“I have a delivery for you.”
“But I didn’t order anything.”At least not anything special that would require him to deliver it.
“I don’t know what to tell you.”The guy looked a bit flustered.“Your name and address are on the shipping invoice.”
There had to be a mix-up.That had to be the answer.“Are you sure it’s my name and this address?”
“It’s all right here.”He once more offered her the black plastic device.
This time she accepted the device.When she looked at the little screen, it did indeed have her name.It even included the name of the Steaming Brew.And the street address was correct.
Her gaze rose to meet the man’s.“Can you tell me what the delivery is?”
The man shook his head and then made a point of checking his watch.“Either sign for the delivery, or I’ll have to take it with me.”
Of course, he had a job to do.Now that she knew the delivery was meant for her, she signed for it.When the man went outside to get it, she glanced around and noticed that she’d gained quite an audience, which included her couple of employees.
Feeling awkward under their stares, she said, “Doesn’t anyone have any work to do?”
“No” came the collective response.
She sighed.She had no doubt this delivery was going to be a part of today’s gossip.Bayberry always had to have something to talk about.
She glanced around and spotted Esther Holmes and Marla Johnson.They were two of Bayberry’s biggest gossips.They were both staring at the door as their mouths moved non-stop.
When the door opened, silence fell over the coffeeshop.It must be a really slow Monday if everyone was this invested in her delivery.
Kate stepped inside and came to an immediate halt when she noticed everyone staring at her.Her gaze moved around the seating area until it came to rest on Abby.
Kate approached her.“What’s going on?”
Abby shrugged.“I have a delivery.”
“I saw the truck out front.”Kate glanced over at the patrons, who were still focused on the front door.“Is that why everyone is staring at the door?”
Abby shrugged.“I guess so.”
Kate sent her a puzzled look.“Well, what is the delivery?”
“That’s just it.I don’t know.I didn’t order anything.”
Kate’s brows drew together.“Oh.”She paused as though giving the situation some thought.“Are you sure you didn’t order something on the spur of the moment and forgot about it?”
“I’m positive.”She accounted for everything she spent.
The door opened, and everyone turned to see the delivery guy maneuvered a dolly with a large cardboard box on it.Warning bells started going off in her head.For something to be that large, it had to be expensive.And she didn’t even want to imagine how much it was going to cost for her to return it.
The guy placed the large package on the floor at the end of the counter.Her staff rushed forward to check out the box while Abby rushed after the delivery guy.“Hey, wait.”
Just as she was about to tell him to take it away, Mia called out, “It’s a new espresso machine.”
Abby stopped in the doorway.The customers started to cheer.It appeared they were none too happy about their coffees that morning.
Abby said to no one in particular, “But I didn’t order this.”
The delivery guy shrugged as he crossed the sidewalk.“All I do is deliver what I’m told.Maybe it’s a late Christmas present.”
As nice as that sounded, she was certain that wasn’t the case.In a jiff, the delivery guy shut the back door on his yellow truck, and he drove off.
