Page 9 of Mountain Bean Dream
As sweet as that was, I knew it wouldn’t happen.
“At least hang a sign up on the bulletin board on the wall for when you’re playing next. I’m sure others would love to hear you play.” He tossed his gaze over to the wall full of coffee cup decorated push pins holding slips of paper in place. “Sage and I have our tickets for tomorrow night, and we’re super excited. I know others would love to attend too.”
“Uh, that’s great.” I swallowed, wishing I didn’t know that. “Thanks.”
Tomorrow night was our dress rehearsal for the fundraiser next weekend and the few tickets made available to the general public had been sold. I just didn’t know that my boss had purchased a pair, and thinking how he’d be in the audience listening and watching, only ratcheted my nerves even more.
Another customer waltzed in, and thankfully, that conversation was over. Why I’d started humming along in the first place was beyond me, and something I vowed to stop.
The morning ran smoothly. Elliot and I, and the newest employee Annie, were a solid team, efficiently moving like a well-choregraphed dance troupe to the musical sounds of hissing machines and bean grinders.
In fact, when I glanced back at the clock, it was already ten-thirty, andMr.-I-could-set-my-watch-by-his-appearancehad yet to arrive. Jeremy was fifteen minutes late. I hoped nothing was wrong.
Just as I was about to put out an APB on his whereabouts and start poking my head out to search the sidewalks, the door opened and in he breezed like a leaf in the storm with disheveled looks to match. It was rare to see him without his ball cap away from the motel, but I had to admit, it gave him a certain charming appeal.
“Good morning, Jeremy.” I didn’t realize how tightly my shoulders were wound until they sank at the sight of him—late, yes, but here. Why did it matter? It didn’t. Nope, not one bit.
He greeted me with a nod, but no smile. Always so serious.
I leaned slightly closer to him, wrapping my hands around the iPad, ready to type in his order. “The usual? Or would you like to try something a little different for a Friday morning?” I almost addedsince you being late is unusualbut I held back.
What would I have recommended if he said yes? Maybe the Never Bean Kissed?
Jeremy inhaled sharply but kept his voice low. “The usual.” He pulled out his wallet from the inside pocket of his beige jacket; he was one of the rare ones that still used cash. “Please.”
I flicked my gaze to the mug wall to see if his preference was there, and a sweet sigh rolled out that it was. He loved the Snoopy and Woodstock cup. “One flat white with whole milk and a pump of hazelnut.” I typed it in, but we really should’ve had abutton that said ‘Jeremy’ on it. It would’ve saved us time. “Same with the chocolate knot?”
A change from the usual lack of eye contact, he nodded and allowed me to glimpse his gaze until it became too much when he softly lowered his focus so I couldn’t admire the two different colours. Did he hate it when people made direct eye contact? Maybe I should’ve stared at the deep vee forming in his brows instead.
“Sorry,” I said, tucking my chin in. I gave him the total, took his cash, and handed the change back. He promptly dropped it into the tip jar. “Just give me a minute to get that prepped for you. I’ll make it extra special so you’ll love it a latte.”
From beside me, Elliot gave a slight chuckle as he pulled out the second last chocolate knot from the display case and set it on a plate. Didn’t he ever grow tired of hearing the puns?
“Thanks,” Jeremy said with a slow drawl.
I stepped to the machine and began preparing the perfect flat white. After I poured the milk into the stainless-steel measuring cup, Jeremy cleared his throat and I looked up.
“Laundry is fixed.”
“Oh, great.” A smile bubbled on my lips. “That’s fantastic. Thank you.” And I meant it. It was much easier to have the washing machines two doors away than to haul everything into the laundromat and spend a couple of hours just sitting there, waiting patiently as I stared out onto one of the bustling streets in town.
I finished up his flat white and added a fun foam art of a maple leaf—my specialty. It took me a long time practising it, but it was looking more and more like my vision.
“For you.” I set the mug down at the same time as he grabbed it, his rough fingertips brushing against the top of mine. “Enjoy.”
“Nice one.” He pointed at the foam maple leaf.
With a steady head bob, he lifted his mug and took his plate over to his spot which was currently occupied. He stood there for a heartbeat, as if contemplating what to do next, and with sagged shoulders sat at the table next to his usual spot. That table was more in the middle of the space, and if he was anything like me, it made a person feel more exposed. His typical spot was the table closest to the wall and if he pushed his chair out just enough, it would make anyone uncomfortable to walk behind it. That was me too. Personally, I loved my back to a wall with a captain’s view of everything around me. It rattled my feathers when people could walk behind me while I was sitting.
As I continued serving customers, I kept a side eye on Jeremy. He was late, he couldn’t sit in his usual spot and he generally seemed unsettled. However, before I could circulate and clean tables (and answer any random crossword puzzle clues), he chugged back the rest of his coffee, wiped his mouth and rose, depositing his mug and empty plate on the counter in front of me.
“Thank you,” he said slowly, almost like he was out of breath. “The best part of my day. Mocha me another one of these tomorrow?”
“I can’t espresso how much I’ll enjoy that,” I shot back, trying not to grin at his uncharacteristic attempt. “See you later.”
I watched him leave, his shoulders tense, his stride uneven, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that for once, I wasn’t the only one carrying a storm inside.
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