“I learned fast in New York to make coffee well or people didn’t come back, as they had plenty of other options.”
“I bet.”
“You been to New York, Lani?”
“I haven’t, no, but I have worked in a cafe and understand how important good coffee is to some people.”
“It really is. They go kind of crazy if it’s not right.”
She remembered that from a time or two when she’d got it wrong. But she’d usually been just passing through; there was no hanging around to serve people again and again. No time to put down roots and make connections.
“It’s good to know you can drive a coffee machine if I’m down a staff member.”
“Oh, well—”
“I know you just took the job with Mrs. C, but she doesn’t work the hours I do.”
“Oh right, well then… of course,” Lani said, because she didn’t know what else to add. She’d thought these people were weird, and things just got weirder. Why would this man trust her in his cafe when he knew nothing about her, just like why would Branna McBride invite her to dinner when they were strangers? She followed him back to the counter and pulled out her wallet.
“I’ll start a tab for you, and you can settle up end of month.”
“Pardon?” Lani stopped a few feet from the counter. Buster Griffin wandered round it.
“Regulars have a tab,” he told her calmly.
“B-but you don’t know me.”
“Mrs. C trusts you, and Noah seems to know you. That’s enough for me.”
He was serious. What was wrong with these people? She could be some career criminal who had spent her life stealing from people, and yet the locals in Lake Howling had just accepted her…. Well, the ones she’d encountered had, anyway.
“What’s with you people, anyway?”
“Trusting you, do you mean?” He was wiping down the counter now.
Lani nodded.
“You need to go with trust sometimes, Lani, or you spend your life looking over your shoulder and not making friends.”
She’d been doing that for years. Battling down the panic, Lani tried to stay calm. He couldn’t know about her past. No way could he know.
“I’d rather pay.” She pulled out some money and put it on the counter. “Thanks, I have to go.”
“Sure, no worries. If you change your mind, the offer is open. Enjoy the muffin and coffee.”
Lani made herself walk slowly from the cafe and found Buddy outside waiting for her.
“He yours?” Buster had followed her.
“No. He turned up outside my c—lodgings and has been hanging around.”
“I don’t recognize him. Could be that someone came to town with him and left him when they decided to go.”
“What?” She looked back at Buster, horrified. “Seriously? People do that kind of thing?”
“Constantly.”
They both looked at Buddy, who in turn tilted his head to one side as if he was studying them right back.
