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I stood behind the counter of the cafe, wiping down the espresso machine. The morning rush had just passed, and I was grateful for a moment to catch my breath.
But my moment of respite was short-lived as I heard raised voices coming from one of the tables. I walked over to see what was going on, my heart sinking when I saw Delia arguing with a patron.
"What do I mean, I won't pay these prices! You can’t ask that, this is ridiculous!" the customer shouted, gesturing wildly at the menu.
“I’m sorry sir, but those are the prices,” Delia said, her voice calm and controlled, but I could see that her shoulders were already tight. Delia hated confrontation.
The other customer, a middle-aged man, looked just as angry. "I'm sorry, but I can't afford to pay that much for a cup of coffee. I'll have to go somewhere else."
I felt a lump form in my throat as I watched the exchange. I knew the prices were high, but I had always prided myself on the quality of my coffee and pastries and even the meals the patrons ordered.
I couldn't afford to lower my prices, but I also couldn't afford to lose customers. As the two customers continued to argue, I realized that something had to be done.
I walked over to the table, trying to diffuse the situation. "Excuse me, is everything okay here?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.
The first customer turned to me, a scowl on his face. "No, everything is not okay. Your prices are too high, and your coffee isn't even that good."
I felt a pang of hurt at the man's words, but I tried to keep my emotions in check. "I'm sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do to make things right?"
The second customer spoke up, his tone softer. "Well, if you could lower your prices a bit, I'd be happy to stay. I really like your cafe, but I just can't afford to pay so much."
I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. I turned to Delia and asked them to serve them a mug of coffee on the house. Both men smiled and settled into their chairs. I smiled at them again before making my way to the counter and walking away again.
The customers’’ suggestion box had been coming back filled with notes saying some things were too expensive. The food was delicious, but the prices were high. And I couldn’t afford to cut down too drastically on those prices if I wanted to make any profit by the end of the month.
“Have they gotten their coffee?” I asked Delia, who had just walked back into the kitchen.
“Yes, I’m sorry about that, I didn’t mean to argue with them,” Delia said, her voice quiet.
“It’s fine. Help Abby with the cleaning,” I said.
I moved away from the Espresso machine and walked over to the counter, while I wiped it clean. I tried to keep my mind off of the morning's events. The cafe had been open for just over a month, and business had been steady, but not enough to make a significant profit.
I had tried cutting corners here and there, but the prices were still high. Now, with the customers' complaints ringing in my ears, I felt my frustration mounting. I knew that something had to change, but I didn't know what to do.
As I puttered around the cafe, my thoughts kept drifting to Hunter. He had been really sweet the other day, cooking dinner and apologizing, but he had also criticized the cafe on the day of the soft opening. Something about not utilizing my space to its maximum capacity.
I sighed, feeling a sense of longing and frustration wash over me. I knew I couldn't rely on Hunter to fix my problems, but I couldn't help wishing that he was here to help me.
An hour later, I was staring at my books, trying to find a way to cut costs. I had already gone through them a dozen times, but nothing seemed to work. Besides, accounting had never been my strong suit. I sighed, feeling my frustration mounting. I knew I needed to find a solution, but I couldn't do it alone.
Just then, my phone rang, and my heart skipped a beat as I saw Hunter's name flash across the screen. I picked up the phone, my voice shaking slightly. "Hey, Hunter. What's up?"
Hunter's voice came through the phone, reassuring and calm. "Hey, Becca. How are you doing?"
I tried to keep my voice steady as I spoke. "I'm okay, just trying to figure out how to make my cafe more profitable,” I said with a little laugh.
Hunter chuckled. "Well, I'm here to help. What's going on?"
Hesitating for a moment, trying to find the right words, so I wouldn’t sound like I was asking for a handout, or that I was ungrateful for Hunter's help. "I'm just trying to find a way to cut costs without sacrificing quality. I've been going through my books, but nothing seems to work."
Hunter was silent for a moment, and I felt a sense of unease wash over me. Had I said something wrong? Finally, Hunter spoke, his voice serious. "Becca, you don't have to do this alone. You can always ask for help, and I'm here for you."
“I know, but Hunter, I wanted to make this my project, I wanted to be good at this,” I said.
“Okay, okay, take a deep breath. We'll figure this out together." Hunter’s voice was reassuring, and I knew that I had made the right decision by telling him.
I felt a lump form in my throat as I listened to Hunter's words. I knew he was right, but I also felt a sense of vulnerability that I wasn't used to. "Okay," I said softly. "Can you come over here and take a look at my books with me?"
