Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 59701 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 299(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59701 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 299(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
“Well, hello.”
His eyes narrow on me. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m just busy, and Gretchen called out. Again. My other two employees are on vacation, and Paula’s great, but she’s not speedy.” I take a breath and offer Callum a smile. “But it’s really nice to see you. How are you?”
“On duty.” He nods to David, and both men roll up their sleeves.
“No, you don’t have to help.”
Callum marches behind the counter and tips my chin up with his finger. “We’re a team now, darling. I won’t leave here knowing that you’re drowning in work, any more than you’d let me stand in front of fire-breathing media by myself.”
“Are you still mad at that man?”
“Hell, yes.”
I take his hand and kiss his palm. “I love you.”
His eyes soften, and he leans in to kiss my forehead. I have a line of people, and no time for this, but it feels so damn good.
“What can I do for you, love?”
“I’m here, too,” David says. “I’m going to clear and clean some empty tables if that suits you, ma’am.”
“That’s incredible, David, thank you.”
“And me?” Callum asks.
“Can you check on Paula to see what in the hell is taking her so long to grab more scones?”
“On it. Take another deep breath, darling.”
He scurries away, and I turn to find Mrs. Blakely, the owner of Little Deli just down the street, smiling at me.
“He’s a handsome one,” she says with a wink.
“It’s sort of absurd how handsome he is,” I say with a sigh. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Things are a little nuts in here today.”
“Oh, I’m just fine. Watching you two lovebirds together is a balm to my cynical soul. That’s a beautiful ring, Aspen. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” I glance down at the green stone shimmering in the light of my café. Every time I look down at it, I’m always surprised that any of this is real. “What can I do for you, Mrs. Blakely?”
“Well, I’ve been craving a white mocha, and I’d love a huckleberry scone if you have any left.”
“I sent Paula back to check. Let me go see what’s keeping her. I’ll be right back.”
I rush to the back room and find Callum glaring at Paula, whose head is down, her hands linked behind her back.
“What’s going on?”
“She was stealing,” he says. “I caught her red-handed with her hands in the safe.”
“It was just until payday,” Paula says. “Tips aren’t covering my bills, and I just needed something to hold me over until Friday.”
“Get out,” I say immediately. “I don’t have time to deal with this shit, Paula. You’re done. If you’d just come to me and asked me for an advance, I would have happily done so. Instead, you’re fired. Get your things and go.”
“But we’re so busy.”
“I’ve handled far worse, Paula. This is my business. And Callum’s here to help. He’s not going to steal from me.”
She grabs her purse and jacket and quietly leaves.
“I’m sorry, Aspen,” Callum says.
“It’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last. I have customers.” I grab the scones off the shelf and hurry back to my job. Callum jumps right in, fetching food out of the glass case while I fill coffee orders. David keeps the dining room clean as customers leave so new ones can fill the seats.
We have it down to a science by the time we’re done for the day.
“Let me take you home, and I’ll rub your feet,” Callum says. He’s massaging my shoulders while I clean the espresso machine.
“That sounds wonderful, but I can’t. I have to go to my house. Natasha, Monica, Ellie, and Nina are coming over for girls’ night. They want to hear about our trip and the proposal. Monica and Natasha haven’t even seen my ring yet.”
“Raincheck on the foot rub, then.” Callum kisses my neck, just below my ear.
“For sure. I have interviews set up over the next few days for potential general managers. I figure, the sooner I get someone in here, the better—if for no other reason than to help me out. We’re never this busy during the off-season.”
“You’ve made this place something special, Aspen. The locals enjoy it as much as the tourists.”
“And that makes me happy. So, I’ll be pretty busy over the next few weeks. I hope we don’t have anywhere we need to be.”
His lips turn up into a smile. “Nothing that can’t be rescheduled.”
“Thank you.”
“We’re both making adjustments and compromises, love. We’ll get everything figured out. It’s just going to take a little time.”
* * *
“You know,” Ellie says later that night, “it says something that Father chose the Queen Victoria emerald for you.”
I take my first sip of Natasha’s margarita and then set it aside.
“Is something wrong with it?” Natasha asks.
“No, why?”
“You scrunched up your nose.”
“My stomach’s been off for the past couple of days. I think it’s just jet lag and stress. Mostly stress. I think I’ll sip on some water for a bit.”