“I should probably go,” I say, not moving. I close my eyes, surprised at how much this is helping.
“You can stay a few more minutes,” Max says, and while I can’t see it, I can hear the smile in his voice. “So, you finally texted me.”
I laugh and turn to look at him. We’re still only inches away from each other, and my breath catches in my throat. This guy is the total package, and yet, am I the right person to be hanging out with him? I’m practically a hurricane compared to his composed personality.
“I did. One thing after another kept happening, and I didn’t want you to wait up, wondering if I was coming.”
“So, do I have texting privileges?”
Laughing, I nod, using my hand to push myself up a little more. But instead of my hand hitting the couch, it lands on Max’s chest. “I’m so sorry,” I say, standing up quickly.
Max looks like he’s trying to hide his amusement, for which I’m grateful.
“Good luck today,” he says. “If you need anything, shoot me a text.”
“Of course you’re going to use that for days.”
“Weeks, months even.”
Something about those words from him makes me wonder if he’s serious. When his projects here are done, will he be staying?
“Have fun, and good luck with whatever you’re working on.” Lamest goodbye ever, but I’m flustered and need to get going to make this the best day yet for Second Tide Coffee.
It’s five in the morning and I’m feeling the butterflies as I think about how this day will play out.
There are several bills on the counter in the apartment that I didn’t see before, and I pick them up, starting to open them. There are the typical bills, a couple of advertisements, and the last one is from a company I don’t recognize.
I slide my finger through the envelope and pull it out. It’s on a legal letterhead and is addressed to me.
Dear Avery Parker,
We appreciate your being one of our valued renters and wanted to give you a discount for several months as construction and renovations are taking place. We will be giving you a fifty percent discount until all renovations wrap up.
Sincerely,
A signature I can’t read.
Is it normal to only have a signature without the name and title below it printed? It seems kind of different, but maybe I’m overthinking it. Still, it feels fishy, though. This would be the worst prank letter ever if it isn’t true.
I have about fifteen minutes before I need to be downstairs, so I walk over and look on my laptop, searching for the company at the top: Bauer Enterprises. There isn’t a whole lot there, and I’m wondering if it’s just a shell company and why they would take such interest now that I’ve already moved intoboth my coffee shop and my apartment. Then again, from everything Max has said, maybe they didn’t know about any of the hiccups we’ve been through. A few bad employees can ruin a lot of things.
While I’m on here, I send the invoices to the email Max provided. It looks like a personal email instead of a business one. Hopefully he gets the documents to the right person.
I’m not sure how things are going to go, but I rearrange my hair, change my clothes quickly, and head in to wake Lila up.
“Hey, sleepy head. I’ll be in the coffee shop. Come help in about fifteen minutes or so. You can have your pick of pastries.”
Lila sits up, nearly knocking me in the head with her own. “I’m up,” she says, rubbing at her eyes.
I walk down to the coffee shop and get to work. I’ve got pastries baking in the oven as well as working to prep several of the ingredients for our sandwiches. Adding them into our offerings as a breakfast sandwich has me running to keep up.
I get going with the people coming in, and I’m surprised at how many more arrive this early. There’s a line, and Sarah, Lila, and I work together to make sure everyone gets exactly what they need. We fall into a rhythm: Lila putting in the orders and making sure people sign their receipts, then getting the order started. Sarah finishes out the coffee orders, and I have become a master of the panini press, only burning myself twice so far.
We’re a couple of hours into the day, and we’ve already made double what we’ve made since we opened. I smile and breathe deeply, grateful for all the little changes that have gotten us to this point. The ones Max suggested, and the ones I ran with.
It isn’t until I see a glimpse of Max at the register that I’m able to even focus on what happened last night.
He gives me a small smile.
