alice bounced up to her as she tied a Coffee Loft apron around her waist, ready to start her shift.
“So, I did some research on that school in Wisconsin you told me about. The guy I reached out to on Friday called me yesterday afternoon.” She finished tying her apron, then swept her hair into a quick ponytail. “I’m going to run up there for a tour and an interview on my day off. You know, to see if it’s doable. We’ll also talk about financial aid.” Alice talked fast and said more in less than a minute than she’d uttered since she was hired.
“That’s wonderful. I’m happy to hear you followed through.” It wasn’t too hard to muster enthusiasm for Alice. She deserved it for taking the initiative. “I’m sure you’ll find that it’s exactly what you’re looking for.”
“And the best part is they offer scholarships and paid training on the days I would go up there for the hands-on portion of the classes.”
Ginger closed the case. “And you’re good with scheduling your schooling around still working here?” She’d been pondering the mobile truck idea for a while, but Alice’s plight had hastened her decision to move forward with finding a truck. It would be the perfect training ground for her employees, present and future.
Alice offered to take the empty pan from her. “I want to, yes.”
“Perfect. I’m sure everything will fall into place.”
Merris hurried behind the counter, balancing a plastic bin filled with dirty mugs and dishes. Her flushed face was the effect of the unusually warm day.
“What will fall into place? What am I missing?” she asked.
Alice’s normally neutral expression was all sunshine and smiles now. “I’m taking a coffee education course that Ginger recommended,” she said.
Merris rested the tub against the counter. “I know someone who took one of those. She was really happy with it. Now she has her own shop.”
Ginger nudged Alice’s arm. “See?”
Merris zeroed in on her. “Cal’s hanging out on the side patio by the walk-up window. Didn’t know if you saw him,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows.
“Oh?” She looked down at the plastic tub so Merris wouldn’t see the shadow that had surely settled on her face at the mention of his name.
Truthfully, she’d made a point of not watching for him. Interacting with Cal when she was still discombobulated about last night wouldn’t do either of them any good.
“What, you’re not going to go flirt with him?” Merris prodded.
She let out an exasperated sigh as Alice left to take an order. She lowered her voice. “I don’t flirt with the customers.”
Merris squinted at her. “He’s back to being a customer? What happened?”
“When was he not a customer?”
Merris’s deadpan look called her bluff.
“Okay, what would you do if you found out the person you’ve been casually seeing wrote a new profile for a dating site?” Ginger hefted the dish bin from the counter with the intention of taking it to the kitchen to wash them herself. If he happened to come in looking for her, she’d be out of sight and up to her elbows in soapy water.
“While you’re still seeing each other?” Merris asked. “That’s just wrong, unless there was a mutual understanding.”
Ginger shook her head. “There wasn’t.”
Merris frowned. “So, if it were me, that guy would be toast.” She crossed her arms. “Wait, so this is about Cal?”
“ Shush. I don’t want anyone to hear. Yes, Cal.”
“So, he is more than a customer,” Merris said.
She chewed on her lip. “I should just let it go.”
“You absolutely shouldn’t let it go. He needs to be called out if it’s true.” Merris glared toward the front window. “Want me to talk to him?”
Ginger chuckled in spite of her mood. She could imagine Merris rolling up her sleeves and giving Cal a piece of her mind.
“Not necessary. I’ll figure this out on my own.”
Sweet moments from last night had replayed in her head all throughout the morning. It just didn’t make sense. Their eyes locking when he led her by the hand to the dance floor. His mouth dropping open when he’d seen her in the dress. She could still hear the cadence of his tone when he’d uttered, “You’re stunning.” And she shivered every single time those words echoed in her mind.
But their relationship wasn’t defined by only a single night. It’d been a slow awakening ever since the interview. She’d discovered she and Cal had more in common than she first dared to imagine: their shared love of old cars, music festivals, and Midwestern sunsets over the Mississippi. Business owners. Oldest of three siblings. Both had summer birthdays—hers fell on the first day of summer, his on the last.
She’d fallen for him. Hard .
Yes, she was ready to admit it, even though it pained her to think she might have already lost him.
A little while later, she left the kitchen and stopped in her tracks behind the front counter. Cal had moved from the shady side patio to the one by the sidewalk.
“What’s he still doing here?” she said to no one in particular.
At the mug wall, Merris rolled her eyes. “Maybe he needs a break from the pooches. Or maybe he burned something on his stove and he’s waiting for the smoky smell to leave his house. Or maybe”—she wiggled his personal cat mug in Ginger’s direction— “it’s a two-mug kind of day.”
Exasperated, Ginger held out her hand.
“Give me that.”
She walked over to the back counter to make his café au lait.
Espresso, scalded milk—nothing complicated, just like Cal.
She swallowed as the doubts crept forward again.
Coffee maker, coffee drinker. Was it all they were destined to be?
It is if you don’t explain yourself .
She studied the minuscule bubbles on the creamy surface. Her hand hovered over the container of plastic stencils until she chose one. Her pulse skipped as she sprinkled cinnamon over it.
Either talk to the man or don’t, but skip the subtle drink message this time.
She pushed away the thought. It’s just a heart-shaped sprinkle of cinnamon, for goodness’ sake, not a declaration of love.
You think he betrayed you .
But Cal is different. It just doesn’t make sense. She looked down at the heart floating on the surface. Her feelings for him were still intact. But a painful, burning doubt was, too.
Merris moved in next to her to start another drink. She eyed the design, glanced at Ginger, then looked down at the mug again.
“So you’re giving him the benefit of the doubt?”
She lifted a shoulder. “You don’t think I should?”
Merris turned to face her and gripped her shoulders.
“Ginger, just talk to him. You’re not making a life commitment here.” She gave her a little shake.
“The heart’s not too much?”
Merris snorted. “If that were the case, I’ve been hitting on people pretty much every day since I started here.”
Ginger chuckled.
“But,” Merris continued, “you shouldn’t rely on coffee to do the talking forever. Tell him how you feel.” She pressed her lips together and gave her a firm nod.
She pushed the mug toward Merris. “Can you take this to him, please?”
Merris gave her a sympathetic smile. “It’d mean more coming from you.”
She sighed deeply and shook her head. “I can’t. Not yet.”
After delivering an iced coffee to another customer, Merris made her way to the patio. Cal, hunkered in front of his laptop, looked up when she set the mug next to him. His attention was drawn to the laptop again as soon as Merris left his table.
Cal didn’t even notice her handiwork.
Look at your mug .
Merris returned, leaning against the counter with arms crossed, watching Cal.
“It’s going to fade before he notices,” Merris said.
“No worries.”
“You’re the most passive suitor.” Merris pushed away from the counter. “I don’t have the energy for this.”
“Not suitor. Suitor ess .” She stared so hard at Cal that her vision went fuzzy.
“That’s not a word, and no, you’re not,” Merris said. “Me, I’d sit down right in front of him, snap that laptop closed, and ask about that dating site.” Merris punctuated it with a sharp nod.
“Such finesse.”
“It’s better to get right to the point. We only have so much time. I wouldn’t waste it by not getting a straight answer as soon as I figured out the question.”
Merris had a point.
“Jace had to leave early. Can you go finish up the dishes, please?” She didn’t want Merris whooping it up like a rodeo cowgirl when Cal spotted the heart .
But seconds later, that worry was unfounded.
Cal picked up the mug and sipped while his attention stayed glued to his laptop.
Her heart, literally and figuratively, fell apart.