Chapter 9
Upon reaching the other side of the crosswalk, Cavin turned and looked back at Beaufort Candy Company with an unusual expression.
What just happened in there? This thought rattled around in his mind; he never imagined his stay in Beaufort starting out with running errands for the first locals he met.
However, he figured he now had four new friends, or at least three, since he was unsure about Noel.
The woman seemed irritated by his presence from the moment he walked into the store, and things didn’t seem any better by the time she disappeared into the back.
She had cute kids, though, and Cavin wondered if Mrs. Madelyn was their grandmother.
She made him laugh a lot. Even now he still chuckled inside about the way she phrased the social media.
“Beaufort Candy Company has complimentary cinnamon rolls for the first fifty guests this morning,” Cavin randomly shared with a family standing on the corner where he temporarily paused his journey. He pointed to the building he just left.
The little boy tugged on his mom’s jacket. “I want one,” he whispered with excitement.
“Thanks,” the dad replied. “We’ll check it out.”
“Tell Mrs. Madelyn that Cavin sent you.”
Cavin walked past a building that looked like a bank as he read the names of some of the shops on the other side of the street. For some reason Sweet Lilly Ru stood out to him. Maybe because he once dated a woman named Lilly.
“Free cinnamon rolls at Beaufort Candy Company,” Cavin announced to a couple of teenagers walking past him.
They blushed and said nothing, but once they passed by, he heard them laughing which made him smile.
Cavin found Cru, the coffee shop, a little way down the sidewalk, exactly where Mrs. Madelyn explained. He opened the door as a woman walked out and stepped back to give her room to exit while holding the handle.
“Thank you, sir,” she offered with a friendly smile.
“My pleasure,” he replied. “Beaufort Candy Company has a complimentary cinnamon roll that would go great with your coffee,” he commented.
Her smile grew. “Sounds delicious.”
When Cavin entered, the place was hopping with patrons.
It took a moment to find an open spot to stand as he studied the menu on the brick wall behind the counter.
He quickly realized the establishment offered much more than coffee.
Photos of flatbreads, bagels, and pizza stood out, and he even noticed a glass-cased freezer next to the counter featuring ice cream.
They sold other goodies as well, so he figured he shouldn’t announce the free cinnamon rolls to anyone else in here.
Potentially making enemies on the first day in town wouldn’t bode well for his plan, and he knew from experience that most shop owners and even some employees were heavily invested in their downtown community.
He needed everyone on his good side including Noel.
Maybe he would take her something extra, he considered while eyeing the other customers' selections. Then Cavin remembered he hadn’t done anything wrong; he simply walked into Noel’s store, or at least he assumed the shop belonged to her.
Something about her demeanor made it seem as though she was in charge although she and the older lady acted like best friends who could say anything around each other without being offended.
Maybe Mrs. Madelyn or someone else owned the store, he considered.
By the time Cavin made it to the front of the line, he decided on an iced latte for himself to go along with Mrs. Madelyn’s and Noel’s orders, and he decided to add a couple of extra items that he hoped would go over well upon his return.
During the breezy walk back to Beaufort Candy Company, Cavin told three more strangers about the giveaway.
One man looked a lot like Santa Claus and seemed equally as jolly.
Another person told him she ate already, but she might grab one for her husband.
The third contestant said they loved cinnamon rolls.
Cavin’s mom and dad told him that from an early age he talked to everyone he encountered whether in public, at company parties, or at family gatherings.
They said he always wanted to be the life of the party.
So, as an adult, communicating with people came easily.
He didn’t mind taking no for an answer. Although as he learned how to talk to people, he became pretty good at convincing others to see things his way.
When Cavin stepped into Beaufort Candy Company the second time around, the vibe felt completely different.
The store seemed alive. Smiling shoppers meandered up and down the aisles reaching for candy in the bins and barrels before placing it in their baskets; Christmas music played softly in the background; and the smell of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls wafted through the air.
Mrs. Madelyn moved in a seasoned pattern behind the counter weighing candy, placing it in cute little bags, and ringing up customers in the short line one by one as if nothing else in the world mattered.
Noel waltzed from one person to another while balancing the tray of cinnamon rolls while the kids handed the excited recipients a small paper plate and a napkin.
“Welcome back, Mr. Dawson,” Mrs. Madelyn called out between customers.
He smiled, set two drink trays on the end of the counter near a bowl of gold-covered chocolate coins, and held up her coffee. “This one is for you, Mrs. Madelyn.”
“Thanks, and we also appreciate you sending people over for the cinnamon rolls. I think about ten people said you sent them. The Hanson family walked in within minutes of you leaving, and some girls came with their boyfriends. I think they could have eaten two or three each,” Mrs. Madelyn laughed.
“Kevin,” Levi called out when he spotted him. “Come get your cinnamon roll.”
Cavin’s eyes twinkled. The way Levi called him Kevin sounded so cute.
Maybe the little guy couldn’t quite pronounce Cavin, or maybe he initially heard the name Kevin in his mind.
It didn’t matter either way, and this didn’t mark the first time someone renamed him.
Adults often made the same mistake although he usually chose to correct anyone over twelve gently.
“It’s free,” Laney reminded him.
Cavin rubbed his hands together as if about to start a fire with his excitement then looked at Noel as he reached into the beverage carrier. “Levi and Laney, if it’s okay with your mom, I will trade each of you a hot chocolate for one of those delicious-smelling treats.”
Their eyes bulged nearly causing their brows to rise into their Santa hats. “I love hot chocolate,” Levi shouted.
“Hot chocolate is the best,” Laney added.
Noel glanced at the kids and then at Cavin.
“Yes, it’s fine,” she agreed as she stretched the tray in his direction.
Laney traded him a plate for the hot chocolate while Levi handed Cavin a napkin and grabbed his beverage quickly as if someone else might claim it if he didn’t.
“I believe you deserve one of these,” Noel offered with a calm voice.
“They smell delicious, Noel,” Cavin replied. “In fact the whole store smells amazing,” he added while looking around at the decorations and tree that seemed to accent all the festive candy colors perfectly.
“Christmas,” Noel said as her eyelids closed ever so briefly while taking in the aroma. “It smells like Christmas.”
“I love the scent of Christmas,” Cavin declared. “Oh and here is your coffee, Noel,” he added, reaching for her cup.
“Thank you,” she acknowledged, steadying the empty tray in one hand while receiving the coffee with the other. “You really didn’t have to do that.”
Levi and Laney made their way to a cutout area underneath the front counter, accessible from the back.
They named it their fort, and the hideout offered a place for them to relax and unwind when needing a break.
The oversized cubby, complete with soft blankets, a pillow, and a few stuffed animals, allowed Noel and Mrs. Madelyn to keep an eye on the kids.
It also gave Levi and Laney a place to eat during business hours rather than having to go upstairs for snacks or even meals.
“It was my privilege,” Cavin responded. “The new guy in town has to accept and endure initiation,” he added with a laugh.
“Welcome to Beaufort,” Noel finally offered. “I should have said that earlier, but I was a bit frazzled.”
“Life happens, and in the retail world Black Friday is always unpredictable,” he acknowledged. “Is this a family business?” he asked using his pointer finger on the hand holding his coffee cup to reference the candy shop.
He took a quick bite of the cinnamon roll, and as soon as he began chewing, the warmth, softness, and sweetness simultaneously laser-beamed a message from his taste buds to his brain, and Cavin imagined his subsequent facial expression highlighted his genuine approval.
He thought Noel would answer the question while he chewed delicately, but she didn’t say anything right away, and eventually, he swallowed the remnants of the first bite.
Noel’s head dropped when she heard the words family business.
Although unsure why, she instantly thought of the accident that took half of her family.
She missed Fletcher, her parents, and her sister-in-law Lexi tremendously during the holidays.
They used to have so much fun living life together and running this family candy business.
Even though her husband made a living captaining a fishing boat, he still pitched in here especially on days like yesterday and today when an extra set of hands made a huge impact.
If Fletcher were here, I wouldn’t have forgotten the cinnamon rolls or the social media posts.
That thought flashed through Noel’s mind, and she nearly said it aloud which for some reason made her blush.
Suddenly, she wanted to slip away from this man with perfect teeth standing in front of her waiting for an answer.
“Yes, this is a family business,” she eventually uttered.
Cavin noticed the sudden change in Noel’s demeanor and knew better than to ask the follow-up question that came to mind.
“That’s wonderful, and this is the best cinnamon roll I have ever tasted,” he divulged.
“It was definitely worth the wait. In fact I think making customers wait for this piece of perfection might be the best tactic to lure them in to buy candy.”
“Thank you,” Noel said simply. “I am sorry Mrs. Madelyn twisted your arm to get us coffee.”
“You must have trained her well,” Cavin remarked before taking another bite of the sticky treat.
Noel snickered. “That woman trained me.”
Cavin glanced toward the counter as he finished chewing. “I like her.”
“She’s one of a kind,” Noel reported as she momentarily locked eyes with Mrs. Madelyn who had been sneaking peeks in her direction this entire conversation.
“Noel, I imagine you have a lot to do with it being Black Friday including baking more of these delicious cinnamon rolls for your customers, so I will let you get back to it while I pick out some candy.”
Noel smirked. “Thanks again for the coffee and even more for getting hot chocolate for the kids.”
“Anytime.”
Remembering she had given Cavin the last cinnamon roll on the tray, Noel turned and headed for the kitchen realizing the next batch should be ready soon.
Cavin wandered through the aisles with mixed emotions.
Although he loved the taste of candy like most other human beings, he rarely ate sugary delights, and he couldn’t recall the last time he partook of something sweet for breakfast. He usually stuck with healthy options like eggs and fruit smoothies.
However, it didn’t take long for nostalgia to set in as he reunited with candies from his childhood, some that he hadn’t come across in years.
He noticed that the store offered their own homemade candy rather than the name brands.
A handful of minutes later at the register, Cavin waited in line behind a couple of customers before Mrs. Madelyn greeted him again.
“The coffee is delicious,” she said, touching her cup. “I hope you enjoyed your cinnamon roll.”
“So far it’s the best breakfast in Beaufort, Mrs. Madelyn.”
She laughed out loud. “I told you.”
With customers standing in line behind Cavin, Mrs. Madelyn placed the items he chose on the scale. “Did you bring your wife or girlfriend with you to Beaufort?” she inquired with a grin.
“I left both of them at home,” Cavin teased without missing a beat, and then he noticed a puzzled expression take over Mrs. Madelyn’s face. “Just kidding, of course,” he quickly clarified. “It’s just me,” he confirmed.
“Well if you need to know about all the best places in town, you know where to find us,” she suggested while punching in numbers on the old-timey cash register.
“I will keep that in mind, Mrs. Madelyn,” Cavin agreed. “Thank you for the cinnamon roll and coffee.”
“Thank you for retrieving the coffee and helping us resolve this morning’s catastrophe.”
“Anytime.”
“Kids, say goodbye to Mr. Dawson,” Mrs. Madelyn said, peeking underneath the counter.
“I thought I saw them run back there earlier.”
Laney and Levi stood, each of their little heads just above the tall counter. They wore noticeable hot chocolate mustaches which caused Cavin to grin.
“They have a little fort back here,” Mrs. Madelyn shared with a smile.
“Bye, Kevin,” Levi said while Laney waved dramatically.
“Thanks for the hot chocolate,” Laney offered.
“It was yummilicious,” Levi added.
“Levi and Laney, maybe next time I will have one with you.”
Mrs. Madelyn handed each of the kids a napkin before the next customer set a basket of goodies on the counter.
When the bell jingled as Cavin pushed open the door to exit the store, Noel stepped out of the kitchen with a fresh tray of cinnamon rolls just in time to catch a fleeting glimpse of the dark-haired newcomer before he disappeared onto the sidewalk.