And then there was evidence of my best friend. A pair of red and green mittens Nick had given me for Christmas one year dangled from a thick length of white yarn fastened to the back of the door. A glittery, silver spatula Nick had bought for me stood tall amongst my pens and pencils. A handmade graduation card he’d made me was partially hidden behind a dried bouquet of red roses hanging on the wall. He’d drawn a Christmas tree and me wearing a short black dress on the front. My bent legs, he’d explained to me, showed dancer me tap dancing my way out of Christmas Mountain. I didn’t have to open the card to remember what he’d written:Good luck shuffling off to Buffalo!
We’d laughed when I’d read his sentiment because Buffalo was nowhere near New York City. And then I’d stopped laughing because I’d wondered how I was going to get by without him.
My phone buzzed with an email. It was my agent, checking to see if I’d arrived safely and asking how my foot was doing. That last bit was code for:Are you interested in work?
Surrounded by mementos of my past – dancing, a love of Christmas, and a dear friendship – I wasn’t sure what to say.
But I was a dancer. And dancers never refused to dance.
ChapterThree
I slippedinto the back door of the Sleigh Café Monday morning around five-thirty a.m.
I didn’t want to be home when Mom got up. She’d hound me about my career, about creating a short, sensational video that would go viral. She’d want to take me to the salon for highlights and a manicure, services neither of us could afford.
The Sleigh Café wasn’t open yet, but the smell of coffee brewing was marvelous for someone who’d been awake for two hours, me being used to a different time zone.
“What’s my favorite person doing up so early?” Nick spared me a grin before returning his attention to his work. He stood at the kitchen counter cutting asparagus. He’d lined up metal containers in front of him, each filled with a different item – diced tomatoes, chopped green onions, grated cheese. He wore a white chef jacket over his blue jeans and his blue knit cap over his dark hair. And darn if he didn’t look good enough to stare at all day. “If you want coffee, Al, you’ll have to get it yourself.”
“The main carafe is full in the front.” His mother Holly finished grinding coffee beans. They smelled like French roast. “If you want French roast, a latte or something special, you’ll have to wait a little longer. We’re running behind.”
“Oh.” I eased toward the exit, feeling like I was intruding. I gave Marvin, their long-time breakfast cook an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. I can come back later.”
“You’re not an annoyance, Allie.” Holly spared me a harried smile. Her long brown hair hung in a neat ponytail down her slim back. “We’re just down one employee since Eve is packing. Last night, she decided to go with me to Denver. She and Noelle are close.”
“My older sister is also making lists for me to care for Ivy,” Nick referred to his niece.
“You’re going to be in charge of Ivy?” I laughed, remembering his babysitting attempts when Ivy was a toddler. “How old is she now? Eight?”
“Nine. She’s practically a teenager.” Nick smiled fondly without looking up from his work. “She reminds me of you. Stubborn and dance-crazy.”
“She must be a rock star. But…why are you taking care of Ivy?” Now that I was sure it was okay, I’d been easing my way closer to the door that led to the front and the coffee. But paused by Nick, swiping a small piece of cheese that had fallen on the counter and popping it in my mouth. “What happened to Ivy’s dad?”
“Isaac and Eve are very much still married.” Holly took the ground coffee container out to the front, presumably to make a large pot of French roast.
My stomach rumbled, protesting the tidbit of cheese. “Are Isaac and Eve as cute as ever? As I recall, they were always – ”
“Finishing each other’s sentences.” Nick handed me a small brownie drizzled with caramel. “Yeah, they still do that.”
I took that brownie and bit in.Oh, so good!“I guess if you can read each other’s minds, you were meant to be together.”
“It would be awkward otherwise.” Nick swept up the asparagus pieces and dropped them into another metal container. “Anyway, Eve wants to go with Mom to help Noelle, but Eve’s seven months pregnant with twins and Isaac refuses to let her travel without him. So, he’s going too, and I was called upon to watch Ivy.”
“That’s sweet,” I said, a bit envious of Eve having such a caring man in her life.
“I suppose it’s nice of him,” Nick allowed begrudgingly. “If inconvenient for me.”
Holly returned, scoffing at Nick’s comment. “Isaac is a prince, and we all know it.”
Being princeless, I left them to search for coffee.
The front of Sleigh Café was dark. I found the switch to bring up the house lights. And then, I poured myself a cup of the house blend since the French roast was still brewing.
In the midst of my first sip, someone rapped on the front door, making me jump. I barely avoided spilling hot coffee on myself.
I recognized the knocker and went to open the door. It was easy enough since the key was in the inside lock. “What are you doing up so early on a Monday, Mrs. Willowtree? Shouldn’t you be getting ready for work?” Last I knew, she was a secretary at the high school.
“I took the day off. I have workmen coming to my house at seven. It’s my last chance for a hot shower for a few days while they revamp mine.” Mrs. Willowtree eyed the back counter and all the fancy coffee equipment longingly, brushing her silver bangs out of her face. “I don’t suppose you know how to make a brown sugar oat milk espresso over ice.”