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“Tell me about it,” I huffed, crossing my arms. “I’ve never had an issue before, and suddenly she’s all over me like white on rice.”
“Alright, let’s just deal with them one at a time.” His voice was calm and steady, a lifeline in the storm of panic that threatened to engulf me. “We can do this.”
“Sure, easy for you to say,” I grumbled, but I couldn’t help feeling grateful for his support. Together, we tackled the list.
“Proper storage for the coffee filters,” I read aloud. Caleb reached for the containers we used for various supplies and started transferring the filters into one of them.
“Check,” he said, snapping the lid in place.
“Sanitize countertops,” I continued, grabbing a sanitizing spray and rag. Caleb joined me, scrubbing every inch of the counters until they gleamed.
“Done,” we said in unison, exchanging weary smiles.
“Good teamwork,” Caleb noted, and I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t deny the sense of camaraderie that had sprung up between us.
“Let’s see… reorganize that shelf of syrups,” I sighed, staring at the haphazard assortment of bottles. Caleb stepped forward, and together, we arranged them by flavor and size.
“Seriously, who knew running a coffee shop could be so complicated?” Caleb mused, tightening the cap on a bottle of caramel syrup.
“Welcome to my world,” I quipped, nudging him with my elbow. “You’re doing great, by the way.”
“High praise coming from the queen of caffeine herself,” he teased, offering me a lopsided grin that made my heart flutter just a little.
“Alright, don’t let it go to your head,” I laughed, trying to ignore the unfamiliar warmth that bloomed in my chest at his words. We continued working side by side, our movements fluid and efficient as we addressed each violation on the list.
“Last one,” I said, breathless but triumphant. “Clean behind the espresso machine. Ugh, why is that even necessary?”
“Who knows?” Caleb shrugged, already hoisting the heavy equipment aside. “But we’ve come this far. Might as well finish strong.”
“Right,” I agreed, trying not to think about how close we were standing or how his muscles flexed under his shirt as he helped me clean.
“See? Nothing to worry about,” Caleb said, his stormy blue eyes meeting mine. “We make a pretty good team, huh?”
“Surprisingly, yes,” I admitted, my heart swelling with gratitude and something else I couldn’t quite name. “Thank you, Caleb. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Anytime, Zoe,” he replied, his voice warm and genuine.
***
“Watch out!” he cried, but it was too late. My elbow knocked Caleb’s briefcase off the counter as I reached for a cloth to wipe down the last surface. The latch popped open, and its contents spilled onto the floor.
“Sorry,” I muttered, my cheeks burning with embarrassment as I kneeled down to gather the scattered papers. I couldn’t help but notice one document in particular—a list of anonymous donations made to local charities. And these donations had a whole bunch of zeros at the end. Stunned, I looked up at him, feeling a mixture of admiration and hurt that he’d kept this secret from me.
“Is this what you’ve been up to?” I asked, waving the paper in his direction.
Caleb ran a hand through his hair, looking uncomfortable. “It’s not something I like to advertise,” he admitted, avoiding my eyes.
“Clearly,” I quipped, trying to lighten the mood. “But why the secrecy? You’re doing a good thing here.”
“Zoe,” he sighed, meeting my gaze at last, “I didn’t want people to think I was flaunting my wealth or trying to buy their affection.”
“Then don’t flaunt it,” I said, folding the paper and handing it back to him. “Just keep doing what you’re doing. It’s making a difference. And maybe let your friends in on the secret next time.”
“Friends, huh?” Caleb smirked, taking the paper from me. “So, we’re friends now?”
“More like frenemies,” I teased, helping him collect the remaining items before standing up and dusting off my hands.
“Okay, I get it,” Caleb said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just... I didn’t want people to think I was throwing money around to win them over.”
