Page 89 of Mountain Pine
“No rest for the wicked.” He kisses my forehead then hands me a coffee. “Double espresso mocha for you.” Then gives one to Grace. “And a vanilla cappuccino for you.”
“I love you,” she sighs, taking a sip. “Oh god, that’s good.”
Conner studies our perfect set up. “Looks amazing. Do you need any help?”
“No, we’ve got everything set and ready.”
“Okay. I’ll leave you beauties to it then. Text if you need anything.”
He’s leaving already? Why? Maybe I should put him to work because he likes being useful. “Ummm. My bubble machine!”
Conner frowns. “Is it broken?”
“I don’t know.” Not a lie. Not the truth. I have no clue if it’s working because I haven’t used it in a while.
Conner squats down and turns it on. Bubbles fly out of it. He looks at me and winks. “Anything else?”
“No. I… there’s nothing else. Thanks.”
With a soft smile, he kisses me goodbye, and it’s weird.
Chill out, Taylor.
I’m reading into everything way too much. This is silly. Dramatic. Completely dumb. Shaking out of my weirdness, I get back to work.
Sunshine and rainbows. Project positivity. Namaste, everyone.
Conner leaves in the same direction he came from, but he doesn’t look sad or tired. He’s talking to people. Doing his own thing, just like always.
“Oh, you’re that shop I keep hearing about!” someone says, snapping me back into work mode.
“Hi. Good morning.”
“Mommy, look!” A little girl gawks at the stones I have in tiny baskets and bowls for sale. “Can I get some? Pleeeeaaasssee.”
“Do you like pretty rocks?” I ask her.
“Yeah.”
“How about wishes?”
She looks excited and confused. “Yeah. I like those too.”
“Ohhhh. Then come here.” Squatting down so I’m eye level with her, I dip my hands into a small bucket I’ve already filled with a soapy mixture. “Make a wish.”
She closes her eyes, and her little lips move fast.I pull a little something out of my dress pocket and when she opens her eyes again, I make a big bubble with my hands, let it float up, then pop it with my finger. The second that happens, I open my hand and present her with a little tumbled jasper.
“Wow!” She takes it from me and rubs her fingers over it.
“Put it somewhere safe and tell it all your wishes.”
“Will they come true?”
“You’ll have to see!”
“Mommy! Look!”
Grace has already given the woman one of our free tea samples, which she’s sipping on. “That’s amazing, sweetie!”
