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“You’re not failing.” Mack maintained a soft and gentle voice. “You’re killing it. You’re a female entrepreneur who turned a home into a beautiful, welcoming coffee shop.”
When Charlie’s breath slowed and the shakes slackened, Mack released.
“Want to tell me about it?” Mack asked. “Maybe there’s something I can do, or talk to someone, or… I don’t know, look at the bills or something?”
Charlie shook her head. “No. No thanks. I just need to figure this out myself.”
“Really, it’s no problem at all. Sometimes having a fresh set of eyes on something?—”
“No.” Charlie unraveled herself from the floor and swiped her hands down her sweaty, muddy shirt. “Drink? I really need a vanilla latte.”
Message received.Mack exhaled. “I don’t think I’ve seen you drink a latte before.” Mack pulled one of the stools off the counter.
“Lattes are the yoga pants of drinks. Easy and comforting.” Charlie seeped the espresso, then layered the oat milk. She slid the drink to Mack and fell back on a chair.
The creamy sweetness hit her tongue. Charlie was right—this drinkwaslike yoga pants.
After several moments of silence, Charlie inhaled a shaky breath. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”
Mack’s insides lifted that Charlie was opening up. “Have you talked to Ben about this?”
“God love Ben, but he’s no help whatsoever.”
“Who helped you set up this shop in the first place?”
Charlie took another short sip and fiddled with the cardboard holder. “What do you mean? Like which vendors?”
“No. Like who guided the business decision? Found your contractor?” Mack stirred the foam on top with a stick. “Who helped make sure you had the right permits and licenses, and all the things that go along with opening up a business.”
“Me.”
“You? All alone?”
Charlie nodded.
“Are you serious? You’re incredible.” How did Charlie navigate construction and opening a business solo? When Mack received multiple agent offers, she must’ve called her parents ten times to help her with the decision. She’d paced for a week, scribbled apros-and-cons spreadsheet, got overwhelmed and anxious, and finally decided to go with Viviane because they meshed the best.
Charlie pushed back a fallen red stray from her bun just as the sun dipped through the blinds. And now Mack wanted to kiss Charlie. Really,reallybad. But she forced herself to retreat. Charlie’s reaction last night and today’s stress turned this moment into the all-time worst occasion to try anything physical.
Charlie wiped her hands off on a towel. “Not sure I deserve that praise. I clearly didn’t budget correctly. I thought I did, but when they came in to remodel this place, the charges and timelines kept fluctuating, and I couldn’t keep up with everything. The remodel ended up costing double the bid.”
“Double?” That figure sounded suspicious, but Mack didn’t know the inner financial workings of a remodel. “Hey, I’ll be right back. Gonna make a quick phone call.”
The bell jingled above the door when Mack stepped outside. The warm air and sun enveloped her, and she tugged her shirt collar up to wipe her face. She skipped over a puddle and made her way out of Charlie’s earshot.
Mack picked up her phone and hit dial.
FIFTEEN
CHARLIE’S DRINK SPECIAL: DEVASTATION DRIP WITH A SHORT SHOT OF OPTIMISM
Charlie slumped down on the stool, her shoulders weighing a million pounds. What the hell was she going to do? Every second her shop stayed closed, she lost a sale. And every sale lost dug her debt grave deeper. One step forward, two steps back. After additional thought, she came to a gut-wrenching conclusion: The universe sent the storm to give her the push needed to close.
The trembles started again. Slow in her chin this time, then her arms. Stress tears threatened to spill. She should give up. Maybe go to college. Maybe work at an office somewhere. Maybe buck any sort of civilization, run away, and live on an island with some sea turtles.
But her coffee shop was more than a house. Her place captured her only good childhood memories from her time with Rosie. No matter how enticing Barbados or Fiji sounded, she’d never leave this place.
The counter was cool against her forehead as she rested against it. She pulled herself up and peeked out the window at Mack pacing up and down the sidewalk on the phone.
