With that, he grabbed the glass and went back into the back room probably to continue working on his next brew.
Josh looked around and saw that there were only two other people in the coffee shop. Mr. Jenkins, the high school principal and Mary Higgins who owned Say Cheese, the photography shop downtown. The two were huddled together in the corner and his first thought was wondering if there might be something going on there.
Damn, he’d been back in Hope Falls too long. This is what the town did to people and how rumors started.
He shook off that thought and looked around the rest of the shop which was empty. He specifically came at this time of the day because it was after the morning rush when most people were at work and Audrey was usually working the front by herself. He never stayed long. Just got his order and left. But those few minutes of just being in her presence kept him buzzing for hours. She was that potent. Which was why he did his best to limit the amount of time he spent around her.
Audrey stepped back up to the counter with his order in hand and a smile on her face. Her eyes were twinkling as she asked in a whisper, “Did you really taste berry and hazelnut?”
He grinned down at her as he shook his head slowly.
Her smile grew even wider and Josh’s heart swelled at the sight. “Thank you, for saying you did.”
He reached into his back pocket to grab his wallet, but she put out her hand. “It’s on the house.”
This was the same song and dance they did every time he came in, which was three to four times a week for the past eight years, so they’d done it approximately fifteen hundred times. From the first time he’d come in on opening day, Audrey had never let him pay. He always tried, she always refused.
“Audrey—” he started to argue but she cut him off.
“So, the next time I need to get my oil changed, you’ll let me pay for it? Or if my air conditioning goes out again then you’ll let me—”
“That’s different. Those things happen a few times a year, if that. I’m in here a few times a week.”
“Yes, but this is a few bucks as opposed to hundreds, even thousands of dollars.”
The bell rang above the door and Audrey looked past Josh and smiled to welcome the new customer in. When she was distracted, he put a twenty in the tip jar. Whenever she wasn’t looking, he always snuck twenties in the tip jar.
“Thanks.” He lifted his bag of croissants and his cup of coffee.
“You’re welcome.” She grinned, seeming pleased with herself that she’d been able to get him to accept the goods without paying.
He smiled and turned to leave. Twelve steps. That was how long it would be until he’d be outside the coffee shop. Those twelve steps he took away from her were the least favorite part of his day.