Muffy set a fresh tray on the counter behind me. “Pretty is always my priority. The eyes eat first.”
“Understood.” I nodded at Ranger as he and Phil Collins stepped up to the register. “What can I get you?”
“How many hats do you wear around here?” he joked.
“As many as I can fit on my head without it exploding, but seeing as they pay me in cookies, I’ll keep this gig as long as I can.” I glanced back at Sunny. She didn’t look at me though I did catch a smile spreading across her face.
“I’ll see you at the meeting?” he asked. “If there’s enough immediate backlash to this proposal, it will die tonight. On the other hand, if there’s any whiff of interest from thenothing good happens after sunsetcrowd, you’ll have a problem on your hands.”
“We’ll be there,” I said. “I have a vested interest in maintaining our hours of operation and they”—I glanced at Sunny as she filled five cups with ice and espresso like she was lining up shots—“have evening events that defy the wildest of imaginations, and that shouldn’t suffer because a bartender down the bay overpoured last night.”
“We know all about the Naked events,” Phil Collins said. It was the first time I’d heard him speak, I was sure of it. “We’re really looking forward to open mic night.”
I took their orders and handed them cookies fresh from the tray. “You know, Ranger,” I started as I swiped his card, “it wouldn’t hurt to give folks a heads-up before storming the beaches. This is a small shop. They could use some warning and—”
“Don’t listen to him, Ranger!” Muffy shouted from the kitchen. “You can storm our beach any day!”
“There are only two ways I want to be slammed and this is one of them,” Beth added.
“We love it when the walking club wrecks us,” Sunny said. “They’re our favorite.”
I shook my head at Ranger. “A little notice next time,” I said under my breath.
He replied with a crisp salute and they merged into the crowd. It took another fifteen minutes and the entire tray of double-chocolate cookies but the mad rush settled. The walking club returned to the trail and a blissful quiet descended on the café. Agent Price sat in the corner with a glass of basil lemonade and a paperback book, and I didn’t waste my time glaring at him today because he’d dropped a twenty in the tip jar.
“I’m not sure if it’s too early in our relationship to say this,” Muffy said as she stepped out of the kitchen, a clipboard tucked under her arm, “but I love you very much, Beckett Loew.”
“I was wondering the same thing,” Beth said while washing yellow smoothie off the wall from where she’d removed the blender lid a second too early.
Sunny laughed as she wiped down the counter but didn’t comment.
I wanted to hear what she had to say most of all, but at the same time I didn’t know how to handle appreciation. It wasn’t something I had much experience with, and that was why I said, “You have too many fucking items on your menu.”
“We don’t, but it’s nice to know you care,” Beth said. “It’s just different from your menu. Much more custom.”
“You are uniquely talented when it comes to pinch-hitting,” Muffy said. “Is there any position you can’t play?”
I chuckled. “Actually, that’s Decker’s skill.”
“Well, you have it too,” Muffy replied. “You’re allowed to wander behind the counter anytime if you’re going to bust your ass like you did just now. You’ve got some hustle.”
“I’m going to take the coffee grounds to the composter,” Sunny said, shooting a quick glance at me.
When she hefted two five-gallon buckets, I glared at her. “For fuck’s sake, Sunny, give me those.”
She marched past me, saying, “I empty these buckets multiple times a day. I’ve got this.”
I followed her to the back door where she’d have to set one bucket down to open the door. I stepped up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist. It was good to touch her again even if touching her made my head feel like the inside of a beehive. I curled my hand over hers, prying her fingers away from the handle until the weight shifted to me.
“You didn’t text me when you got home,” I whispered into her ear.
She glanced to the side but didn’t meet my eye. “I did. Just not when you wanted me to text you.” Pushing the door open, she said, “This town council thing could really fuck you over.”
Ah.So that was how it was going to be. “Trust me, I know.”
We walked to the far side of the building, the one I couldn’t see from my office. A series of tumblers and canisters lined the wall. She unlocked the top and reached for one of the buckets though I beat her to it.
“I’m not saying you can’t do this. Believe me, I know you can.” I slapped the side of the bucket to loosen a few remaining clumps of coffee. “But I’m here so I’m going to do this for you. Be mad about it if you want.” I emptied the second bucket while she stared at me. “I don’t mind. You’re hot as fuck when you’re mad.”
