Page 66 of It's a Brewtiful Day
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know. Alice never said anything.”
“Well, now you do.”
“I’m sorry.” Her voice was soft and genuinely apologetic. “I know you liked him.”
“Yeah, I did, but it was over before it started.”
We drove in silence the rest of the way backto the town and I parked out in front of the Coffee Loft. The lights were low and the sign hanging on the door said ‘Closed’, but just beyond, Elliot was walking around with his phone pressed to his ear. We waited until he pocketed it before getting out of the car.
“I’m really sorry,” Cassie said once more and patted my arm while we stood in front of the shop.
A heavy sigh rolled out, filling the space with doom. “Let’s get this over with.”
I knocked on the door and Elliot’s head snapped over in our direction. With a quick step to his pace, he dashed over and unlocked the door for us.
It was brief, but he looked quickly at my sister before focusing on me with a smile I could only describe as one mixed with confusing charm. “What brings you two by?”
Taking the lead, I pushed past but kept a respectable distance from Elliot. Even so, it was hard to be breathing the same air as him, especially when his breezy cologne tickled my nose and stirred up memories of being held snuggled against his chest with my nose in the crook of his neck.
I cleared my throat and turned away, only to spot Alice sitting in my chair, tucked into the corner. Curious, I tipped my head while staring at her, but spoke to Elliot. “A service trip for Nina. Molly flaked out on you?”
“Yeah.” He stepped back and wandered over to the counter. “Alice was hanging out with me for abit and literally just offered to drive them over as she’s meeting someone there, and when I called Nina to let her know, she said someone was already on their way over. That must be you?”
“I suppose.” I turned and glared at Cassie, who shrugged like she had no idea what was going on. “Where are the carafes?”
“By the door.”
Needing to see for myself, I turned, unsure as to how I missed them.
“I can carry them out. They’re kind of heavy.” Elliot walked to the door and lifted the first with such ease, I figured it was empty.
“I’ll get the door,” she said, running to hold it open.
I snuck out behind them and opened the back door of the car. “Figure they’ll be safe?”
“Should be.” Elliot manoeuvred the giant carafe into the middle. “Should I seatbelt them in, just in case?”
“If you saw the way she drove here, you would.” Leave it to Cassie to make a joke about my driving.
For the record, I didn’t go a kilometer above the speed limit.
The middle seat belt clicked into place, and I followed Elliot back into the store for us to repeat the same steps with carafe number two.
When that was buckled in, he wiped his hands on his apron. “All good.”
“Nope.” I raised my hand, remembering what else we still needed. “She needs a couple of rolls of loonies and toonies, and another bin of cookies.”
“Oh, right. Give me a sec.”
Cassie and Alice stood by the door, chatting excitedly in hushed voices, but neither made a move as Elliot headed to Nina’s office. Alice was showing something on her phone as Cassie placed a hand over her heart.
Leaving them behind, I steeled myself and stood at the door of Nina’s office as he went in and behind her desk.
Scanning the space, maybe to see if there would’ve been something that could’ve helped us out that night, I spied the book tree I’d made for him. It was on the shelf beside the desk.
Elliot crouched down on the desk chair and distinct beeping sounds came from under her desk. A moment later he rose with four rolls of coins. “Here you go.”
They were heavy in my hands, but not as heavy as the expression on Elliot’s face. It was hard to read, but there was a little concern, a shimmer of sadness, and still all swirling that same charming grin which sent a swirl of butterflies swooping and swirling in the deepest parts of my stomach.