Page 31 of A Cup of Autumn
Chapter Seven
The number ofcustomers didn’t slow. If anything, more arrived. Good for the bottom line, but Raine’s stress level inched up with every drink she made. Juggling the orders was easy, but she hated keeping Robin and Keaton waiting.
They didn’t seem to mind.
At tables next to each other, the two sat and talked. Keaton’s smile after each sip suggested he enjoyed the Pumpkin Spice Caramel Macchiato.
Satisfaction flowed through Raine. She wanted all her customers to enjoy their drinks, but Keaton had stepped outside his wheelhouse these past two days.
Not an Americano in sight.
Trying a different beverage might not sound like a big deal, but for some customers, it was huge. They preferred their favorite and never switched no matter how many free samples she offered. And she’d tried with many.
She placed an apple cider into a drink tray with other coffees for the fire station. “Rachelle.”
The beautiful firefighter came to the counter. Her box braids made her look like a model or movie star. Her black skin was radiant, matching her bright smile. Pregnancy agreed with Rachelle. Her baby bump hadn’t kept her from being promoted in the fire department.
“Don’t tell Jayden I came here.” Rachelle glanced around and lowered her voice. “He claims the bakery’s coffee is as good as yours, but we both know the truth.”
Raine grinned. This wouldn’t be the first time a loyal customer asked her to not mention being in the coffee shop. “Your secret is safe with me.”
Rachelle picked up the drink tray and headed out.
As soon as the bell stopped jingling, Raine dashed into the office, grabbed the new hire folder, and set it on top of the orange and black bin. She carried everything to the sitting area and placed the bin on the empty chair at Keaton’s table. “Sorry it took me so long.”
“No need to apologize.” Keaton placed his cup on the table. “I’ve been enjoying my drink while Robin told me about the Boo Bash.”
“It’s my kids’ favorite event of the year.” Robin was smiling now. “I thought the Easter egg hunt would be their number one, but they can’t stop talking about the Boo Bash.”
“Everyone loves candy.” Keaton laughed. “My oldest brother is a surgeon. He always has a bag of peanut M&Ms with him. The only place it doesn’t go is into the operating room.”
Robin grinned. “That’s sweet.”
“Literally,” Keaton joked.
Raine had forgotten the oldest brother’s name. Finn. No, Flynn. The doctor was shorter than Keaton and had an intense personality like Garrett. Maybe Keaton did, too. She didn’t know him beyond his visits to the coffee shop, a rehearsal dinner, and a wedding.
He didn’t seem like the joke-cracking kind, but she might have stereotyped him as a geeky professor after hearing Callie talk about her brainy brother. He’d shown Raine he could also be stuffy and stuck up. She’d accepted his apology. Forgetting would take longer.
His offer to help caught her off guard. She hadn’t fully recovered, but she needed to try. “Do you carry candy with you, Professor?”
“No, candy, but I carry this.” Keaton reached into his pocket and pulled out keys. He held up a keychain—a rounded metal piece that was crossed. “This is made from iron and called atrollkoror troll cross. It wards off trolls and other evil creatures.”
Raine raised a brow. “Come across those often?”
“No. Must work,” he teased.
Robin laughed. So did Raine.
“A student gave me this as a thank you. Atrollkoris usually placed above a door or window. Mine was above my bedroom window.” He placed his keys next to his drink. “Before I left for Silver Falls, I added it to my keychain.”
Raine couldn’t resist. “Got to keep the trolls away.”
“Evil little creatures. Though size doesn’t matter. There are other mischievous ones out.” Amusement filled his voice. “Big and small.”
The troll comments were funny, but Raine got the feeling sentimentality was the real reason he carried thetrollkor. Callie was like that. But hearing Keaton mention trolls gave Raine hope. Maybe working on the Boo Bash wasn’t that big of a leap for him.
“Learn something new every day,” she quipped.
