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Ansley
Taeli drops me off, and I run upstairs to change clothes.
I make it to the café just in time to let Deana and Janey inside. We quickly set up and open the doors.
Erin stops by to grab to-go coffees for herself and Sara-Beth and to find out how my night went.
I fill her in on what Garrett revealed, and she urges me to go talk to my father.
“It’s going to eat you up if you let it fester,” she advises.
I know she’s right.
She stays longer than she should as I give her all the scandalous details of my night, and I end up reheating their lattes before she finally heads back to the office.
As she is leaving, Kevin walks in and passes her.
She looks back at me, and her eyes go wide. She mouths, Good luck, before she disappears.
“Hi, Kevin,” I greet him when he makes it to the register.
“Hi, Ansley. Do you have a minute to have a cup of coffee with me?” he asks.
“Sure.”
I make us both a mocha latte and turn the register over to Janey to join him at one of the quieter tables.
“I’ve left you a couple of messages,” he begins.
“I know. I’m sorry I haven’t returned your calls. It’s not an excuse, but life has been a bit crazy the last week,” I explain.
He nods. “I was never in the running, was I?” he asks.
I take a deep breath. “You were. I like you, and I had a great time when we went out. If our timing had been better—” I say.
“If I’d made my move before Garrett Tuttle came walking into town,” he interrupts.
I bring my eyes to him. “Something like that,” I murmur.
“I get it; you guys have history, and he is a good-looking son of a bitch,” he says.
I giggle. “I’m really sorry, Kevin.”
“It’s okay. Weston kind of warned me this might happen. I was still hopeful that Garrett would do or say something stupid and blow it.”
“He said a lot of stupid things, but in the end, it wasn’t enough to change the way I feel about him,” I admit, both to him and myself.
He nods. “Well, if he fucks up again, you have my number,” he says.
I reach across the table and squeeze his hand.
“We’re still friends, right?” I ask.
He smiles. “Of course, but I do have to go.”
He stands, and I give him a hug before he leaves. Then, I take over the counter again.
The steady stream of customers helps to keep my mind occupied and off of the conversation Garrett and I had last night, but once the morning rush dies down, I step away to call my mother.
She is at the church, working in my father’s office. When I ask after Daddy, she tells me he is preparing this weekend’s sermon and should be in the sanctuary most of the afternoon.
I tell Deana that I’m taking an early lunch and I’ll be back before noon. Then, I slip into my car and go in search of some answers.
I take a seat in the front pew and listen as my father practices his sermon for Sunday morning. He doesn’t preach very often anymore. He leaves that to the associate pastors. The ones who are in their prime, with the energy and fashion sense to appeal to the younger congregation. But he is a godly mentor for the new generation and is highly respected in the community.
When he notices me, he smiles and closes his Bible. He walks down from the pulpit to join me.
“To what do I owe this pleasure?” he asks as he pats my hand that is resting on the mahogany wood.
