“That’s why I walked. I decided it was easier and less risky.”
A dog barked.
Ford strode past the tables to peer out through the stained-glass window. “Hey, there’s a dog out front. I don’t see an owner. Somebody better round him up. It’s chilly out there.” He claimed not to be a dog lover, but his concern was clear.
Her stomach dropped and rebounded harshly. “I saw him earlier. I’m sure he’s fine. Probably just ran out of someone’s yard. I let the radio station know he’s here.” She didn’t want Oscar to freeze, but she didn’t want him taken away to a shelter either. She had no idea what local shelter policies were.
“I’ll leave him for now in case his owners are looking for him. Let me know if he keeps hangingaround, okay? We can’t have Cherry Lake overrun with strays.”
“I’ll do that.” The lie tripped off her tongue entirely too easily and she winced at her duplicity. She boxed up cookies, muffins, and one slice of pie as she waited for the coffee to brew. She was always amazed at the quantity of baked goods she sold. Before opening, she had expected hot drinks to be her main commodity, after all, she was a coffee shop.
Unable to resist, she inhaled deeply. The dark earthy scent tickled her nose and lifted her spirits. Overlaid with the aroma of fresh chocolate chip cookies it smelled like heaven.
Only two of the drinks in Ford’s order were plain lattes. There was one cappuccino, and the other four were plain drip. Prepping them took only seconds per cup.
“What size is this Bacon Maple Latte?” She loved that someone was ordering her signature drink.
“The biggest?” He smiled as he came back from the window. “Thought I’d try it. You can’t go wrong withbacon, am I right?”
“One Lofty Bacon Maple Latte coming up.”
“Lofty? I thought coffee shops use names like venti and grande?”
“Not this one. I’m small, medium, large, and lofty … in honor of The Coffee Loft franchise.” She used her best haughty tone, and he laughed as she intended. His laugh was deep and bold. She couldn’t help but smile. She loved a man with a sense of humor.
She placed the final cup in the cardboard tray. “You guys are recycling these, aren’t you?”
“We are.”
“Let me grab a box.” She kept the flats from soda cans handy for holding large orders. She packed everything up for him. Drink trays on the outside, bags of baking between them. “If you bring the trays back, clean, we can reuse them for your next order.” Her suggestion was met with a nod of agreement.
He nodded, paid his bill, and picked up the heavy makeshift tray. “Can you get the door?”
“Absolutely.” To prevent accidents, she had the original solid wood doors modified to have glass panels. She peeked out before opening it. No sign of Oscar. Yeah, she’d named him the second she set eyeson him, or her, she hadn’t taken the time to look at his privates.
“Have a good day, Ford. Thanks for coming.”
“You too, Drinda. I’ll see you at the planning meeting next week if I don’t see you sooner.”
“You bet.” She opened the door and like a flash of lightning, Oscar shot inside. “Dang it.”
“You better get that thing out of here. No animals allowed. It’s a provincial regulation.” He paused halfway out the door. “If he’s a problem, call the town office and he’ll be dealt with.”
She hated the finality of his statement. “I’ll do that,” she lied without feeling the least bit guilty. The poor cold pup didn’t deserve that type of treatment. Hopefully, his owners would find him soon.
“He should be inside someplace warm.” Ford’s soft-hearted comment as he walked away redeemed him.
“Here, pup. Come here,” she called as she followed his snowy tracks to a table in the corner. He huddled under the padded bench seat made from a converted pew. “Come on out, Oscar.” He backedfurther away.
“Silly mutt.” She stood up as the front door chimed.
“What are you doing on the floor,” Franny asked as she wiped her boots.
“Oh, nothing. Just looking for my earring.”
“Let me help you look.”
“Oh. No need. I just found it.” She stood and pretended to reinsert the tiny dangling coffee cup earring.
