Page 33 of Living La Vida Mocha
My mind started reeling with ideas and possibilities, but before I let it spiral out of control, I closed out of the app and put my phone face down. Stanley didn’t hire me for marketing, he hired me for workshop assistance. That had to be my focus.
Nina danced her way over, tray held high in her left arm, and stopped at my table.
I gave her my best smile. “Hey, is there a library in town?”
“Of course. You’ll find it nearer the highway on Palisade Drive. It’s beside the hospital, I think.” It sounded like neither was a place she frequently visited.
“Thanks.”
“You were here a lot not too long ago, and then you stopped. You new in town or something?” She tucked the tray under her arm exposing a tattoo on the underside before it was hidden from view.
I centered the donut in front of me and pushed the mug off to the side. “Just moved here.”
No need to elaborate on howjustthat was.
“Figured as much. Welcome. Where ya ‘riginally from?”
“Red Deer.”
“Hole in the wall, that place is.” She shook her head, and I swore the colours in it almost seemed to shimmer and change. “I couldn’t wait to escape the madness. What a bunch of po-dunks.”
“It’s not that bad.”
And it wasn’t. I liked how centrally located it was. One hundred and three minutes north and I was in the capital city. Ninety-six minutes south and I was in the heart of Calgary. Plus, the mountains were less than two hours west of Red Deer. What wasn’t to love?
“The job market isn’t hot right now, ‘specially here, so here’s hoping ya can telecommute? But the people, like, they’re really great and friendly. That’s the reason I hang around.”
“Thanks. I look forward to meeting more locals.”
“You ought to come to the Tree Lighting ceremony on December 1. The whole dang town shuts down, aside from a few specific places, and we all gather at the town square. It’s nifty. Tree lighting. Figure skating. All the hot cocoa you can drink. Truly, y’all, it’s the best way to kick off the holidays.” She was practically jumping from foot to foot.
Carter re-entered the shop and stomped his feet by the door – I hadn’t even noticed he’d left. Scanning the place, he locked eyes with me, gave me a friendly wave, and disappeared down the hall. Dang, he looked first-rate as always, like he’d just stepped away from a photo shoot.
I tried giving my attention back to Nina. “When’s that, the tree burning thing?”
“Treelighting, and it’s on the first.” She wiggled while standing on the spot while I mentally face-palmed myself because when she said it, it hit me how she alreadyhadsaid when it was. And I was paying attention until Carter entered. “I think like around seven or something? I can look it up for you, if you’d like.”
“Oh no, I won’t trouble you. I’m sure I can search it out.”
If the whole town shut down, surely there’d be signs. Maybe my new boss would have information on it as well.
“It’s great. You’ll love it. I met my true love there under the stars two years ago.”
“That’s sweet.”
With the words hanging in the air, she read the space correctly and spun on her heels. Ten points to her. “If there’s anything else I can grab for ya, holler, mkay?”
“Will do.”
A few minutes after she’d left, I crashed in the wake of her sugar rush. Nina was a sweetheart. An effervescent soul. The world needed more of her.
Flipping open my favourite reading app, I scrolled through until I landed on my favourite Katie O’Connor novel. It was a comfort read, and one I’d read at least three times over the past year. I was just getting to the juicy part when a voice greeted me.
“To what do I owe this brew-tiful surprise?”
Despite the fact I wanted to see him, I just couldn’t control the words shooting out of my mouth. I cocked an eyebrow, ignoring his pun. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t the disappearing man.”
“Says the one who hasn’t graced my doorway in a couple of weeks.”