Page 26 of A Cup of Autumn
He swallowed. “So…what exactly is the Boo Bash?”
Chapter Six
Tuesday morning, Rainewalked along First Avenue with a spring in her step. Not all the tension had seeped away, but enough so her muscles felt looser and more relaxed than they’d been in weeks. Not waking up before the sun helped. She’d had no idea how much she needed a break—if only a few hours off—until now.
Raine couldn’t explain the difference, but her senses felt sharper. Heightened. Creativity, something she’d struggled with lately, had woken up. Ideas popped in her head. She wanted to experiment with tea blends and find new ways to use pumpkin spice in coffee drinks.
Even the sun appeared brighter and the sky bluer. Dread no longer gnawed at her gut. Having the feeling disappear gave her hope she would survive until the Boo Bash.
Four weeks to the day.
That wasn’t too much to ask.
She had one person to thank for giving her the time to regroup.
Her lazy morning, what she called not having to wake up until seven, was courtesy of Timmy, who deserved another raise for offering to open the shop in case Heather called out. His class didn’t start until nine, an hour from now.
Raine inhaled, filling her lungs with the crisp September air. She couldn’t wait for the temperatures to cool so she could bring out her comfy, big sweaters and knit caps. She wanted to thrive and enjoy autumn.
Given she hadn’t enjoyed winter, spring, or summer, it was time.
“Good morning, Raine,” Mr. Jones called from the sidewalk outside his hardware store. He held on to a broom. “It’s a beautiful day.”
“Yes, it is.” A decent night’s sleep and a full breakfast with protein—in her case eggs—changed her entire outlook. “Have a good one.”
“You, too.” He rested against the broom handle. “Hope the Boo Bash planning is coming along.”
Reality crashed down on her, like a pallet full of candy dropped onto her head. She nearly stumbled, falling face first on the cement, until she stuck her arms out to catch her balance.
Her pulse sprinted as if running away from a guy in a hockey mask carrying a bloodstained machete.
She took a breath and another.
Her breathing evened out. So did her heart rate.
Raine didn’t answer Mr. Jones. She continued to her coffee shop. But now, her shoulders hunched, and her head wanted to hide like a turtle in its shell. Her steps plodded. She opened the door and nearly bumped into Robin Baxter, standing in line.
Seeing so many people waiting at this hour surprised her. Yes, eight o’clock was the height of rush hour, but the line reminded her of the crowds during the summer fair, when people wanted to escape the July heat with cool air and a cold drink in the coffee shop.
Timmy prepared drinks at a speedy pace, but parts of the process couldn’t be rushed.
Raine hurried behind the counter. “Where’s…”
He motioned to the back. “I’m moving as fast as I can. They all came at once. Sorry.”
“You’re doing a great job.” One person could only do so much, which was why she preferred having two people there if possible. “I’ll drop off my stuff, wash my hands, and be right out.”
Plus, she wanted to see why Heather wasn’t out front. The woman had better have a good reason for taking a break now.
The door to the office was ajar.
Laughter sounded.
Raine went closer to the door, but she didn’t open it.
“No, I don’t have to get back to work.” Heather laughed again. “What’s Raine going to do? Fire me?”
Raine couldn’t see Heather’s face, but she imagined a cackling, evil clown drawing polka dots on the shop apron with a marker.
