“She’s done nothing to warrant a dismissal,” Tish said. “She’s a nice young girl who needs work. She’s considerate.”
“Nothing wrong with considerate, but we also needcompetent. And polite.”
“She’s not rude to customers that I’ve seen.”
Kit couldn’t argue that point. However… “She doesn’t engage them, either, or upsell new treats.” Kit counted on both hands the instances where Gloria had opportunities to elevate the customer experience but instead acted benign toward people giving them money.
A tense moment passed before Tish spoke. “Kit, I understand where you’re coming from. You worked the front prior to moving into the kitchen, so you have a way of doing things. Don’t think I’m ignoring your concerns, but it’s my store and I decide who I will staff.”
Tish’s tone caught Kit off guard. Her normally amiable boss turned prickly, and Kit hated that she inspired this downturn of mood.
“I want your store to succeed. I love my job,” Kit said, contrite. “No way am I implying that you’re blind to Gloria’s performance, or lack thereof. Your husband shouldn’t have to leave his booth to help with ours.”
“Kit, it’s all good. If you want, I’ll have a talk with Gloria, but for now let’s focus on this event. Relax, okay?” Tish chided her. “Hey, if we sell out sooner than expected, we go home.” She arched her back and made a duck face, inspecting the grounds before them. “I tell ya, I wouldn’t mind leaving early. Eight hours is a long damn time to stand in one place.”
“You do it every day at work.” Kit laughed. “Longer than that, even.”
Tish side-eyed her. “I don’tstand stillat work, darling. Baking is my exercise. All that bending over the stove and rolling dough.” She flexed a bicep, showing off an impressively defined arm bulge. Despite her extra pounds, Tish proved her fitness. “Who needs yoga?”
“Maybe you could invent some new poses,” Kit joked. “Downward facing baker.”
“How about the cupcake pose?” Tish countered by mimicking a bite before a curled hand. “Eh, forget it. I’ll get the tables set up and you can find the coffee. Don’t mess around, though.” She nudged the young woman. “Our public awaits.”
~*~
Fuschia, to Kit’s disappointment, had Saturday morning off. A new-to-her barista, whose nametag readJANNA, required repeated instructions on every order and moved with the speed of a slug. She called out for “Kat” and Kit waited thirty seconds before grabbing the coffees so as not to poach somebody else’s lattes.
“Days and weeks later,” she said under her breath as she left BuzzKill. Maybe having Vinnie at the booth today, distracting Tish from her tardiness, was a good thing. Janna might be new to food service, but Kit recognized the dead eyes and lack of enthusiasm for the work.
She reminded Kit of Gloria, a complete non-starter, nearly a decade younger than Kit’s twenty-nine. If Gloria had aspirations beyond selling chocolates and cupcakes, she ought to update her resume.
Eh.Kit chose not to hold her breath on the van, the raise,orthe co-worker upgrade.
Kit balanced the cardboard drink holder in the palm of one hand while she checked her phone. She chuckled at Annalise’s all-capped rant berating her for not waiting ten lousy minutes for her to drag her sorry ass to the coffee shop to begin her shift.
Not my fault ur late 4 wrk, Kit tapped out with her thumb. Ahead of her, the walk sign illuminated and she stepped out onto the crosswalk with the small crowd headed for the park. Seconds later, a clown horn alerted her to Annalise’s retort.
Not mine, either. Can’t help that Barb has a wicked good tongue.
“Barb?” What happened to Cory, that sexy, flawless boi who warmed Annalise’s sheets at night? Kit shook her head. She loved her friend, but damn if Annalise’s aversion to long-term relationships didn’t annoy her. Kit thought of her own desert of a love life and envied Annalise’s sexual appetite…and the attention she received.
Don’t shame her, Kit, her conscience nagged. Enough that people judged LGBTQ folks for existing; she refused to pile on.
To look at it another way, though, Cory was single again. Kit rather liked them. Could the two keep it on the down-low, if Kit managed to hook up with them? Kit was comfortable in her sexuality but didn’t consider it a topic for town conversation.
Another honk jolted Kit from her thoughts, and she steadied her coffee hand, careful not to spill the sugar packets lodged in the divots. She read the invitation from Annalise to join her tonight for a drink, but Kit pocketed her phone. She’d wait to see how Saturday in the Park panned out before agreeing to a long evening of revelry.
She watched the crowd grow within the park’s boundaries and sighed, thinking she should have doubled her coffee order to get through the day.
Six people clustered at the Tish’s Riches booth, and Kit hastened her steps. Vinnie Petrocelli stood close to the chocolatier as they chatted with another couple. Cal Briscoe and his wife Sue both appeared radiant and cute in matching event T-shirts that identified them as volunteers.
“Kit, come see the pictures.” Sue waved her closer and handed her a few snapshots of a tropical landscape. Kit had to smile at the quaintness of using film paper in a digital age, then remembered Sue was a professional photographer.
Tish flipped through a stack of photos, holding up one of a concert scene. “I am so jealous. I would love to go to St. Bart’s, especially for the jazz festival,” she said, then cast a sly glance atVinnie. “Maybe if we save up over the summer, we could spend Christmas there.”
“Tell me when. In my mind, I’m already packed.” Vinnie then thanked Kit for his drink with a nod.
Kit passed the photos she held to Sue. “Is your band performing today?” she asked Cal. Locals could usually count on the musician’s combo to liven up any public event.
