Jen looked at him wide-eyed. Then her face broke into a huge grin. “I told you!” Her eyes sparkled as she addressed her fellow employees. “He’s right. It tastes like swill.”
Swill? Fairly certain he’d never used that word in his life, Alex sighed and turned away from the counter. The women around him continued to regard him with interest, but he focused on marking his path to the door. He was almost there when Daphne walked through.
“Oh, hi Alex.”
“Daphne.”
She took in the crowd with a smile. “So, are you helping to plan one of the Christmas bazaars in town?”
So that’s what was happening. His business instinct applauded whomever encouraged the women to have their meeting at the shop. His personal instinct was still trying to propel his smelly self out the door.
“Pretty much just trying to escape.”
She laughed, taking in his running clothes. “Definitely more casual today, but nobody here is complaining.” She smiled at a woman behind him. “Want me to get Grace for you? She’s probably in the office.”
Alex finally gave up on breaking free. “I’ll just head back with you, if that’s okay.”
Daphne grinned. “Sure. Come on back.”
“I didn’t think it would be so crowded,” Alex said as they navigated through the tables. “I just thought I’d grab a quick cup of coffee, not …” he paused, uncertain how to finish.
Daphne laughed. “Not be so overwhelmingly outnumbered?” She opened the door to the office and peeked in.
“Looks like she’s on the phone. Wait here and I’ll get you a cup of coffee.”
“I’m good,” Alex assured her as she made her way behind the counter.
“You sure?” she asked, grabbing an apron and tying it on. One of the other baristas called to her, and Alex was happy not to have to make his refusal any more emphatic.
The back of the store was less crowded, so he sat down in one of the booths to wait for Grace. With a little more room to think, he evaluated the space. The women at the front of the store had begun to settle in small groups, pushing tables together where necessary to accommodate their meeting. One woman stood by the front door and addressed the group. Alex tuned out the specifics but considered how voices carried as the meeting began, acknowledging that the acoustics in the old building weren’t bad for the purpose.
He took in the rear third of the room, considering how Grace might lure the male population of the town into her store. He guessed that they were less likely to go for the diverse coffee drinks, but acknowledged that he could be wrong. Just because his tastes ran simpler, didn’t mean the men of Clairmont didn’t enjoy the variety. Still, in the week that he’d been visiting the shop, the male customer base was definitely lacking. He wondered if Grace had done any sort of statistical analysis of her customers since she’d opened shop.
“Excuse me. Can I join you for a minute?”
Alex looked up to see a very striking blonde woman addressing him. He hadn’t noticed her when he walked in, but then, he’d made a concerted effort not to make eye contact with anyone.
“Certainly.” He half stood as she settled down across from him.
“Oh, don’t get up. I’ll just be a minute.” She relaxed into her seat in a way that suggested that she wasn’t in a rush.
Alex, his mind still in work mode, found it easier than usual to offer her a professional smile. Words, however, were not forthcoming.
That was okay, because his new friend had plenty of them.
“I’m Becky. Hi.” She extended a graceful hand.
“Alex,” he replied, shaking it.
“Hi Alex.” She smiled a breathtaking smile. “So, the women over there, and there, and there,” she pointed, “were all wondering … well, they want to know who you are.”
Alex raised an eyebrow.
“I was elected to come over and find out.”
This is a small town. “You’re part of the church Christmas bazaar planning
Swill? Fairly certain he’d never used that word in his life, Alex sighed and turned away from the counter. The women around him continued to regard him with interest, but he focused on marking his path to the door. He was almost there when Daphne walked through.
“Oh, hi Alex.”
“Daphne.”
She took in the crowd with a smile. “So, are you helping to plan one of the Christmas bazaars in town?”
So that’s what was happening. His business instinct applauded whomever encouraged the women to have their meeting at the shop. His personal instinct was still trying to propel his smelly self out the door.
“Pretty much just trying to escape.”
She laughed, taking in his running clothes. “Definitely more casual today, but nobody here is complaining.” She smiled at a woman behind him. “Want me to get Grace for you? She’s probably in the office.”
Alex finally gave up on breaking free. “I’ll just head back with you, if that’s okay.”
Daphne grinned. “Sure. Come on back.”
“I didn’t think it would be so crowded,” Alex said as they navigated through the tables. “I just thought I’d grab a quick cup of coffee, not …” he paused, uncertain how to finish.
Daphne laughed. “Not be so overwhelmingly outnumbered?” She opened the door to the office and peeked in.
“Looks like she’s on the phone. Wait here and I’ll get you a cup of coffee.”
“I’m good,” Alex assured her as she made her way behind the counter.
“You sure?” she asked, grabbing an apron and tying it on. One of the other baristas called to her, and Alex was happy not to have to make his refusal any more emphatic.
The back of the store was less crowded, so he sat down in one of the booths to wait for Grace. With a little more room to think, he evaluated the space. The women at the front of the store had begun to settle in small groups, pushing tables together where necessary to accommodate their meeting. One woman stood by the front door and addressed the group. Alex tuned out the specifics but considered how voices carried as the meeting began, acknowledging that the acoustics in the old building weren’t bad for the purpose.
He took in the rear third of the room, considering how Grace might lure the male population of the town into her store. He guessed that they were less likely to go for the diverse coffee drinks, but acknowledged that he could be wrong. Just because his tastes ran simpler, didn’t mean the men of Clairmont didn’t enjoy the variety. Still, in the week that he’d been visiting the shop, the male customer base was definitely lacking. He wondered if Grace had done any sort of statistical analysis of her customers since she’d opened shop.
“Excuse me. Can I join you for a minute?”
Alex looked up to see a very striking blonde woman addressing him. He hadn’t noticed her when he walked in, but then, he’d made a concerted effort not to make eye contact with anyone.
“Certainly.” He half stood as she settled down across from him.
“Oh, don’t get up. I’ll just be a minute.” She relaxed into her seat in a way that suggested that she wasn’t in a rush.
Alex, his mind still in work mode, found it easier than usual to offer her a professional smile. Words, however, were not forthcoming.
That was okay, because his new friend had plenty of them.
“I’m Becky. Hi.” She extended a graceful hand.
“Alex,” he replied, shaking it.
“Hi Alex.” She smiled a breathtaking smile. “So, the women over there, and there, and there,” she pointed, “were all wondering … well, they want to know who you are.”
Alex raised an eyebrow.
“I was elected to come over and find out.”
This is a small town. “You’re part of the church Christmas bazaar planning
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