Later, breathless and quiet, with their clothes and the cushions strewn on the floor, Greta rested her cheek on Jim’s chest. She listened to the steady thrum of his heart instead of the fireworks still crackling in the distance.
‘What are you thinking?’ she whispered.
‘That I could stay here forever,’ Jim murmured. He pressed his cheek to the top of her head. ‘Also, that I forgot to buy party poppers.’
She laughed and gave his chest a gentle slap. ‘Luckily, I didn’t. I’ll get them.’
‘No, stay here with me,’ he groaned playfully.
‘They’re just in my coat pocket.’
Greta performed a balancing act to reach for it, trying not to break their embrace. Jim held on to her as she dug into her pocket and pulled out two small poppers. She handed one to him.
They rolled onto their backs, side by side, each taking aim at the ceiling. They pulled their strings in unison, eyes widening as ribbons of coloured tissue paper burst into the air, and fluttered down on them like confetti.
‘Happy New Year, Greta,’ Jim said.
‘Happy New Year.’
And when they kissed again, the scene was nothing like a coffee commercial.
Chapter 40
Later
GRETA HAD NEVERbeen good at painting (except the flowers on her vase in Mapleville), but there was something satisfying about the steady strokes of the roller as she painted the interior walls of Brewtique in a warm terracotta shade. She gradually covered all the stark white that had made the place feel so cold and lifeless. The neon coffee cup sign sat in a box, ready to be donated to a charity shop.
She, Jim and Lottie had worked tirelessly over the past couple of weeks to update the coffee shop, and the job was almost complete.
Vintage posters now adorned the walls, resembling brightly coloured postage stamps from a distance. On the back wall, Jim had crafted wooden shelves from reclaimed planks, sanding and varnishing them to enhance the natural grain.
Greta had arranged stoppered jars on the shelves, complete with labels written by Lottie in a swirly hand. They contained Arabica, Robusta and Liberica beans, as well as other ingredients like vanilla pods, nutmeg and star anise. One jar, perched high on the top shelf, held dog biscuits.
With Josie’s approval, Greta had struck rhubarb and custard lattes off the menu.
The window display had been sparse, so Greta had reached out to Edgar, who’d scoured his stock in Barker’s Treasures to find several vintage coffee grinders and even a white rabbit ornament with yellow eyes. He took the task very seriously and relished his role as Brewtique’s new supplier. He insisted on giving everything to Greta for free, claiming he needed to streamline his inventory anyway, and that Eliza would approve of things being put to good use.
In return, Greta had promised him cake and coffee on the house whenever he visited.
Bit by bit, Brewtique was becoming the kind of coffee shop Greta loved to visit—warm, welcoming and unique.
Now that Josie had Greta’s help, it allowed her more time to practice baking cakes for the shop, starting with a signature rocky road. All the ingredients and food stock were being delivered later that week. For the time being, the fridge remained empty and the kitchen cupboards bare.
The grand re-launch was scheduled in a couple of weeks. Greta and Josie would cut the ribbon, and Greta had already contacted Nora to see if any local celebs might be interested in attending.
She’d also sent a small note to Leonard and Millie—an invitation to the event, or just a quiet coffee sometime, if that felt easier.
Leonard had replied with a brief but warm message. He and his mother were still getting to know each other again, taking it day by day. He promised to be in touch when the time was right. In the meantime, they both wished Greta every success.
Greta had read the message several times over, her heart lifting each time. It sounded like Millie remembered her, and she couldn’t wait to see her again.
‘Josie’s even thinking about a name change, instead of Brewtique,’ Greta told Jim as they tidied around, making sure the tables and chairs were arranged just right. ‘Maybe something to do with time. We’re both giving it some thought.’
Jim stepped back to survey the room, taking it all in with a satisfied smile. ‘The place looks fantastic. You’ve really brought it to life.’
‘We’veallbrought it back to life,’ she said.
Greta placed her hands on her hips, admiring their work. Perhaps it was possible to look at the past in a way that also embraced the future. ‘We’re making great strides with upstairs, too,’ she said. ‘Who knew Lottie would be such a dab hand with a paintbrush as well as with animals?’
