Read Online High Plains Hearts by Janet Spaeth - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Janet Spaeth
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sure did make for a striking building,” he explained.
The interior picked up the same color themes, pink and gray, she noted as her eyes began the slow adjustment to the dimmed lights after the bright sunlit glitter of the snow outside.
And there she was. Faith. Looking just as zany and happy as she had in Angel’s Roost. Tess was relieved to see she wasn’t holding a sign advertising “World’s Most Heavenly Coffee.”
He hadn’t lied when he said Panda’s had a place for her. In a little sheltered alcove off to the side of the entrance, she held court. Her nook was lined with pink and green flowered tiles that matched the colors in her face and dress exactly.
And below it, a discreet card with carefully written letters done in a flowing calligraphic hand that said merely “Angel’s Roost” and her address.
“Oh, you didn’t have to do that,” she protested. “You own her.”
“As much as one can, I guess. We had the card made, and I’m glad we did because we get many comments on the angel and questions about where we found her. Having the card there frees up my staff from those endless questions about where we got her, are there others like her, what kinds of things are at Angel’s Roost, and on and on.”
“I wish!”
“Truly Faith has generated a sizable interest since she arrived. We’re delighted she’s here.”
She walked over and straightened Faith’s halo, which was once again tilted. “I miss the old girl,” she said. “And I think Cora does, too. She used to wrap around Faith when the late-morning sun poured in through the window and take her morning snooze. Now she just sprawls in the space.”
“Maybe she’s enjoying having it all to herself,” he suggested.
“Who knows what Cora thinks? Her mind doesn’t operate the same way mine does, that’s for sure. I think her brain operates mainly on a need basis: ‘I need food; I need a nap.’ ”
He led her back through the dining area. Most of the seats and booths were filled. Mixed in with the college crowd were families, people on their breaks from work, and some older women sharing a chocolate concoction that looked as if it had a week’s worth of calories.
As they went through the swinging doors into the kitchen area, a tall, gangly young man stopped Jake. “Dude, I’ve got five finals this week. I cannot believe it. Cannot. So I’ve got to, like, cut back on my hours this week. Majorly. Is that cool?”
Tess bit her lip to avoid laughing. This youth was obviously the same one who had told Jake, “Your big machine has gone blooey.” Jake had nailed the student’s inflections down to the very last detail.
She glanced around while Jake and Todd, as his name turned out to be, hammered out the workweek schedule. The kitchen was spotless. Chrome and glass gleamed. The cups were neatly aligned inside glass-fronted cupboards, and the countertops sparkled like those on television advertisements.
“So what do you think?” Jake asked, rejoining her after having finished talking with Todd.
“Is it always this clean and shiny back here?”
“Todd. He is an absolute clean freak so I let him sanitize his little heart out. Panda’s always earns top ratings by the health department, and I value that highly.”
She nodded. She’d seen the scores published in the newspaper, and it always made her cringe when one of her favorite eateries was given a low mark.
He led her to a large barrel-shaped machine. “This baby is the roaster. I’m the only shop in town that has one of these. It used to be that if you offered freshly ground coffee, you were on the cutting edge. That’s old news. Now people are discovering how rich and tasty freshly roasted coffee is, and that’s one of my major attractions here—besides Faith, of course.”
“Of course,” she murmured.
She walked around the impressive machine. “Is it fixed now?”
“Yes. Cost me an arm and a leg. I had to fly the certified repairman in, but it was
The interior picked up the same color themes, pink and gray, she noted as her eyes began the slow adjustment to the dimmed lights after the bright sunlit glitter of the snow outside.
And there she was. Faith. Looking just as zany and happy as she had in Angel’s Roost. Tess was relieved to see she wasn’t holding a sign advertising “World’s Most Heavenly Coffee.”
He hadn’t lied when he said Panda’s had a place for her. In a little sheltered alcove off to the side of the entrance, she held court. Her nook was lined with pink and green flowered tiles that matched the colors in her face and dress exactly.
And below it, a discreet card with carefully written letters done in a flowing calligraphic hand that said merely “Angel’s Roost” and her address.
“Oh, you didn’t have to do that,” she protested. “You own her.”
“As much as one can, I guess. We had the card made, and I’m glad we did because we get many comments on the angel and questions about where we found her. Having the card there frees up my staff from those endless questions about where we got her, are there others like her, what kinds of things are at Angel’s Roost, and on and on.”
“I wish!”
“Truly Faith has generated a sizable interest since she arrived. We’re delighted she’s here.”
She walked over and straightened Faith’s halo, which was once again tilted. “I miss the old girl,” she said. “And I think Cora does, too. She used to wrap around Faith when the late-morning sun poured in through the window and take her morning snooze. Now she just sprawls in the space.”
“Maybe she’s enjoying having it all to herself,” he suggested.
“Who knows what Cora thinks? Her mind doesn’t operate the same way mine does, that’s for sure. I think her brain operates mainly on a need basis: ‘I need food; I need a nap.’ ”
He led her back through the dining area. Most of the seats and booths were filled. Mixed in with the college crowd were families, people on their breaks from work, and some older women sharing a chocolate concoction that looked as if it had a week’s worth of calories.
As they went through the swinging doors into the kitchen area, a tall, gangly young man stopped Jake. “Dude, I’ve got five finals this week. I cannot believe it. Cannot. So I’ve got to, like, cut back on my hours this week. Majorly. Is that cool?”
Tess bit her lip to avoid laughing. This youth was obviously the same one who had told Jake, “Your big machine has gone blooey.” Jake had nailed the student’s inflections down to the very last detail.
She glanced around while Jake and Todd, as his name turned out to be, hammered out the workweek schedule. The kitchen was spotless. Chrome and glass gleamed. The cups were neatly aligned inside glass-fronted cupboards, and the countertops sparkled like those on television advertisements.
“So what do you think?” Jake asked, rejoining her after having finished talking with Todd.
“Is it always this clean and shiny back here?”
“Todd. He is an absolute clean freak so I let him sanitize his little heart out. Panda’s always earns top ratings by the health department, and I value that highly.”
She nodded. She’d seen the scores published in the newspaper, and it always made her cringe when one of her favorite eateries was given a low mark.
He led her to a large barrel-shaped machine. “This baby is the roaster. I’m the only shop in town that has one of these. It used to be that if you offered freshly ground coffee, you were on the cutting edge. That’s old news. Now people are discovering how rich and tasty freshly roasted coffee is, and that’s one of my major attractions here—besides Faith, of course.”
“Of course,” she murmured.
She walked around the impressive machine. “Is it fixed now?”
“Yes. Cost me an arm and a leg. I had to fly the certified repairman in, but it was
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