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THE NEXT MORNING, LAUREN crunched granola at the kitchen table, while Zoe munched on whole wheat toast.
“How did your date go with Mitch last night?” Zoe mumbled around a mouthful.
Lauren swallowed. “Good.” She smiled.
“Did he notice your hair?”
“Uh-huh.” Warmth flickered through her as she thought about last night. Mitch had noticed her slightly shorter hair right away, and had chuckled when she’d told him what had happened.
“What about Chris?” Lauren now asked her cousin.
“Brrt?” Annie sounded enquiring, too. She’d finished her breakfast but now kept them company at the table.
Zoe wrinkled her nose.
“We don’t have anything planned right now,” she finally said.
Chris was Mitch’s friend. Last year, Zoe had delved into the world of internet dating, only to be disappointed. The last fiasco had involved Chris’s younger brother. When Chris found out about it, he had apologized profusely for his brother’s actions, and Zoe had warily accepted his apology. They had gone on a couple of dates since then, but Lauren wasn’t sure how Zoe felt about him.
“He’s working as a paramedic in Sacramento,” Zoe added, as she spread butter on another piece of toast. “And then it takes him an hour to drive down here, or for me to drive up there.”
“Maybe we could double date one night,” Lauren suggested, wanting to cheer her up. Zoe had mentioned that possibility a couple of months ago.
“Maybe,” Zoe said thoughtfully. “Yep, that might be a good idea.”
They finished their breakfast and then trooped down the private hallway to the café. Lauren had inherited her grandmother’s coffee shop, with the attached Victorian cottage. The only thing she had changed was to turn the regular café into a certified cat café, with Annie the only feline in residence.
“Beading club tonight,” Zoe said cheerfully as she unstacked the chairs from the pine tables.
“Don’t you mean knitting/crochet/string-art/beading?” Lauren teased, listing all the hobbies Zoe had tried since quitting online dating.
“Brrt!” Annie seemed to agree as she hopped up on her pink cat bed on a low wall shelf, preparing to “supervise”.
“I think I’ll make a necklace next,” Zoe mused as the chair she handled scraped on the wooden floorboards. “I’ve already made earrings and a bracelet for myself.”
“And a bangle for me, and one for Mrs. Finch,” Lauren added. She loved the bead jewelry her cousin had designed for her and wished she could wear it at work, but worried that it would get in the way of making lattes and baking cupcakes.
“I’d better bake the first batch of cupcakes.” She hurried into the kitchen.
Lauren usually whipped up the cake batter the day before, and yesterday had been no exception.
She spooned vanilla, and cinnamon swirl batter into the tins and slid them into the pre-heated oven.
Soon, their pastry chef, Ed, would arrive. His featherlight Danish was legendary in the small town.
Lauren and Zoe bustled around the empty café, getting it ready for their first customers. Lauren hoped today would be busier than yesterday. She looked out of the large window in the seating area – although cold, the sky was a clear blue. She just hoped her regular customers wouldn’t let the chilly temperature discourage them.
The banging of tins from the kitchen sounded Ed’s arrival. Lauren knew better than to disturb him with small talk. He was more of the strong, silent type, with monster rolling pins for arms and wild short auburn hair.
“Ooh, Ed’s here,” Zoe remarked. She zoomed to the swinging kitchen doors. “I want to find out how AJ is.”
“Brrt!” Annie jumped down from her bed and joined Zoe. Although it was a cat café, the Norwegian Forest Cat wasn’t allowed in the commercial kitchen.
“Let me know,” Lauren replied. Annie had found the little brown tabby under a bush in the back garden. Ed immediately adopted the tiny scrap and was now a fond cat dad.
Zoe came out of the kitchen several seconds later and smiled down at Annie.
“She’s fine, and Ed says I can arrange a play date with her and Annie.”
“Brrt!” Good!
“AJ must be around five months now,” Lauren mused as she unlocked the entrance door.
“Yep.” Zoe nodded, her pixie bangs brushing her forehead. “And Ed said she’s eating well and putting on weight.”
“That’s good to hear.” The tiny kitten had seemed undernourished when Annie had found her, and Lauren wondered if AJ had been the runt of the litter.
“Brrp.” Annie looked pleased at the news.
“When would you like to get together with AJ?” Zoe bent down to the silver-gray tabby. “Today? Tomorrow?”
“Ed doesn’t work Saturdays,” Lauren reminded her. The café was open from nine-thirty to five Tuesdays to Fridays, and open until lunchtime on Saturdays.
“Pooh. That’s right.” Zoe tapped her cheek. “And it’s club night tonight. I could always go and pick up AJ and bring her here to play with Annie.”
“That sounds like an idea.” Lauren glanced at Annie, whose ears had pricked up at the suggestion. “What about tomorrow afternoon? If it’s okay with Ed,” she added hastily.
“I’ll find out!” Zoe zipped back to the kitchen, the swinging doors barely closing before she rushed out again. “Ed says okay!”
“Brrt!”
The entrance door opened and two women appeared in the doorway.
Lauren exchanged a glance with Zoe – they’d seen the newcomers yesterday, at the salon!
“Brrt?” Annie trotted up to the pair, who hovered at the Please Wait to be Seated sign.
“Annie will show you to a table,” Lauren told them.
“Really?” The woman with the perm disaster frowned as she glanced at her friend. Today, she wore her droopy waves in a tight knot, most of her head covered with a blue messy bun beanie.
Lauren recognized her friend as the woman getting the deep conditioning treatment.
But instead of a plastic cap around her hair, this morning she wore her ash brown locks in a wavy bob. Her fuzzy green sweater and gray slacks seemed a comfortable fit on her plump frame.
“I’ve heard about this cat,” the friend replied, looking down at Annie. “You are a pretty cat.”
“Brrp,” Annie said, as if agreeing.
She swiveled on her paws and sauntered to a two-seater table in the middle of the room.
“Brrt.” You sit here.
The two women looked at each other, the woman with the perm shrugging before sinking onto the wooden chair.
There was a menu on each table, requesting that customers order at the counter. Lauren and Zoe relaxed this rule for the elderly, infirm, or otherwise harried person.
After a few minutes, neither customer came to the counter, Lauren and Zoe looked at each other. Annie was now resting in her cat bed.
“I’ll go,” Lauren told her cousin.
“What can I get you?” She approached the table, whipping out her little notepad and pencil from the pocket of her apron.
She and Zoe wore a casual uniform to work, on Lauren’s part consisting of capris and t-shirt in the warmer months, and jeans cut for her curvy figure and a sweater in the colder months.
“I’m dying for a coffee,” the deep conditioning woman said. “I’ve cut out caffeine for eight months but I miss it so much.”
“I told you it was no good for you, Helen,” Paula informed her. “I really don’t think you should start back on it.”
“I’m sure just one latte won’t hurt,” her friend replied. She looked hopefully at Lauren. “Will it?”
“I hope not,” Lauren replied, thinking of the two mochas and one cappuccino she’d enjoyed the day before.
“Actually,” Zoe jumped into the conversation, joining them at the table, “I read an article a few weeks ago saying it was okay to have up to six single espressos per day.”
“Really?” Helen looked excited. “Six?”
“Yep,” Zoe replied. “Six. And Lauren and I don’t drink that many per day, and we’re fine.”
“I don’t think you should believe everything you read,” Paula muttered. “Because the article I read last year said coffee was bad for you. That’s why I told Helen here to stop drinking it.”
Lauren surveyed the two women. Paula with the perm seemed a few years younger than her friend, yet had a slightly bossy attitude toward her.
“One latte won’t kill me,” Helen replied. “And I’d love to have a cupcake too. What sort do you have?”
“Vanilla, and cinnamon swirl today,” Lauren replied.
“They’re awesome,” Zoe enthused.
After a couple of minutes of discussion, the women decided.
Lauren took their order and hurried back to the counter, Zoe by her side.
“I can make the latte and green tea if you plate the cinnamon swirls.”
“Roger, boss.” Zoe grinned.
In a few minutes, Lauren carried the order to the table. On the surface of the regular latte was a peacock. She and Zoe had attended an advanced latte art class last year, and were now able to produce swans and peacocks, as well as the usual hearts, tulips, and rosettas.
“I can’t believe how badly my perm turned out,” Paula grumbled to her friend.
“That’s because you washed it when the stylist told you not to.” Helen glanced appreciatively at the cupcake Lauren gave her, a large swirl of frosting with a sprinkle of golden Ceylon cinnamon on top.
Paula scowled. “Maybe she shouldn’t have used such a stinky perm solution. That’s the only reason I washed it straight away.”
Helen pursed her lips but didn’t say anything.
“I don’t know if I’ll keep my appointment with her in two weeks,” Paula continued. “I’m not sure that I can trust her to do a proper job.” She shrugged. “I’m seriously thinking of going somewhere in Sacramento where they know what they’re doing, and leaving a bad review for the place here.”
“Don’t do that!” Helen looked horrified. “Brooke seems like a nice person and didn’t do anything wrong. You did.”
Paula rolled her eyes and glanced at Lauren, as if seeing her properly for the first time. “Weren’t you at the salon yesterday?” she demanded.
“I’d just gotten my hair cut,” Lauren replied.
“I’m glad I went there,” Helen said. “Look at my hair – that deep conditioning treatment really did the trick.” Her ash brown hair looked glossy and well nourished.
“Hmph.” Paula sniffed, looking unimpressed.
Her friend raised her eyebrows, but didn’t say anything.
Lauren made her way back to the counter.
“What did they say?” Zoe hissed in her ear.
“Paula is thinking of leaving a bad review for Brooke’s salon,” Lauren told her the short version.
“No way!” Zoe’s mouth parted in an O.
A few more customers came in, taking up their attention. Once they’d received their orders, Lauren noticed Paula waving in her direction. Lauren hurried over to the table.
“Would you like something else?” she asked politely. Both plates were empty, and it looked like they’d finished their beverages as well.
“Where do we pay?” Paula demanded, pulling out her gray leather wallet from her matching handbag.
“Over at the counter.” Lauren gestured to where Zoe stood.
“Thank you,” Helen murmured.
A minute later, the two women arrived at the cash register.
“I do miss my quilting,” Helen was saying to her friend as they pulled out cash from their wallets.
“But you said it was making you miserable,” her friend countered, giving Lauren the correct money.
“Not exactly,” Helen murmured, as she handed over her share, including a tip. “I said it was costing me more money than I thought to create designs, and you said I should take a break from it for a while. And I have.”
“So what’s the problem?” Paula asked as she moved toward the door.
“I want to start doing it again.” Helen smiled at Lauren and Zoe before following her friend.
“Do you really think that’s a good idea?” Paula queried. “I thought your husband didn’t like you spending so much money on it.”
“He said last night we could rejig our budget so I could afford to buy some new fabric.” Helen sounded excited at the thought.
“Have you really thought about this?” Paula’s voice floated from the entrance as they exited the café.
“Wow,” Zoe murmured to Lauren. “She really doesn’t want Helen to do quilting.” She shuddered. “Not that I would want to.” Zoe was not known for her sewing.
“Here’s your tip.” Lauren clinked the coins into the jar on the counter. Since she owned the café, she didn’t think it right to participate in the tips. Zoe and Ed shared them. But as well as a salary for herself, Lauren paid Zoe and Ed a decent wage.
“Thanks.” Zoe smiled, then her expression dropped a little. “The perm woman Paula didn’t leave me – or Ed – anything. What a cheapskate.”
“Maybe she couldn’t afford to,” Lauren offered. “She’s just been to the salon.”
“Yeah, maybe.” But Zoe didn’t sound convinced. Then she brightened. “Never mind. The tips are a nice little extra. I manage fine on what you pay me.”
“Good.” Lauren smiled.
“Hello, dears.” The door opened and an elderly lady walked into the café, her cane tapping along the hardwood floors.
“Brrt!” Annie jumped down from her bed and ran to greet her.
“Hello, Annie, dear.” Mrs. Finch bent down a tad.
“Hi, Mrs. Finch,” Lauren greeted one of their favorite customers.
“Is that my bracelet?” Zoe’s brown eyes sparkled as she spied the green and gold beads jangling on Mrs. Finch’s wrist.
“Yes, it is.” Mrs. Finch smiled, her rouged cheeks looking like orange California poppies. “It was so kind of you to make me one, Zoe. I wear it all the time.”
“My pleasure,” Zoe replied. Lauren knew she meant it.
“What can we get you today?” Lauren asked.
“One of your lovely lattes, please, and do you have any vanilla cupcakes?”
“Yes, we do,” Zoe answered for her cousin.
“Brrt,” Annie encouraged, ambling toward a table near the counter.
“I’m coming, Annie dear.” Mrs. Finch slowly followed the feline.
Lauren made the coffee while Zoe plated the cupcake.
“I wonder if Mitch will stop by today,” she said mischievously, glancing at Lauren.
“He said last night he wasn’t sure if he’d have time,” Lauren replied. “But we’re having dinner tomorrow night.”
“Anywhere nice?” Zoe teased.
“Sacramento,” Lauren replied.
“Ooh, fancy.” Zoe winked.
Lauren tried to tamp down the heat on her cheeks. She’d been dating Mitch since last year and had serious feelings for him. Although not much had been said in words, she’d gotten the impression he felt the same way.
Both of them took over Mrs. Finch’s order.
“I can’t wait for tonight,” Zoe told her as she set down the cupcake.
“Me, neither,” Lauren said. “I think I’ve nearly finished knitting my hat and I’m looking forward to showing you.”
“What about putting some beads in it?” Zoe’s eyes sparkled. “We could start a new trend!”
“I’m sure we’ll have fun tonight.” Mrs. Finch picked up her cup with wobbly hands.
“Brrt!” Annie agreed, sitting on the chair opposite the senior. The four of them were the only members of the craft club.
To Lauren’s relief, the rest of the day was a lot busier than yesterday. Mitch hadn’t come in, though.
She looked at the clock with a start, registering it was a few minutes past five. The last customer had just departed.
“Time to lock up,” Zoe said cheerfully, shooting the bolt home on the large oak door.
“Brrt!” Annie agreed, scampering to the private hallway.
“Do you want to go home first?” Lauren unlocked the door and watched her run down the narrow passage and shimmy through the cat flap, entering the cottage kitchen. “See you soon.”
“Brrp,” came a distant reply.
“Maybe she wants to play with her toy hedgehog,” Zoe suggested as she stacked chairs onto the tables.
“Sometimes I wish we didn’t have to clean up at the end of the day.” Lauren sighed as she plugged the vacuum into the wall socket. She and Zoe had done as much tidying up as they could that afternoon during the quieter periods.
“Let’s have pizza for dinner.” Zoe whipped out a phone from her jeans’ pocket. “I’d suggest burgers, but we won’t have much time for that.”
“True.” Lauren nodded. Gary’s Burger Diner was a popular local eatery, but sadly didn’t deliver.
Zoe phoned in the order, then they got the café ready for the morning.
“Awesome!” Zoe grinned as the delivery driver pulled up outside the café.
“Uh-huh.” Lauren’s stomach rumbled. Once they finished dinner, it would be practically time to go to Mrs. Finch’s. In the warmer weather, they walked the block to her house, but now, in winter, and with twilight already surrounding the café, they’d planned to drive the short distance.
They ate their pizza in the cottage kitchen, Annie keeping them company. Lauren had already fed her one of her favorite meals, chicken in gravy.
“That was delish.” Zoe licked her fingers after she finished her last piece, then wiped them on a napkin. “Now I’m good to go to Mrs. Finch’s.”
“Me too.” Lauren rose and gathered the plates. “Why don’t we do the dishes later?”
“Good idea.” Zoe grinned.
Lauren placed the two plates in the sink and ran a little water in so they could soak.
“Annie, we’re going to Mrs. Finch’s now. Knitting club.”
“Beading club,” Zoe chimed in.
“Brrt!” Annie club.
They piled into Lauren’s car and drove around the block in the chilly dark to Mrs. Finch’s.
Their friend ushered them into her sweet Victorian home.
Once they were settled in her living room decorated in tones of fawn and beige, Mrs. Finch said, “Do catch me up with what you’ve been doing this week, girls.”
Although she usually came into the café every day, sometimes there wasn’t enough time to fill her in on everything, especially if they were busy with customers. However, Annie usually sat with Mrs. Finch for the entirety of her visit.
Lauren and Zoe told her about the new hair salon, while Lauren knitted her red hat, and Zoe threaded beads onto another bracelet, this time using shades of orange and yellow.
Annie interjected with the occasional “Brrt!” dividing her time between the three of them.
“I’d heard Sandra had retired and was selling her salon,” Mrs. Finch said. “Someone at the senior center said she was selling some of her hair dryers as well. She’d ordered too many, apparently, before she decided to retire. She always did my hair, but I’m afraid it’s a bit of an effort for me sometimes to get out and about, so I haven’t been for a while.”
Lauren looked closely at Mrs. Finch’s gray hair, caught up in a bun on top of her head. It did look a little untidy.
“We can take you.” Lauren and Zoe spoke at once.
“That is so kind of you, dears.” Mrs. Finch beamed. “But I know you’re both busy at the café. It’s a shame the new stylist doesn’t do home visits – that would be ideal.”
Lauren, Zoe, and Annie looked at each other.
“We could ask her,” Lauren said.
“Yeah!” Zoe patted her short hair. “After Lauren’s haircut, I was thinking of getting a little trim. And she is a lot closer than Sacramento.”
“You could go on Monday – our day off,” Lauren said.
“While I’m there I’ll ask Brooke about home visits,” Zoe finished.
“That would be wonderful.” Mrs. Finch smiled. “You girls are so good to me – all of you.”
“You’re our friend,” Lauren told her.
“Brrt!”
They made coffee using Mrs. Finch’s pod machine, then carried on with their crafting. Zoe tried to convince Lauren to add some gold beads to her hat, but Lauren wasn’t sure she wanted a bit of bling. She was pleased with the way her hat was coming along – it would match the scarf she’d finally finished knitting last year – and was now thinking of making Mitch a hat to go with the fawn scarf she’d knitted him for Christmas.
After a pleasant evening, they said goodbye to Mrs. Finch and drove home.
“I can’t wait for Annie and AJ’s play date tomorrow,” Zoe said as they entered the cottage kitchen.
“Brrt!” Me too!
“I think Annie agrees with you.” Lauren smiled as she looked fondly at the cat.
“Brrt!”
***
THE NEXT MORNING, LAUREN looked forward to closing the café at lunchtime and spending time with Annie and AJ. She wasn’t sure how long Zoe planned on making the play date last, but she’d need some time to get ready for her date with Mitch tonight. He hadn’t told her where they were going for dinner in Sacramento, only that he wanted it to be a surprise.
“Let’s go!” Zoe put her coffee cup down on the kitchen table. “If it’s not too busy today, maybe we can close a few minutes early.”
“Like we did on Thursday?” Lauren teased.
“Brrt!” Annie agreed.
“Okay.” Lauren said. “You’re not the only ones who look forward to having a break on Saturday afternoons.”
The trio trooped to the café through the private hallway. Annie sniffed the corners of the café, and apparently not finding anything interesting from the clean floor, sat in her cat bed, keeping an eye on proceedings.
Lauren and Zoe unstacked the chairs and got everything ready for their first customers, including fresh batches of vanilla, and triple chocolate ganache cupcakes.
“Time to open up.” Zoe scooted to the entrance door and pulled back the bolt.
“No customers,” she said a second later after sticking her head out into the street.
“You seem very eager this morning,” Lauren said as she poured coffee beans into the hopper.
“I guess I’m just looking forward to this afternoon.” Zoe grinned. “Oh, and Chris texted me last night,” she added a little casually.
“He did? When?” Lauren crinkled her brow.
“I checked my phone when we got home from Mrs. Finch’s,” Zoe admitted. “And he’d sent it earlier last evening.”
“What did he say?” Lauren asked. “It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me,” she said hastily. “I’m not trying to be nosy.”
“I know you’re not,” Zoe assured her. “He suggested we see a movie.”
“Are you going to?” Lauren hoped her cousin’s fledgling romance with Chris would work out. He seemed a nice guy, and a good match for Zoe.
“Maybe,” Zoe replied. She stifled a grin. “Yes, okay, I will.”
“Good.”
“Brrt!” Annie added from her cat bed.
The door swung open and a girl with chestnut hair walked in.
“Brooke!” Lauren waved to her from the counter.
“Brrp?” Annie jumped down from the bed and ran to the Please Wait to be Seated sign.
“Is this your cat?” Brooke smiled as she bent down to greet the feline.
“This is Annie,” Lauren told her.
“She’ll choose a table for you,” Zoe added.
“Really?”
“That’s right,” Lauren told her.
“Brrt.” Annie led the way to a small table near the counter.
The hair stylist slowly followed, glancing around the café as she did so.
“I love your place,” she told them as she sat down. Her table was close enough to the counter that she didn’t have to shout. Annie hopped up on the empty chair and studied her.
“Thanks.” Lauren surveyed the décor, seeing it with fresh eyes. The interior walls were pale yellow, complementing the pine tables and chairs. A string-art picture of a cupcake with lots of pink frosting decorated one of the walls – evidence of one of Zoe’s previous hobbies.
“What can we get you?” Zoe zipped over.
“What do you recommend?” Brooke picked up the menu and scanned it.
“Lauren’s cupcakes, for sure,” Zoe enthused. “And you must try a mocha.”
“Definitely.” Brooke smiled.
“Ooh, do you do hair home visits?” Zoe said.
“No – well, I haven’t really thought about it,” Brooke told her.
“We don’t mean to bombard you.” Lauren came around the counter. “But we have a friend who’d like to get her hair done, but—”
“It’s difficult for her to come to the salon,” Zoe finished.
“What would she like done?” Brooke asked.
“I think a trim,” Lauren began, “but—”
“We didn’t think to ask exactly what Mrs. Finch wanted,” Zoe chimed in.
“Oh, Sandra, the lady who sold the salon to me, mentioned her regulars, including a Mrs. Finch,” Brooke told them.
“It must be the same Mrs. Finch,” Zoe assured her. “She’s the only one we know, isn’t she, Lauren?”
“That’s right.” Lauren nodded.
“Let me see what I can do,” Brooke said. “I’m still getting established and I don’t want to turn away any customers, but I’ll need to find time to visit her – I could probably see her in the evening. Do you think that would work?”
Lauren and Zoe told her they’d check with Mrs. Finch and get back to her.
“Maybe we should just give them each other’s phone numbers and they can set it up themselves,” Zoe whispered as she made Brooke a large mocha.
“I think we should check with Mrs. Finch first,” Lauren murmured as she plated a triple chocolate ganache cupcake.
“I guess,” Zoe replied as she wiggled the milk jug so a peacock appeared on the surface of the micro foam. “Look!” she pointed at the bird. “I’ve been practicing.”
“It looks awesome.” Lauren admired the design.
Zoe carried the creation over to Brooke, who seemed impressed. Lauren followed with the sweet treat.
Annie still perched on the opposite chair, seeming to keep the hair stylist company.
They chatted with Brooke for a few minutes, then several customers trickled in.
“Forget what I said about closing early today,” Zoe murmured two hours later. The trickle had turned into a flood.
“Maybe they’re making up for not coming in on Thursday,” Lauren replied. There had been no rain this morning, just a chilly cold temperature, which had seemed to encourage the locals to order cappuccinos, lattes, and mochas.
“Hi, gals!” Their curly gray-haired friend Martha barreled in, pushing her rolling walker. “Can’t wait to have one of your hot chocolates, Zoe. With plenty of marshmallows.”
“Coming right up.” Zoe grinned. They’d met Martha last year when they’d joined together to save the senior center from being demolished by a developer.
“Brrp.” Annie jumped down from her seat at Brooke’s table, and ran to the senior. “Brrp?” She patted the vinyl seat of the walker with her paw.
“Hop on, cutie pie.” Martha beamed.
Annie leaped onto the walker and allowed Martha to push the contraption. She usually asked Martha for a ride every time she visited the café, and now the rolling motion was familiar to her. Her green eyes were wide and sparkling, her paws pressing securely on the padded seat as they wheeled through the café.
“Brrt,” she said to Martha as they approached an empty table.
“This one?” Martha asked, stopping.
“Brrp.” Yes.
Annie scampered down from the walker and settled into one of the chairs.
“It’s good to sit down sometimes.” Martha sank down onto the pine chair.
“Would you like something to eat with your hot chocolate?” Lauren asked as she approached the table. She’d left Zoe busy making lattes. Although Martha was capable of pushing the walker to the counter, she looked like she needed a rest.
“Don’t tempt me,” Martha replied. “One of your vanilla cupcakes would be good.”
“Of course.” Lauren scratched a note on her pad.
“You look busy today,” Martha observed.
Most of the tables were filled now and the low buzz of chatter and laughter permeated the air, along with the aroma of cherry and spice from the freshly ground coffee beans.
“It’s good to see,” Lauren admitted. She’d been a little worried on Thursday with the lack of customers, but hadn’t liked to say anything to Zoe. This morning more than made up for that day, though.
“Everyone’s still talking about this place at the senior center,” Martha said.
“We appreciate the business,” Lauren told her. She recognized some faces from the senior center party they’d catered last year.
“Whenever someone asks Denise where to get the best coffee, she always recommends you.” Martha winked.
“That’s nice of her.” Lauren smiled at the thought of the new director of the center doing that.
She hurried to the counter to get Martha’s order.
“Here’s the hot chocolate.” Zoe placed a large mug crammed with pink and white marshmallows on a tray.
“And here’s the cupcake.” Lauren used tongs to plate the vanilla frosted treat. “I’ll take it over.” She checked the tickets. “You’re slammed.”
“Thanks.” Zoe pressed the button on the grinder, a low growl filling the air as coffee poured into the portafilter.
Usually Lauren made the coffees with Zoe as her back up, but today her cousin was the point girl.
At lunchtime, the last of the crowd dispersed, as if they suddenly remembered the café would be closing. Lauren disliked reminding people and sometimes stayed open a little longer so a customer could finish their coffee.
“Phew!” Zoe sank onto a chair after locking the door. “I certainly didn’t expect it to be so busy.”
“Nor did I,” Lauren admitted. She couldn’t wait to go home next door and put her feet up. Except she couldn’t.
“Now we have Annie and AJ’s play date.”
“Brrt!” Annie’s green eyes sparkled. She’d joined them at the table closest to the counter.
“We just have to clean up first,” Lauren told her.
“Brrp.” Annie’s lower lip jutted out for a second.
“We won’t be long,” Zoe promised her.
Lauren and Zoe stacked the chairs on the table. Zoe zoomed around with the vacuum while Lauren tackled the dirty dishes in the commercial kitchen.
For a second she wondered at the fact that Mitch hadn’t stopped by, then told herself not to be silly. She was seeing him tonight, and they’d had dinner Thursday night.
“I grabbed paninis for our lunch.” Zoe appeared in the kitchen, waving a paper bag.
“Good thinking.” Lauren pulled off her rubber gloves. “The dishes are done. And I’m starving.” They’d ended up being so busy that she and Zoe hadn’t had a chance for a break.
Annie led the way down the private hallway to the cottage.
“Chicken in gravy?” Lauren offered as soon as they entered the homey kitchen.
“Brrt,” Annie agreed, sitting by her lilac bowl.
Lauren fed her, then sat down at the table. Zoe had already plated their lunch – turkey, lettuce, and cranberry paninis.
“Thanks,” she said gratefully as she took her first bite.
The only sounds in the kitchen were munching (Lauren and Zoe) and lapping (Annie) as the three of them ate their lunch.
After they finished eating, Zoe grabbed Lauren’s car keys.
“And now it’s play date time!”
“Brrt!” Annie encouraged.
“I’ll pick up AJ and bring her back here.”
“Do you need to use Annie’s carrier?” Lauren asked. “Or does Ed have one now?”
Zoe wrinkled her nose. “I hadn’t thought that far ahead,” she admitted. “I’ll take Annie’s, just in case.”
Lauren and Annie watched her hurry out of the cottage, the plastic cage banging against her legs.
“She won’t be long,” Lauren told Annie. “You and AJ will have a good time this afternoon.”
“Brrt.”
Lauren tidied up the kitchen, Annie ‘supervising’. Before long, she heard a car pull up nearby, and her cousin’s footsteps outside the back door.
“Here we are.” Zoe entered the kitchen, carrying the cage. Inside was a Maine Coon brown tabby. Her fur was fawn with dark brown stripes. In the middle of her forehead was more dark brown fur in the shape of an M.
“Brrt!” Annie jumped down from the kitchen chair and ran to greet her friend.
“Mew!” AJ pawed the plastic bars of the carrier. “Mew!”
Zoe shut the door behind her and bent down to open the carrier.
“There you go, AJ.” She grinned as the half-grown cat jumped out of the carrier.
“Brrt.” Annie seemed to communicate silently with the tabby for a few seconds, then ran into the living room, AJ close behind.
“I wonder what they’ll play with first.” Zoe joined them in the living room.
Lauren followed, sitting down on the sofa while the cats chased a jingly ball around the room.
“I wish I was a cat.” Zoe laughed as the two tabbies had fun with their game.
“Me too,” Lauren admitted. She’d often wondered what it would be like to be Annie instead of having to do the accounts as well as running the café, and wondering why Mitch hadn’t stopped to see her since their last date.
After chasing the ball, Annie and AJ investigated every room of the house. Annie led the way, AJ right behind her.
When they appeared in the living room again, Annie shared her furry toy hedgehog.
“Oh, look,” Lauren whispered as the two cats curled up next to each other on the carpet, the brown stuffed creature between them. Each cat had a paw on the toy.
“I think they’re snoozing.” Zoe stifled a yawn. “I wish I could do that right now.”
“I know what you mean,” Lauren said ruefully. She just hoped she didn’t fall asleep on Mitch tonight.
While the cats were sleeping, Lauren took the opportunity to catch up with her chick-lit novel. Zoe threaded beads onto her latest bracelet.
After a while, Zoe checked her watch. “I guess I’d better take AJ home to Ed.” She didn’t look like she wanted to. “I told him she’d be back there by four-thirty.”
“Is it that time already?” Lauren’s eyes widened as she glanced at her watch. Not yet. Phew.
Their low conversation seemed to rouse Annie.
“Brrp?” she asked sleepily.
“It’s time for AJ to go home,” Lauren told her.
“Brrp.” Annie looked disappointed.
“I know how you feel,” Lauren told her. “But Ed is expecting her to come home today.”
“Mew?” It seemed the mention of Ed’s name woke up AJ. She sat up, her brown eyes opening wide.
“Time to go home, sweetie,” Zoe told her regretfully.
The kitten stood up and nuzzled Annie for a few seconds.
“Mew,” she told her.
“Brrt,” Annie replied. She followed her friend to the carrier.
“I swear they understand every single word,” Zoe marveled as she helped AJ into the cage.
“I really think they do.” Lauren nodded. She waved goodbye to AJ as Zoe carried her to the car.
Annie let out a little sigh and wandered into the living room.
“I know,” Lauren sympathized. “But it was fun having AJ here. I’m sure Ed will let her come over again.”
“Brrt.” Annie’s expression lifted.
Lauren and Annie snuggled on the sofa, Annie ‘reading’ with her, her gaze focused on each page of the book.
“I’m home,” Zoe called out before appearing in the doorway. She frowned at Lauren. “Shouldn’t you be getting ready for your date?”
Lauren started. She’d enjoyed her quiet time with Annie so much, she’d forgotten to check her watch.
Five-thirty.
“It doesn’t take an hour to drive to Ed’s house and back,” she said.
“I know.” Zoe grinned. “I told Ed what a good time the two of them had, and he told me about a new recipe he was trying for honeyed walnut Danish. Then I got gas on the way home.”
“You did?” It had been on Lauren’s to-do list. “How much do I owe you?”
Zoe waved a hand in dismissal. “My treat. I’ve been using your car a lot lately.”
“Thanks.” Lauren smiled.
“Brrt?” Annie enquired.
“Want to help me get ready for my date with Mitch?” Lauren asked her.
“Brrt!” Annie ran down the hall toward Lauren’s bedroom.
After a quick shower, Lauren decided on her new periwinkle wrap dress in a knit fabric and a black coat as it was chilly outside.
“What do you think, Annie?” Lauren asked once she was ready.
“Brrt!” Annie sat on the bed, her green eyes seeming to approve.
“That’s what I think, too.” Zoe peeked in the doorway. “You’ll knock him dead.”
Lauren winced.
“Oops, bad choice of words.” Zoe clapped a hand over her mouth.
More than one murder had taken place in the small town last year, and it wasn’t something they liked to dwell on.
A ring sounded at the front door.
“He’s here!” Zoe answered the door.
Lauren picked up her purse, hearing Zoe’s muffled voice and Mitch’s deeper tone.
“I’ll see you later,” she told Annie, giving her a gentle stroke.
Annie followed her to the front door.
“Hi,” she said to Mitch.
“Hi.” His warm brown eyes focused solely on her. He was tall, in his early thirties, with short dark hair and a straight nose. His lips curved up in a smile.
“Brrt?” Annie prompted after a minute.
“Right.” He blinked. “Hi, Annie. “Ready to go, Lauren?”
“Yes.” She turned to Zoe and Annie. “Have fun, you two.”
“We will,” Zoe assured her. “Won’t we, Annie?”
“Brrt.”