Chapter 12 #2
When I arrive at the café, everything feels real. The decorating is finished. With the signs polished, now all that’s left is to open the doors and welcome the customers.
The cafe opens in a little over a week, and all that is left to do is pass these inspections today and finalize the menu board. Of course, I have a few small touches I want to add eventually, like a section to sell Beanstalk Bistro + Bakery merchandise.
In the afternoon, Lucie comes by to catch me up on all the media for the cafe. I am so glad she offered to help with that because I am the opposite of tech-savvy.
“So, the engagement on Instagram is amazing. I have a few ideas for some TikToks we can film, but would you be interested?” Lucie says, opening her laptop.
“Um, well, I’ll film whatever you think will do well. Do you think I should do some sort of engagement where our followers choose the sweatshirt design?” I ask, unsure of myself.
Lucie nods her head enthusiastically. “That would be so good! Your followers loved being able to help choose design aspects of the bakery, so I think letting them choose the design for the first sweatshirt is so good!”
I’m glad that my sister agrees. Although this is my business, I need all the help I can get with making sure I am reaching an audience that is not just in Cherry Falls.
Lucie is the youngest of us, and being 19, she isn’t sure what she wants to do with her career. Our parents bought five buildings in Cherry Falls when they first moved here. So far, only three of us have used our buildings.
“So, Lulu, what do you want to do with your building? Do you want to go to college or?” I begin.
Lucie sits unmoving and thinks about how she wants to answer the question I’m certain our entire family has been asking her.
“Honestly Mills, I love doing what I am for you but I want to do it for my business and the only thing I can truly envision myself doing for the rest of my life is something no one would ever believe I could do,” she says slumping her shoulders.
It hurts me that she thinks that anything she does won’t be successful. I am determined to show her just how wildly talented she is at everything she does. Ever since we were little, Lucie has been the sibling to succeed in everything she tried.
“Well, I can’t support you with that if I don’t know what it is. Now tell me, baby sis, what is it you want to do with your life?” I ask with a tender voice.
Lucie looks up at me and says, “I want to be a tattoo artist with a flower shop right inside the studio.”
I blink, stunned—but not because it’s wild. It’s because it’s so Lucie. Quirky, soft, bold, creative—everything she’s always been.
“That’s honestly kind of perfect,” I say after a moment. “Like you’d ink someone up and then send them off with a bouquet. Soft and fierce, just like you.”
Lucie grins, eyes shining in a way that makes me tear up a little. She’s finally said it. Out loud.
The rest of the week before opening day flies by. All the inspections are complete—now, all that’s left is to open the doors.
The night before the grand opening, I hardly sleep a minute. I am so excited to be making my dream a reality. The entire town has been so supportive of me since I first began renovations, and it will be surreal to see the people of Cherry Falls in my cafe bakery.
I give in to my restfulness and decide to wake up at the early time of 3 in the morning. Gosh, this is gonna be a crazy day. But I couldn’t be more ready.
I get in my car and head to the cafe to set up all the decor I ordered specifically for opening day. Once the banner is hung and the balloons are in place, I take a moment to soak in the café one last time—only to be interrupted by my phone buzzing with a new message.
Gabby
Happy opening day, Bumper. You’re gonna do great.
I smile at my phone. Of course, he’s thinking of me. His message gives me an extra boost of confidence I didn’t even know I needed.
I tuck my phone into my apron pocket and take one last look around the café. The scent of fresh pastries, warm espresso, and sugar fills the air. The glass displays sparkle under the morning light. It’s exactly how I imagined it—and somehow, even better.
My family is the first to arrive before the doors open, all in their Beanstalk shirts. Our employee designs all have a beanstalk with butterflies and fairies on the back with their names on the front left pocket.
I love my family something fierce, and they're showing up on such a big day means the world to me. However, I have no time to get sentimental, so I simply say, “Alright, let’s get this show on the road!”
By the fourth hour after opening, we have completely sold out of 80 percent of our baked goods and breakfast items.
But I can’t shake the feeling that something’s missing. Someone’s missing. I’m halfway through serving a latte to a customer when I look up and see him.
Gabriel walks into the café, looking impossibly handsome. I freeze for a moment, but then I see the glint in his eyes as he spots me.
“Hey Bumper,” he says with a smirk, “So I’ve never been here before. What do you recommend?”
I roll my eyes, playing along. “Are you serious? You’ve probably tried every drink on the menu already.”
Just as I am about to make a sarcastic comeback, my mom swoops in, completely oblivious to the tension between Gabriel and me.
“Millie, darling, we are out of cinnamon rolls,” she says. “Do you want me to… Oh, I’m sorry. Am I interrupting something?”
I feel my face flush as Gabriel laughs and introduces himself to my mother.
“Nope,” he says, “You weren’t interrupting anything, Mrs. Feely. Millie was just about to recommend a drink.”
I can feel my stomach flip as I watch them interact. How am I going to survive the rest of this opening day when I know Gabriel is here, looking at me like that?
Trying to push the feelings aside, I walk behind the counter, instructing one of my baristas to handle Gabriel’s order—and, just for fun, I put it on the house.
Just a little spite, because he’s definitely messing with my head.
But when I glance over and see him sitting by the window, baby Aura in his arms, sunlight casting a soft halo around them—I know I’m screwed.
Because no matter how much I try to act cool or pretend I’m in control of this situation… my heart has already decided.
And it’s him.