I’ll bet those strong arms of his feel amazing.
Tomorrow, I’m going to find out.
Special Delivery
Holly
Sadly, my big plan to greet Jake this morning flopped.
I got up early and headed into the shop, where I made him a special floral arrangement featuring cheerful yellow daffodils, gorgeous orange ranunculus, golden tulips, an Orange Crush rose, and some vibrant green orchids. I rounded it all out with salal and sword fern and a touch of goodwill and friendship.
I’d planned to surprise him with it. I’d even worked myself up to actually going into his coffee shop as soon as it opened, hoping to beat the crowd. Jake’s not here, though.
There’s no crowd yet either.
It’s just a sweet brunette in her early-twenties running the show right now.
Truvy.
Cute name for a cute woman. She looks right at home behind the gleaming sales counter, and the flowers and greenery in their short, cylindrical vase look fabulous there as well, if I do say so myself.
I love the interior of the coffee shop. From the gorgeous floor to the open cabinetry behind the sales counter, all that burnished wood gives the place a natural and homey feel. It’s comforting. Just like Jake.
Too bad he’s not here.
Apparently, he had some kind of wilderness first aid training today.
“Why don’t you take a seat, and I’ll make you something,” Truvy says kindly. “What’s your poison? Just kidding.” She snickers at her own joke. “We’re into low-chemical inputs here.”
I order a ristretto, curious to taste the coffee on its own, and end up in a conversation with Truvy around permaculture and agroforestry.
She’s so knowledgeable about where the coffee she serves comes from, and it’s a genuine pleasure talking with someone who understands the importance of biodiversity preservation and sustainable farming practices.
I tell her so, and she just laughs and motions to a nearby bistro table.
“Jake taught me all about his coffees,” she shares, carrying mine to the table she indicated. I follow and take a seat. “He’s particular about wherehe sources the beans from, and since I started school, I’ve taken more of an interest in learning that side of things.”
It’s not surprising that Jake knows his stuff, or that he operates his business with a mind to conservation and sustainability. He’s detail-oriented, and everything about him seems good for the world. It makes sense that his work reflects that, too.
“What are you studying?” I ask Truvy to distract myself from thinking of Jake. I’m still bummed he’s not here, but I get that he has an actual life.
He can’t spend all his time helping me at my shop. Besides, thanks to his help, things have come together far quicker than anticipated. I’m practically ready to officially open now, well ahead of my mentally scheduled timeline.
“Agroecology,” Truvy replies, heading back to the sales counter and the glass-covered pastry display by the register.
The flowers I brought Jake catch my eye, and I can’t help thinking how good they look in this space.
“I’m particularly interested in research and conservation efforts,” Truvy continues, snagging some pastries and putting them on a white ceramic plate. “But I’d also like to rework food systems and get more CSAs into urban communities.”
“Both admirable goals.”
She smiles at the praise, and I take a sip of coffee.
“Mmm. Incredible.” I can’t get over how smooth it is.
How delicious.
“That’s the medium-dark in our Hello HighLow Blend.”
