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Mary was prepping the ‘bar’ loading it with all sorts of breakfast muffins, scones, and twists, for the morning rush… only to see Officer Luka walk in.
“Hey Eva…” Mary called out, smiling. “Your hubby is here.”
Dylan grinned and gave her a thumb’s up as Eva appeared from the back office.
“Hey honey… thought I’d stop by, see how things are going, and grab a cup of coffee.”
“Hi baby, yeah I’m just working on payroll checks,” Eva informed her husband before smiling at her. “Mary’s got the front and Robin has the ovens going, so I’ve got just a little bit of a break.”
“I won’t keep you,” Dylan said openly, leaning over to kiss Eva – before grinning. “Just gotta check on all my pretty girls… Hi Robin!” he hollered to acknowledge the other woman on the other side of the wall, hidden away out of sight.
“Heyyyy Dylan,” came the almost immediate response, causing both Eva and Mary to laugh easily.
“Y’all keep down the wild atmosphere in here,” he teased. “Miss Mary, can I get a cup of coffee?”
“Of course – anything else?”
“I wish…” he grumbled and rolled his eyes. “No. Nothing else - but thank you.”
“I’ve got to get back to work, my love,” Eva said softly, causing Mary to feel a twinge of envy at the obvious deep relationship between the duo. “Thank you for checking on us.”
“Always.”
Eva turned and accepted the coffee from Mary, giving it to her husband and walking him towards the doorway, before waving at him. She was really grateful that he was so attentive of his wife and was always coming around. It seemed like a lot more in the last few months, but maybe that was just a coincidence.
“Eva, can you ring me up for a coffee please? I could use a cup.”
“Coffee is free, Mary, and you know that.”
“I never want to take advantage…”
“Mary, relax,” Eva said gently, nodding. “No one thinks that and the only thing you have to pay for is food. Coffee and soda are a perk of working here – and having you cover the front line is a blessing for me… so yeah, help yourself, my friend.”
“I really love it here,” she admitted in a hushed voice, having told her boss about her divorce. “I feel like I belong.”
“And you do… now, let me finish with payroll so we all can get paid.”
Nodding, Mary poured herself a cup of coffee, sipping on it between patrons. The morning flew by and before she knew it, it was lunchtime. Taking her break, she grabbed her lunch out of the fridge and stepped out the back door to sit at the picnic bench in the sun.
Scrolling through her emails, deleting the junk mail… she sighed heavily.
Jax had responded – and part of her was afraid to open the email.
Clicking on it, she began to read.
* * *
Hey Mary,
The offer to grab pizza or coffee was out of kindness – and I apologize if it came out the wrong way. I understand what you are saying and it’s okay. Trust me. Friendship is just fine with me, and I think you are nice, too.
I appreciate you being kind, making sure there was no miscommunication, and clearing up things… but I am still looking for that friend to talk to – if you are interested?
No pressure – and yes, pizza or coffee would be as friends.
Jax
* * *
