Chapter 4 #2
Gingerly turning, she took in the scene.
It was the coffee cart she’d backed up into, and she’d made a good job of it too if the broken coffee cups on the ground surrounding her were anything to go by.
A man wearing a burgundy apron rushed out of the cart before taking her elbow as he led her towards a nearby bench.
Lowering herself to the cold and slightly damp seat, she held her hands up in front of her, palms forward.
‘I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. Well, I wasn’t, I was just…’
‘It’s okay. No real harm done.’ He lowered himself onto the bench beside her before continuing. ‘If you’re okay, that is. Are you hurt?’
She looked back towards his coffee cart.
No real harm done? Judging by the mess on the ground in front of it, she must have broken at least ten coffee cups.
Her first full day in the village and she was already messing up.
At this rate, the scary village mayoress Laura had spoken about would be running her out of Meadowfield before she had time to unfold the awning on her camper.
‘I’ve made such a mess. I’ll pay for the breakages.
I’m so sorry. I should have looked where I was going instead of…
’ She shook her head. What had she been thinking?
Nothing, that’s what. She’d been so engrossed in sketching the tree she’d disappeared into her own little world, as she often did when she drew.
‘Honestly, it’s nothing. I’ve had worse. You should have seen the chaos the village sheep caused when she got into the cart last year.’ The man chuckled.
Village sheep? She shuddered. She loved animals, but sheep…
Well, she’d be happy to never encounter one again.
Blinking, she turned to face him and looked at him properly for the first time since she’d almost destroyed his living.
He was younger than she’d first envisioned.
In his mid to late thirties, about her age, or so she’d guess.
His dark eyes were framed with laughter lines which crinkled as he smiled, and his dark hair was… ‘Village sheep?’
‘Ah, I’m guessing you’re new here?’ He chuckled again, seemingly forgetting he’d just lost ten or so coffee cups a few moments earlier.
‘Yes. Is it that obvious?’ Perhaps the locals were all gifted with a little more spatial awareness than her.
He shrugged, the smile still stuck to his face. ‘I don’t think there’s a villager who didn’t miss out on the runaway sheep’s antics. Whether it was eating Mrs Price’s beloved begonias or rifling through shopping left on the doorstep or knocking ladders down.’
‘Oh.’ She fixed her gaze back on the coffee cart.
She did remember something about a sheep.
Something about it at Laura and Jackson’s wedding, but she couldn’t quite remember.
She’d spent all her energy that day just keeping a smile in place and appearing as though her life hadn’t just been turned upside down that much of the celebrations had gone over her head.
‘Anyway, let me get you a drink. For the shock. Latte, flat white, espresso?’ Placing his hands on his knees, he pushed himself to standing while he waited for her to answer.
At the mere mention of the word espresso, Scarlett’s head began to pound, reminding her once again of the lack of caffeine running through her veins. Standing up, she brushed her skirt down. ‘I can’t possibly ask you for a drink. Not after what I’ve done.’
‘Of course you can.’ He smiled kindly as they made their way back towards the coffee cart. ‘Besides, you’re not asking. I’m offering.’
She couldn’t help but mirror his smile. His energy was contagious.
Perhaps this was what village life was like, people being nice just for the sake of it.
She was sure if she’d done the same in the middle of a shopping mall back home she’d have been left holding a bill for the breakages and warding off a berating rather than being made a drink.
Was this kind and caring village community what had made Laura decide to settle here? ‘I’d love an espresso then, please?’
‘Coming right up.’ He disappeared inside his coffee cart.
Placing her hands on her hips, Scarlett surveyed the mess in front of her.
Her lack of coordination had destroyed more than just coffee cups; coffee beans also spilled across the ground, their dark shade starkly contrasting with the broken shards of white ceramic.
Bending down, she began gathering the pieces.
Why hadn’t she turned and looked where she was going?
She’d seen the food van and coffee cart before she’d started sketching; it wasn’t as though the guy had just sped onto the green, unhooked the cart from the back of his car and taken up residence behind her back.
‘Oh, don’t worry about that, I’ve got a dustpan and brush which will have that cleared in no time.’ Reappearing, the man held out a small cup.
Standing up again, she took the cup from him and gave a short laugh. ‘Thank you. At least I didn’t break the espresso cups, I guess.’
‘Now that would have been a tragedy.’ He grinned before disappearing inside again.
Taking a sip of her espresso, she felt herself relax a little as the bitter flavour hit her taste buds.
That, you couldn’t beat, and that was one good espresso.
Placing the cup on the counter, she crouched down again.
Yes, he’d said he had a dustpan and brush, but she couldn’t very well just stand there sipping his goods when she’d taken out his profits.
She picked up a larger shard of cup before recoiling and dropping it again. ‘Ouch!’
‘Have you hurt yourself?’ Kneeling beside her, dustpan and brush in one hand, he held out the other toward her.
She looked down at her thumb, where blood trickled from a little gash. ‘It’s nothing. Thanks. Just a scratch.’
‘Are you sure?’ Standing back up again, he picked up her espresso cup and held it out to her. ‘Honestly, this will only take me a couple of minutes.’
‘Okay, thanks.’ Reluctantly, she took the drink again. Why was he being so nice? She wasn’t sure she’d have the same patience with someone who had just done the same to her. Still, she was grateful for the caffeine. And the lack of blame. ‘I’ll pay for the breakages.’
‘It’s fine. I can always claim on my insurance.
In fact, I’ve not made a claim since starting this gig, so it’ll feel good to get some of my money back.
’ Standing up, the dustpan full of coffee beans and shards of ceramic, he nodded towards her thumb.
‘I’ve got a first-aid kit back there, give me a moment and I’ll grab it. ’
‘Oh, no. I’m fine, thanks. It’s barely more than a paper cut, and besides, I don’t want to take up any more of your time.
’ She glanced across at a couple walking towards them.
‘In fact, it looks as though you have customers, so I’m going to get out of your hair, but thank you again for being so kind, and for the espresso.
’ Tipping the small cup up, she downed the rest of the drink before placing it carefully on the counter and hurrying away before she could do any more damage to the kind man’s business or to herself.