Chapter 14

You loved walking into the cafe in the morning; the smell of freshly brewed coffee always perked you up before you needed to make your pilgrimage into the office. And you’d gotten up extra early so that you could call Hannah to tell her about your date, so the coffee was extra needed now.

Paula spotted you from behind the counter as you walked in and broke into a big smile even though she was busy with some other customers. She motioned you around to the side counter, handing off the till to one of her baristas, and you followed her.

“Good morning, Ollie,” she said, that grin not slipping as she came around the counter entirely and gestured for a hug, which you gave her happily. Paula was a tall, almost lanky woman with a cute awkwardness to her that made you think of the ‘manic pixie dream girl’ trope for some reason, even though she wasn’t manic at all. It was mostly in her smile that looked a little too big for her face. Maybe if she dyed her hair a wild colour or something she would fit the trope better.

“Morning, Paula,” you said, squeezing her tightly in the hug for a moment before stepping back. She slid around the counter again, immediately starting on your regular morning order. “How’s business?”

“Bustling,” she said. “Part of me wishes we could have a slow day once in a while, but that would be bad in the long run. How about you?”

“Same old, same old,” you said. “For work, at least.”

“Oh?” Paula asked, looking up from pouring his coffee. “Something new on the personal front?”

“I ... might have gone on a date that went well,” you grinned.

Paula raised her eyebrows and a moment later she smiled. “That’s great for you, Ollie,” she said. She swept some of her messy bangs out of her face and reached over to snag a pastry from inside the display. Paula, outside of work, had a bit of a grungey style and kept her brunette hair in a sort of messy, loose look that suited the awkward combo of her round face with her tall, thin stature. Since the Cafe wasn’t a franchise, she and her parents allowed the staff to dress casually as long as they wore the branded aprons. In the summer that often meant Paula wore a cute pair of jean shorts that exposed her long, slender legs and some sort of baggy t-shirt - she’d complained once that to keep shirts that fit her long torso she needed to buy larger sizes. “Did you hear the latest about the break-ins?”

“No,” you frowned. “Was there another one?”

“Mhmm,” Paula hummed as she slid his order across the counter to you. “The pawn shop over on 3rd. Honestly, Ollie, I can’t thank you enough for helping install the cameras and the alarms.”

“It was nothing,” you said. “Just an afternoon hanging out in my favourite cafe.”

“Well, I’m going to keep pumping you with as much free coffee and pastry as you want, so don’t you dare think of taking out that wallet,” she said.

“Fine,” you sighed. You’d had this argument with her already. You’d put a fiver in the barista tip jar when she wasn’t looking. “How are your parents?”

“On vacation for a month,” Paula said. “They are touring Canada, of all places. Rented an RV and everything. First time they’ve taken a real vacation in twenty years, I think, and I’m in charge here. I think it’s my Dad’s way of testing whether I can take over the Cafe permanently and let him go down to as few hours as possible.”

“That’s great, for you and them!” You said. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” she said, then looked over your shoulder. “Looks like your friend is here. Have a good day at work, OK?”

“You too,” you said, smiling back at her for a moment before turning to find a table.

Margot eventually joined you after Paula got her order done separately, though Margot paid. The two of them were talking, and you couldn’t help but feel a little bit of pride that Margot and Paula had hit it off - you’d introduced them, and seeing your two friends getting along like that was nice. You were just taking your first bite of the cherry tart that Paula had given you when you noticed a weird look pass between them, though neither seemed to react to it, and then they were smiling again and Margot was coming over and planting herself across from you at the table.