is that?” he said, voice neutral in tone, his hand quietly holding hers.
“I don’t know. You’re really handsome, you know that, and it’s just been my experience that your type moves on when it’s not so easy.”
He didn’t say anything. Irritation passed over his face again, and just as quickly was gone.
“Don’t get angry. I’m just being honest. I like you, like the way you banter with me, but I didn’t think it was more. You asked for the hook-up, remember? And I was really with you at first until my sisters arrived and I don’t know when or if I’ll be there again. That’s all I’m trying to say. Sorry if that didn’t come out right or if I hurt your feelings.”
“No, you’re good. It was a hookup request, my idea, and a good one, probably,” he said, smiling, squeezing her hand before he let it go.
“Good seeing you again, but I’d better get back. See you later,” she said, walking back to the counter.
“Yep,” he said to her departing back. “See you later.”
* * *
Second week in July
They entered the shop this morning on time, fourth time in a row. Yes! You go, girls, she thought. The girls no longer went to the office first, but handed their bags off to Piper at the door instead, waving to the customers they’d gotten to know. They were a family now.
Ken and Taylor went to the kitchen, washed their hands, and tied aprons around their waists. Today Taylor was helping at the counter; Ken would clean up and refill coffee for those customers sitting at the tables. They’d agreed to take turns with these two assignments.
Piper went to the office, put their bags away, booted up her computer, and walked back out and to the kitchen to wash up, watching her sisters confidently assisting her customers. They’d gone shopping last weekend in search of black clothes to wear to match the employee polos. They wanted to be official employees. She grabbed a purple apron from her stack, tied it around her waist, and walked to supervise.
“Good morning, Mr. Hugo,” Taylor said, perky and serious.
“Good morning, Taylor. I’ll be having my usual.”
“You’re off early this morning. Do you have to work a double?” she asked.
“Nope, the owners finally decided to hire some extra help,” he said.
“I see. So that will be just black coffee for you this morning?” she asked formally, like the butlers of old.
“Yes,” he said, trying to match her in gravity.
“Would you like any pastries to go with your coffee?”
“No thanks,” he said, watching her take his money and give him change. He placed a dollar in the tip jar. He’d handed his cup over to Piper, so it was filled and ready to go, her speed not hampered at all by her sister’s presence.
“Hello, Ms. Ellie. Non-fat latte for you this morning?”
“Yes, and you are doing such a great job, Taylor,” Ellie said, handing over her card which Taylor used slowly, while Piper looked on.
“Thank you,” Taylor said, and Piper smiled at Ellie, thanking her with her eyes for the patience she had showed her sisters over the past few weeks.
Piper looked up into the eyes of Joe and smiled. She hadn’t seen him in a while. She’d been busy with the girls, and his attendance had dropped off. He’d seemed different since they’d talked. He still teased her, but nowhere near as intensely as he used to. Guess he was moving on.
“What’s up? I haven’t seen you in a while,” she said.
“My work and your sisters,” he said with a smile.
She nodded in agreement. “Your usual?”
“Just coffee today,” he said.
Taylor had placed a cup under the dispenser and stood waiting for it to fill. He handed his card to Piper, who swiped it and handed it back, along with a copy of the receipt. Taylor handed him his order.
“Thanks,” he said, giving her his smile and turning away. He found a table toward the back and pulled out his laptop. He had a quick thirty minutes before heading on to Belton. He looked
“I don’t know. You’re really handsome, you know that, and it’s just been my experience that your type moves on when it’s not so easy.”
He didn’t say anything. Irritation passed over his face again, and just as quickly was gone.
“Don’t get angry. I’m just being honest. I like you, like the way you banter with me, but I didn’t think it was more. You asked for the hook-up, remember? And I was really with you at first until my sisters arrived and I don’t know when or if I’ll be there again. That’s all I’m trying to say. Sorry if that didn’t come out right or if I hurt your feelings.”
“No, you’re good. It was a hookup request, my idea, and a good one, probably,” he said, smiling, squeezing her hand before he let it go.
“Good seeing you again, but I’d better get back. See you later,” she said, walking back to the counter.
“Yep,” he said to her departing back. “See you later.”
* * *
Second week in July
They entered the shop this morning on time, fourth time in a row. Yes! You go, girls, she thought. The girls no longer went to the office first, but handed their bags off to Piper at the door instead, waving to the customers they’d gotten to know. They were a family now.
Ken and Taylor went to the kitchen, washed their hands, and tied aprons around their waists. Today Taylor was helping at the counter; Ken would clean up and refill coffee for those customers sitting at the tables. They’d agreed to take turns with these two assignments.
Piper went to the office, put their bags away, booted up her computer, and walked back out and to the kitchen to wash up, watching her sisters confidently assisting her customers. They’d gone shopping last weekend in search of black clothes to wear to match the employee polos. They wanted to be official employees. She grabbed a purple apron from her stack, tied it around her waist, and walked to supervise.
“Good morning, Mr. Hugo,” Taylor said, perky and serious.
“Good morning, Taylor. I’ll be having my usual.”
“You’re off early this morning. Do you have to work a double?” she asked.
“Nope, the owners finally decided to hire some extra help,” he said.
“I see. So that will be just black coffee for you this morning?” she asked formally, like the butlers of old.
“Yes,” he said, trying to match her in gravity.
“Would you like any pastries to go with your coffee?”
“No thanks,” he said, watching her take his money and give him change. He placed a dollar in the tip jar. He’d handed his cup over to Piper, so it was filled and ready to go, her speed not hampered at all by her sister’s presence.
“Hello, Ms. Ellie. Non-fat latte for you this morning?”
“Yes, and you are doing such a great job, Taylor,” Ellie said, handing over her card which Taylor used slowly, while Piper looked on.
“Thank you,” Taylor said, and Piper smiled at Ellie, thanking her with her eyes for the patience she had showed her sisters over the past few weeks.
Piper looked up into the eyes of Joe and smiled. She hadn’t seen him in a while. She’d been busy with the girls, and his attendance had dropped off. He’d seemed different since they’d talked. He still teased her, but nowhere near as intensely as he used to. Guess he was moving on.
“What’s up? I haven’t seen you in a while,” she said.
“My work and your sisters,” he said with a smile.
She nodded in agreement. “Your usual?”
“Just coffee today,” he said.
Taylor had placed a cup under the dispenser and stood waiting for it to fill. He handed his card to Piper, who swiped it and handed it back, along with a copy of the receipt. Taylor handed him his order.
“Thanks,” he said, giving her his smile and turning away. He found a table toward the back and pulled out his laptop. He had a quick thirty minutes before heading on to Belton. He looked
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