So far, no one had moved in, but that could change at any moment. I wasn’t looking forward to having a neighbor, but I would deal with it.
The Reserved Bean was worth it. I’d done all the painting and decorating myself. There was a single exposed-brick wall on one side, and I’d brought in plants and pictures of Strawberry Springs to decorate it. Tables filled the open space and a long bench took up the other wall.
Half of the coffee served was made by Riley’s shop, but she also let me put my own personal blend on the menu that was exclusive to The Reserved Bean.
After turning on the lights, I grabbed the coffee beans from under the counter and poured them into the grinder. Oncethey were the correct texture, I put them in the industrial pot and started it.
Marjorie only went for the blend I made. Crafting it took a lot of trial and error, something I did while the shop was being worked on. But when I had it right, it was perfect. She said it was the only coffee she could drink black.
Henrietta felt bad that Riley’s brew didn’t get as much love, so she ordered that one. Marjorie told me more than once that she’d caught her wife taking sips of mine, though.
“Got any plans this afternoon?”
“Just work.”
“You know, there’re a lot of cool things happening at the library. You could come in.” She leaned on the counter. “And then maybe you’ll meet a nice girl. Or boy. I won’t judge.”
Dating wasn’t going to happen. Not with a past like mine.
I barely handled keeping the town out of my business, and that was with Marjorie and Henrietta covering for me in the ways they could. Whenever people asked, they’d steer it to something normal. Neither of them knew the true extent of what I’d been through, but they also didn’t ask.
Love went deeper.
“I’m fine on my own,” I said. I’d said it a hundred times before.
“Yeah, right.”
I poured two cups of coffee and set them down. “I’m serious.”
She pulled out a twenty. “Sure you are.” She smacked the bill down. “Keep the change.”
Marjorie always did this when she came in. She’d overpay for the coffee, telling me to keep the rest.
“You know this is too much.”
“Can’t hear you! I’m old!” she said as she walked out the door.
I sighed when she was gone and broke the bill. The extra I put away. One day they would need it, and I’d pay it back to them.
For a few hours, I was alone. I took the time to make sure everything was clean and ready for the day. Kelsey came in at eight and immediately clocked in.
Even though I wasn’t the best talker, I still managed the front so she would be able to do what she was comfortable with.
It was something that worked. She hadn’t done well at the diner, but I didn’t blame her. The menu was massive and the customers were demanding. I handled all of that here.
The main thing was that she could make good drinks quickly. And she did.
I could tell she wanted to do more, but I was holding out. All I needed was help with drinks. Everything else I could handle on my own.
“A tenant moved in,” she said.
I paused. “Someone has the apartment upstairs? I didn’t see a moving truck or anything.”
“She didn’t have much, but she was sweet.”
I filed that away for later. The town would be interested to meet the newest person living here. I didn’t envy her.
“Cool.”
