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Right now she was on her way to the café to relieve Summer for the afternoon shift. She would work five hours—five hours!—and that was it for the day; she’d still have an evening to herself.
That’s when the small-town California bliss soured a bit. She’d gone out to dinner or to listen to music a couple of times with members of her staff—Summer, Melinda and Dana. Chris had also become friendly with a middle-aged neighbor couple who adored Eva and who had invited her over for a backyard barbecue. She’d gone to a couple of movies by herself, had joined an exercise class, but she didn’t feel busy enough. As for the wild fling she’d decided to have, so far Gus had been the only serious candidate. That had gone nowhere on their first date, and the second had yet to happen. Most men she might have been interested in were customers, and as much as she’d have liked to drag a few of them behind the counter, that kind of thing was a risky business practice. To put it mildly.
If she was going to do something appropriate for what happens in California stays in California, she’d better get going soon. She and Eva were due to switch back in another week and a half.
Chris wrinkled her nose. When they’d decided to do this, a month had seemed to be a perfect amount of time. She hadn’t expected it to fly by this quickly. There was a lot about this place she would miss.
Slow Pour was about a quarter full, a few of the outside tables taken, and inside—still no Zac. He hadn’t been around for the past week. She’d actually wondered about him, hoped he wasn’t ill. He was annoying, but not evil. She wondered how he’d feel if he knew that Eva was all about Ames in New York. Eva and Zac had given each other blanket permission to go wherever their hearts took them until age thirty, but she’d always wondered if Zac was secretly in love with her sister and hurt by her affairs.
In that case, he was a wimp for not fighting harder to win her.
She pushed into the shop, loving the initial coffee-everywhere smell that met her nose, then bent down and pushed the rubber doorstop shaped like a wide-eyed kitten—really, Eva?—into place. Gorgeous air like this should be allowed everywhere.
“Hi, Chris.” Summer beamed, her abnormally white teeth glistening. Chris had gotten used to Summer’s warm enthusiasm for absolutely everything, and no longer wanted to dose her with something for it. At least most of the time.
“How’s the day been?”
“Not bad, just shy of seventy-five transactions.”
“Not bad.” She nodded approvingly, thinking there should be more. A glance around had her itching to simplify, get rid of the silly and useless things for sale, put in more tables, create a more efficient space, one that would encourage more people to choose Slow Pour for their morning jolt, and that would show tourists driving through Carmia that this was the perfect spot to grab a quick cuppa and a bite and be on their way.
Chris took over for Summer and found herself quickly fidgeting for more to do. The same customers had been sitting in the same chairs drinking the same cups forever. Only a few new transactions. She played in the back for a while with a blend she’d been tinkering with, and got something close to the balance she was after. Good enough to try out on customers, anyway.
Back in the shop, she made a slow tour with a pad and pen, jotting down ideas. Now that Eva had made changes at NYEspresso, Chris could start thinking seriously about doing the same here. Maybe she’d close early one afternoon, as Eva had. Maybe take down some of the surfer-dude stuff and local art, expose more clear space on the walls and more of the windows in the storefront. Her theory was that people driving by now saw junk for sale and not happy people drinking excellent coffee.
She was craning her neck up at the menu, hung on a surfboard, thinking that at least was too much fun to disturb, when she heard someone come in the shop, and she turned, looking pleasantly expectant.
“Hey, Chris.” Zac lumbered up to the counter, his blue eyes crinkling into a smile.
Her heart skipped a beat. Good lord, what was that about? “Hey, Zac.”
She wanted to ask where he’d been, but was afraid that would make it sound as if she’d missed him. Which she certainly hadn’t. She’d just...noticed he was gone, that’s all. Apparently she’d gotten used to having him around.
