Chapter 6 Annika
Need. Coffee. Stat.
I shouldn’t be up before the sun, but apparently such is the life of a small business owner—early mornings and later nights.
The shop is only open when I’m there, closed when I’m not.
I don’t have staff to depend on. It’s me, myself, and I, and considering Dre wouldn’t know the difference between horror and fantasy or fiction from non-fiction if his life depended on it, he’s a lost cause.
If I want to keep Nan’s dream running, I need to put in the work and pray that I don’t do anything to ruin the reputation she’s cultivated.
Which, admittedly, would be pretty hard to do considering how quirky this town has always been.
As I look around Main Street, I realize just how much of Cedar Vale is in my blood.
I don’t question the randomly blinking stoplight at FAFO (Fuck Around Find Out) Crossing—the sole means of traffic control along Main Street that hasn’t worked efficiently since before I was born.
Cedar Vale residents celebrate life each and every time they successfully pass through that intersection unscathed.
Then there’s the digital bulletin board that sits in a prominent spot on the corner.
With its colorful display and sheer size, it begs people to take a look.
It’s supposed to be for community announcements and that sort of thing, but it’s basically the equivalent of the town water cooler—the place to get the latest tea…
and not the drinking kind. This sort of thing would be considered unusual anywhere else, but in Cedar Vale, it’s as natural as the clouds in the sky.
Gossip is simply a way of life here, and there’s no more efficient way of spreading town lore than a gigantic blinking screen which can probably be seen by aircraft flying overhead.
As if a testament to how the town has embraced technology in the name of good gossip, there’s also the app which everyone can now access right from the convenience of their phones.
During my short walk to the Timberline Café, I note just how much things haven’t changed in the years I was away.
Heck, even the carved replica of the founders’ cedar tree—which is really not a cedar at all—complete with the ax planted in its trunk, still sits outside the Cedar Vale Inn.
Time passes differently in small towns, and while I’ve always known that, my experiences outside of this place have really highlighted just how true that is.
“Annika! Wait up!” a voice calls from behind me.
A moment later, Cassidy Levins jogs toward me with a massive smile, wearing a pair of teal biker shorts that show off her long, lean legs and a flowy white cami that bares a hint of her toned tummy.
Her long blonde hair is up in a messy bun, and those brown eyes that are so eerily similar to her brother’s are studying me with a knowing glint.
Shit. I’d forgotten how close the Levins siblings are. There’s no way Carson didn’t open his big mouth and spill everything that happened last night.
“Hey, girl! Long time no see!” she says, not even remotely out of breath as she reaches out for a hug. “I thought that was you walking by and had to say hello. How’ve you been? How was Italy?”
Pulling back, I return her smile because it’s impossible to not like Cass. She’s a ray of sunshine…until you piss her off. Then she becomes a cold front that you’ll feel deep down in your bones.
“Italy was amazing, but I’m glad to be back. Missed this place, ya know?”
Her nose crinkles adorably. “Please. I’m getting out of here as soon as I can, and trust me when I tell you that I won’t miss it at all.”
“You say that now, but there’s something… I don’t know…charming about the simplicity here. Outside of these few square miles, life is significantly more complicated.”
She studies me for a moment in that way that says she sees more than most would. “I heard about the ex-hole.”
Of course she did.
See what I mean? Some things never change.
“From Carson, I’m assuming?”
The side of her pink lips quirks up. “Yup. Heard y’all are like dating or something too?”
She’s trying not to laugh but doing a shit job of it. “Yeah, yeah. Live it up. Hopefully, he told you it was just to get Frederick off my back. We’re not really together. I’m just his tutor, thanks to Nan.”
“You sure about that?”
I roll my eyes. “Ya know, if I’m gonna deal with all of this chipperness before the sun is even fully up, I’m gonna need some coffee first. Wanna join me?”
She loops her arms through mine as we walk toward the café.
“Do East Ender women have a plethora of dicks?” I nearly choke on my spit, but she just laughs like a loon.
“Yes. I’ll join you. It’s the perfect chance to catch up.
I was heading this way to grab breakfast before rehearsals anyway.
We’ve got a show coming up. You should come.
My brother will probably be there, sooo… ”
She ignores my side-eye with a wide grin, pulling open the heavy door. Still arm in arm, we enter. Mrs. Calloway is positioned behind the old-fashioned counter, a sight that’s burned into my mind as a native Cedar Valer.
“Well, lookie what the cat dragged in,” she drawls with a smile. “Was wondering when you’d get around to stopping in to see me.”
The café’s walls are covered in old movie and celebrity posters from floor to ceiling with random plants hanging throughout the dining room from sporadically placed hooks. Something about the nostalgia of it all settles in my bones and heals another tiny crack in my heart.
“Hey, Mrs. Calloway. How have you been?”
She waves a dish rag through the air. “Pshh. Don’t be so formal!
Call me Maggie. After all, you’re not my employee anymore.
” I haven’t actually been her employee since sixteen-year-old me spilled a cup of coffee on Mr. Reynold’s crotch, but I don’t mention that incident.
“Find yourselves a seat, and I’ll send Emily over to get your orders shortly. ”
Cass grabs my hand and tugs me to the corner booth, which has always been my personal favorite.
With a clear view up and down Main Street, it’s perfect for people watching.
We get settled into the worn but clean red vinyl benches as I glance around the room to see who might be within earshot.
Old Man Foster is at one of the bar stools near the door—the one that probably has his ass print permanently indented into the seat, but he’s as deaf as a doorknob so we pay him no mind.
Otherwise, the place seems quiet. Spoiler: even when it appears that no one is listening, someone always is.
In this town, Maggie is second only to Gertie in the gossip department, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they collabed on Grapevine posts.
“So…”
“So…” I repeat, meeting her intense stare head-on.
“You and my brother.” I open my mouth to shut down this whole conversation, but she blurts out, “Please tell me I’m finally going to get adorable brown-haired, blue-eyed nieces and nephews.”
My sigh can probably be heard in the next town over. “Cass, I—”
A throat clears beside the table, drawing my attention, and Maggie sets down two glasses of water, then pulls out her notepad and a pen.
Dammit. There’s no way in hell she missed that.
“Emily was taking too long in the back, so you get me instead. What can I get you girls?” she asks, her tone a little too cheerful if you know what I mean.
“Waffle special for me, with a large coffee, please.”
I refuse to make eye contact. Does that make me look guilty as fuck? Probably, but better that than her reading into the blush on my face.
“I’ll take…” Cassidy pauses, tapping her chin.
“Let’s be real, honey. You’re gonna order the same thing you always do. An omelet with a side of hash browns, some bacon, and an orange juice.”
Her bright face falls into a fake pout. “What if I was feeling adventurous and wanted to change it up this morning?”
“You’re about as adventurous as Bea over at End Zone, and she hasn’t touched grass outside of Cedar Vale’s boundaries in at least two decades.”
Cass’s lips quirk up. “I’m gonna change that one day. You just wait and see.”
“Mmhmm. Sure, dear.” Maggie stops herself just short of rolling her eyes. “I’ll get your order right in. Shouldn’t be long.”
We watch her walk off, waiting until she’s out of earshot.
“That really what you wanted to order?” I ask quietly, knowing damn well Maggie’s hearing is better than mine, even at sixty-two.
“Hmph. Yeah. The old bat knows me better than I know myself, and it’s beyond frustrating.”
My snort is loud in the quiet dining room. It’s nice to have a friend, I realize. How long has it been since I’ve just sat down and engaged in a little girl talk with someone who isn’t focused solely on fashion, social status, and money?
Way too damn long.
I plop my chin in my palm as I relax a little. “Alright. Hit me with the newest town lore. What’s the craziest thing I’ve missed?”
Her fingers drum on the tabletop until she slams her hand down and sits forward eagerly. “Oh my god. I should warn you…”
“Warn me about what?”
“So, about six months or so ago, word started to spread that we had some perverts on the loose.”
Water nearly rushes out my nose. “I’m sorry. What?”
She sighs. “Yeah, you know how popular those damn gnomes are over in the West End and those miniature poles with all the seasonal flags on display in the East End. Well, a new feud has begun brewing.”
“Okay... What do either of those have to do with perverts, though?”
“I’m getting to that. You see, the gnomes—”
“Oh lordie. You’re gonna scare her away again with that gnome shit.” Maggie walks up, setting our plates and drinks onto the table. “Though I suppose it’s only right to warn her.”