Chapter 32
32
I ’ve visited Coffee Loft more times than I can remember, but I’m finally taking the time to write a review. I wish I could give it more than five stars. Yes, it’s that phenomenal. This place consistently delivers the best coffee and pastries. I’m so lucky to have them right down the block . ~ A Forever Fan
A week after Ginger brought Peaches back into her home, this time for good, she, Cal, and the three animals got together for a movie night at her place.
Ginger kicked up her legs to rest her crossed ankles on the coffee table. Her laptop sat on her thighs. She needed to place an order for syrups—like, yesterday —but first she needed a dose of positive affirmation.
In the kitchen, Cal fetched the bag of popcorn from the microwave. The buttery aroma filled Ginger’s apartment, competing with the hot chocolate he’d already whipped up for both of them.
While he emptied the popcorn into a bowl, his audience waited patiently.
“The three of you are pathetic,” he said, looking down at the floor.
Though the kitchen counter limited the view at Cal’s feet, it wasn’t hard to imagine the three sets of eyes studying his every move. Ridley, Peaches, and Daisy—the latter of whom had been adopting the habits of begging and shaking paws from her canine friends—waited for kernels to drop. Sidestepping his rapt audience, Cal brought her a mug of hot chocolate, his own special concoction of chili powder, cayenne, and orange zest added to the mix. She’d raved about it the first time he made it for her. It was a small consolation for not being chosen for the Forty Under Forty’s top spot. She’d learned the results earlier that day.
“You sure know how to make a girl feel better.”
“I take my job very seriously,” Cal said as he sank into the couch beside her. She met his lips as he leaned in, and a tingle of delight coursed through her when he kissed her.
“I’m going to recommend you for a promotion,” she said, breathing in the scent of his sandalwood cologne, the chocolate on his breath.
“Are you sure you can handle that?”
His kisses traveled across her cheek to her neck as she turned back to her laptop. But she closed her eyes, finding it hard to focus.
“What are you looking at?” he asked, his words a soft hum against her skin .
“Reading a few reviews always makes me feel better.”
“I’m glad it’s that simple,” he purred.
“And this, of course.” She leaned her head against his forehead. The soft texture of his lips made her head spin.
Cal sat up. “Okay, I’ll stop,” he teased, slipping his arm behind her.
“Don’t stop on my account.” She gave him a sidelong glance, caressing his cheek, then held up her mug. “We need to celebrate your success, though. To Hearts Fur Love’s new digs.”
He clinked his mug against hers. “Thank you. What a relief it is that the site worked out. Now to move thirty kennels and just as many dogs by the end of the month.”
She sipped the drink, then set it on the side table. “Will you have enough hands?”
He nodded. “I think we’ll have more than enough. People are stepping up like crazy.”
Ginger looked back at her laptop. Her habit of reading positive reviews to lift her spirits was good medicine. She’d discovered this years ago when she first opened Coffee Loft, needing quick pick-me-ups amid the uncertainty and chaos of being a brand-new business owner. It was cheap therapy.
“Listen to this new one: ‘Coffee Lovers, listen up. If you’re looking for your new favorite coffeehouse, look no further than Coffee Loft in Greenhaven. Whether you’re a one-drink kind of person—’ Hey, that sounds like you.”
“I do like my café au laits,” he said.
“‘—or like to sample everything on the menu, you won’t be disappointed with what this gem has to offer. And what’s not to love about a place who celebrates local artists? Seriously, check out the rotating gallery of works on the walls which change monthly. My most favorite spot in the Quad City area.”
“Have you ever received a bad review?” he asked while his attention was still on her screen.
“Sure. Plenty.”
“Those people seriously aren’t right.”
She shrugged. “We’re not perfect. I use those reviews to improve if they’re constructive. If they’re mean, I ignore.”
“That’s a good policy.” He rubbed her shoulder.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. I think I found a trailer.”
“Does it need work, or will it be coffee-ready?”
The little Mini Winnie had been slightly damaged in a fender bender, she’d been told at the dealership where she’d seen it listed. After having it inspected by an independent body shop, they’d given her the thumbs up to purchase. Only cosmetic damage—and minor at that—nothing structural. They’d begin work on it as soon as she hired someone with a hitch to haul it into town.
“It needs a little sprucing up. Some of the siding needs replacing, then after the paint job, it’ll be ready for business. Brad at City Collision gave me a great quote.”
“He’s a gem. The best. Hands down the top mechanic in the Quad Cities.”
She stared at him, suppressing a smile.
“What?” he asked.
“What you just said.”
Cal looked perplexed. “That he’s the top mechanic?”
“No, before that. Is it you?” It couldn’t be .
“What are you talking about?”
His praise sounded so similar to?
She scrolled through the review section on Coffee Loft’s page, stopping on one as laughter tickled her throat. There. “‘A Quad City gem,’” she read aloud.
Cal’s brows ticked up. “What about it?”
She searched some more. “How about this one: ‘I love this gem of a place.’”
There were so many. She could almost hear Cal’s voice replacing her own as she read them.
“‘There are gems and then there is Coffee Loft.’” She snapped her laptop closed and looked at him. He still wore that innocent look. “You use that word a lot. You wrote a lot of these reviews, didn’t you?”
He pointed at himself and mouthed “me?”
“Yes, you. Don’t tell me it’s not you.” She couldn’t love him any more than she did at that moment. She set her laptop on the coffee table.
“If I admit it, will you still love me?” he asked, hooking his hands behind his head, puffing his chest out, and wearing one of his irresistible side smirks. If Cal truly doubted her love for him, his confidence didn’t get the memo.
She looped her arms around his neck, and he took that as a cue to hug her close. Their noses touched as she looked him in the eye.
“Even more than I do now.”
“You got me, then. Guilty,” he murmured as he raised his hand.
“How can I help but love you, Cal Donner? ”
He chuckled. “Believe me, I asked myself that same question for a very long time.”
“Thank goodness I finally came around, huh?”
He answered her with a kiss that left no doubt about how grateful he was that she did.