1
Florence Fitzgerald was busy making Christmas-decorated scones and pastries in the kitchen of her Fitz’s Bakery and Coffee Shop while her employee, Ava Kensington, was making chicken soup on this wintry day in Yuma Town, Colorado.Florence had expanded her menu at her patrons' request.
“You’re going to get an odd appeal this morning.”Ava added carrots to the soup.
“Oh?”Florence wondered what that was all about, since Ava sometimes had visions of things to come.She started a fresh pot of coffee.
“Yeah.I just had a premonition that when it’s time to open up the shop, you’ll have an unexpected visitor.”
“Who requests something of me?”Otherwise, it could be a customer.
“A young woman dressed in a knit hat, coat, and boots.I don’t know what she asks about.”
Florence checked the kitchen clock.“Well, it’s that time.”She knew Ava’s premonitions would come true, just like those of Nina, her twin sister.
The shop was filled with Christmas decorations—a Christmas tree in the window, garlands dripping with candy canes hung from shelves, cans of coffee and tea topped with red or green bows, and twinkling, colorful lights filling the windows, welcoming everyone in for treats, soups, and sandwiches.Florence loved this time of year.
The sweetness of peppermint and marshmallow, mixed with the pleasant aroma of coffee, hot chocolate, and tea, brown sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon, drifted from behind the counter, mixing with the citrusy scent of dried orange slices strung as ornaments.Every time she entered the shop, she was overwhelmed, in a good way, by the delightful aroma of Christmas.
Florence loved the Christmas holidays and decorated to the max.The windows glimmered with rows of tiny colored bulbs, each reflecting in the glass jars lining the shelves.The wooden door framing the glass was trimmed in lights, showcasing the entryway.
She went to the door.Snow was falling, making it look magical outside.She could imagine Santa’s reindeer standing on the sidewalk, peering into her shop through the big windows.
As soon as she unlocked the door and flipped the Closed sign to Open, a young woman walked up to it, dressed like Ava had said she would be.Someone Florence didn’t know.
“Welcome,” Florence said as she opened the door for her.“You can have a seat anywhere.”
The woman was a cougar also, and she stammered, “You’re a cougar…shifter.”
“Yep.Ava, my assistant, is also.”Florence motioned to the kitchen.“Yuma Town is cougar run.”
“Oh, wow, how neat.I’m…I’m looking to get a job here.I’ve worked in cafés before.”She pulled a resume out of her bag and handed it to Florence.
Florence closed the door to keep the cold wind out.She read over the resume.Lacy Everest.Twenty-three.She’d completed Culinary School and a Baking and Pastry School.She had worked at two different cafés, one in Orlando, Florida, and the other, a more recent one, in New Orleans, which made Florence wonder why she kept moving every few months.
Just then, three of the ranch hands working for rancher Hal Havertson, also a local part-time deputy sheriff, walked into the shop for coffee and pastries to go.They were buying for everyone out at the horse ranch, their weekly stopover when they came in for groceries and assorted other supplies for the bunkhouse.
“Welcome, boys,” Florence said.“We’ll have your order right up.Lacy, if you want to come with me, I’ll get you started.You can hang your coat up over there on the coat rack.”
“Thanks so much.You won’t regret it.”
Florence smiled.She would give her a chance and see how it worked out.But if Lacy’s past history of employment was anything like her current, Florence suspected she wouldn’t last long.Then she escorted Lacy toward the kitchen, while the guys smiled at her and tipped their cowboy hats in greeting, clearly interested in the young woman.
Florence was amused and thought they might get even more business from Hal’s ranch hands now!
Lacy was a whirlwind of activity as she helped Ava and Florence package the order for the guys.Florence introduced Ava to Lacy.When Florence and Lacy carried the large order out to the ranch hands, Rory began introducing all of them to Lacy, each of the guys falling all over each other to shake her hand, smiling brightly.
“I’m Rory Baker,” Rory said.“And this is Wyatt Taylor and Blaze Walker.”
“I’m Lacy.”She didn’t offer a last name, but she appeared to be instantly attracted to Rory.Something about him seemed to draw her in, making her want to keep eye contact and challenge him.
When the guys didn’t leave the shop with their fulfilled order, Lacy’s cheeks reddened.
Florence said to her, “Why don’t you help Ava with some of the baking?”
“Sure.”Lacy looked relieved and hurried back into the kitchen.
The guys finally left, shaking their heads at each other, all of them interested in the new single cougar in town, if she were even single.
