3. Tasha
CHAPTER 3
Tasha
June
I breathed in the aroma of my pumpkin spice flavored coffee, letting the steam warm my face and penetrate my pores. A few years ago, I’d changed up the ingredients for max health benefits—for me—and minimum digestive issues. I mixed my own blend of spices, subbed out the two-percent milk for oat milk, and nixed the pumpkin puree and whipped cream.
Three more minutes until I’d unlock the front door to the Coffee Loft and turn the sign to “Open.” I liked these early morning shifts. Setup was quiet enough that I could visualize my day, and once we opened the door, the steady stream of customers kept me busy until it was time to go to the high school to coach the varsity squad. School was out for the summer, but my job wasn’t done. We had tryouts and fundraising, cheer clinics, camp, plus new routines to plan—it was never-ending .
Having three jobs could be tedious at times, but it paid the bills.
And I had a lot of bills.
I pushed that unpleasant thought out of my brain and thought of Monty’s Nana Booboo instead. Never one to follow rules, especially when caffeine or treats were concerned, she’d been the one who’d gotten me hooked on my favorite beverage, having handed me hers during a water break at a hard practice when I was eight. I’d fallen several times already that day, having hardly slept the night before due to a stomachache. She’d told me to take a sip, and I did. Then another and another before she could pry it out of my hands. It was the caffeine jolt I’d needed, and the three sips became a before-practice ritual every fall until I could buy my own Lofty-size pumpkin spice latte.
Co-coaching with Monty had been going well, so far. As he’d suggested, we brought back our old Good Coach/Bad Coach shtick, and everything was coming together.
“It’s time!” my cousin Gabby called out from behind the counter. Riva, the owners’ yellow Lab therapy dog trainee, trotted out to join me on my walk to the door. The pup loved to greet guests and had a little doghouse built into the counter.
I set my Coffee Loft branded travel mug down and opened the door, peering up and down Main Street to see if any of the regulars were heading our way. The street was unusually quiet for a Monday. I shrugged and pulled my head back inside, closing the door behind me.
“No one’s here yet, Riva.” I picked up my coffee and bent down to pet the pup with my free hand. We crossed the store and split off, Riva disappearing into the recessed doghouse, and I joined Gabby and the owner, Jannell, behind the counter.
I loved this place: the aroma of the beans, the sugary sweetness of the treats, the bustle of locals in and out, and the new second level, an actual loft accessible by a spiral iron staircase in the center of the café. Cozy reading areas and tables provided the best atmosphere for losing oneself in a book or playing board games with friends.
In the front of the store, two large bay windows sandwiched the old saloon-style entrance. A seating area with small sofas created a comfy space by one of the windows, and on the other side, small round tables and upholstered chairs gave a cozy feel. Along the side wall opposite my station, the original mahogany bar was now lined with barstools and served as workstations. The rest of the first floor had your standard tables and chairs to seat the max capacity.
Customers began to arrive, and we fell into the familiar morning rhythm of taking and filling their orders. My sister, Penny, arrived just before one o’clock. She used to work here full-time before she married her hockey player husband. Living with Xavier erased all her bills and gave her time to focus on her music studies and harp playing.
Gabby had cut her shifts as well. She was engaged to Noel Allaire, one of Xavier’s teammates, and both she and Penny had been busy supporting their guys during the playoffs.
It was rare that the three of us had a shift together anymore, and I had a feeling come next season both of them would quit entirely. Gabby and Noel were getting married later this month when hockey ended. Why would she work here if she didn’t have to? At least Penny had a reason to come in; she made Xavier’s good-luck toffee coffee concoction before home games. He scored a goal every time.
During a brief lull, I refilled my coffee and snacked on a slice of Sunflower Bakery’s gluten-free bread. I had to be careful with my intake; the right amount of caffeine helped my systems to function. Too much would cause my IBS to flare. I also had celiac disease and dairy sensitivities. Lucky for me, Jannell kept the shelves stocked with treats I could eat and also decided pumpkin spice would be available year-round. Before that, I brought in my own coffee in the offseasons.
“One more day!” Gabby sang to Penny. “Are you packed for Miami?”
My ears perked up, and I suddenly became engrossed in my coffee. They were excited about their guys’ team making it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final, as they should be. They weren’t purposely trying to leave me out of the conversation. The series was tied 3-3, and Game 7 would be in Miami. All the significant others and their families were traveling there for this game.
“Mostly,” Penny said. “I’m glad to have you and Brenna to room and navigate with. It seems like a big ordeal.”
“Because it is a big ordeal. I just hope Noel will get some playtime. In Round 3 he was a healthy scratch every game, and he only got a handful of shifts in Game 4 this round.”
“I’m sure he will,” Penny assured her. “The coaches probably just wanted to make sure he didn’t get hurt. He’s only got one kidney, you know.”
Gabby laughed at Penny’s quip. “Yeah, I know.”
The bell over the door chimed. I tipped my chin up and sighed. Of course it’d be Monty .
He sauntered right up to my register. I set my coffee down and peeled myself from the back counter.
“Hey, Monty!” Gabby greeted him. “Are you going to Miami?”
“Hey, Gab. I am. Thanks to my extraordinary performance in Game 6 and Ridgie Number One’s broken bones and subsequent retirement, I have officially usurped the incumbent bear and achieved the position of Ridgie Number One.”
“That was epic, by the way,” Gabby praised. “I’m glad you’re coming. You can help me calm Penny’s nerves.”
Huh. She hadn’t suggested me to calm Penny’s nerves. I was Penny’s sister, for goodness’ sake. Why would she ask Monty and not me?
Oh, right. Because I wasn’t going.
Just another item on the list of Ways Gabby Annoys Tasha.
Whatever.
I tapped the tips of my short cheer-friendly nails on the counter as I waited for Monty to stop talking long enough to place his order. Finally, they finished gushing over the trip and he turned back to me.
“Key lime protein shake, please.”
My eyebrows lifted as I punched in the order. Like Gabby, Monty had always drunk iced chocolate since we were kids and still preferred it in the afternoons. But during one of our cheer competition trips to Orlando, he’d gotten hooked on a particular key lime and vanilla protein powder shake. He’d made a deal with the previous owners to have key limes shipped here after he decided the drink had everything to do with his best performance to date. “A little late in the day for your morning go-to,” I observed, adding a hint of sarcasm to my tone .
“I was with Nana,” he retorted. “Some things are more important than the time of day I drink my protein.”
My heart twinged. I softened my tone. “How’s she doing?” I asked as he tapped his credit card to the payment device.
“Fine.” He glanced over at Penny and Gabby. “Do you have a minute to talk in private?”
“Private?” I stepped back, surprised at his request.
He rolled his eyes. “You know, like me and you, alone. Where no one else can hear us talk.”
“I know what private means,” I shot back and flipped my ponytail over my shoulder. “I’m just surprised. We could talk at the gym. Why here, why now?”
He huffed. “Just—yes or no?” The impatient response was very un-Monty-like. I’d rarely seen him lose his cool.
“Fine. Follow me into the kitchen.” I turned and called out to Gabby to make his drink, telling her we’d be right back.
Monty followed me through the kitchen to the refrigerated room. I held the big heavy stainless-steel door until he was inside and slammed it shut behind me.
“That’s not locked, is it?” he asked, concern flashing across his features.
“Nope. The last place I want to be is locked in a freezing closet with you, ” I assured him.
“Same,” he drawled in his deepest register, but he was smiling.
Huh.
“So, why the clandestine meeting?” I crossed my arms and tapped my foot.
His gaze lowered to my sneaker. “I’ll make it quick. You have an extra bedroom. I need a place to stay while Nana’s house gets up to code so she can come home.”
My heart pounded in my chest. He couldn’t be serious. “I’m sorry, what? You want to move in with me?”
“I don’t want to,” he replied dryly. “But it makes sense. We can even carpool to practice.”
I shook my head. “Can’t you stay with your parents? Or with one of the guys? Penny and Xavier have a guest room.” Anywhere but my place.
“No. Nana specifically suggested you because she’ll know Parfait le Chat will be well cared for if I have to travel.”
I gaped at him. “And your cat, too?”
“Nana’s cat, officially,” he corrected. “My parents are pet-free. The guys all have their own pets or will be traveling for the summer. And Pen and Gab have enough going on to worry about caring for a pet.”
“And I don’t?” My voice rose at his implication that I wasn’t busy. “Three jobs, remember?”
He tipped his head back and sighed dramatically. “Name your fee.”
“My fee?”
“I’ll pay your rent all summer.”
“It’s already taken care of.” I didn’t have proof, but I was sure Xavier had paid the rent for the rest of the year when Penny moved out.
“I’ll pay you anyway.”
“Nope.”
“C’mon, Tasha. There must be something you want. And are you really prepared to turn me and Parfy out on the streets?”
“Pet-friendly hotels exist, you know. ”
He met my gaze and held it. I shivered. Darn near-freezing temp in this fridge.
Connections.
The word popped into my head, and I stewed over it. Monty now had access to guys my age that made big money. Big bankfuls of money that wouldn’t even be dented by my medical bills. Nice, hard-working guys who had good enough insurance they only had to work one job instead of three. Guys who appreciated eating healthy and weren’t averse to dating cheerleaders.
Surely, I could hit it off with one of them. Fall in love, get married, and relax for once in my life? I was more suited to being an athlete’s wife than my sister was. Penny didn’t even wear makeup, and her idea of styling her hair was braiding it.
“There is one thing…” I let the sentence trail off and narrowed my gaze, still locked on his.
“Name it.”
“I want to be your plus-one for all Edge-related events.” His eyes widened. “Don’t get excited.” I rushed to explain. “I want to date a hockey player. Help me get into their world. We can start with Gabby and Noel’s wedding.”
He didn’t speak for a minute. I waited as he pressed his lips together, chewed on the inside of his cheek, and squinted back at me.
“Deal.” He stuck out his hand. “Shake on it?”
I shook my head. “Didn’t mean anything the last time.”
His jaw dropped, and he pulled his hand back as if stung.
Good. I spun on my heel and stalked out of the fridge before he could invent an excuse or apologize or?—
I didn’t care. The past was the past.
It was time to plan my future.
A future where I didn’t have to work so hard to merely survive.