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“Sure Becca, I’ll be there within the hour,” he replied. Then I heard a click as he hung up. I placed my phone on the table and continued staring at the register in front of me.
I heard Hunter’s voice out at the counter asking for me and I got off my desk and walked out of the office. I made my way over to the counter and smiled up at him.
“Thanks, Hunter, for showing up on such short notice,” I said.
“You just saved me from myself, turns out wallowing alone in a million-dollar beachfront mansion isn’t all it’s been cracked up to be,” he said, smiling sardonically.
I walked over to him and led him into the cafe where he had just come from.
“You can sit here,” I said, nodding at a table by the window to afford a view outside. “I’ll get us some coffee and pastries.”
I had Delia prepare us a pot of coffee while I got a few pastries out of the display case and arranged them on a tray. Then I took the tray out to the cafe, settling in front of Hunter, who was staring outside.
The cafe was mostly empty now that the rush hour was over, and most patrons were probably at work or at home with their breakfast bagels. It would be lunchtime soon, though.
I dropped the tray on the table and then made my way over to my little office and picked up the register where I kept my books. Digital world or not, I liked the feel of a pen and paper when working numbers.
I made my way back to the table and pointed out the numbers to Hunter. He nodded thoughtfully, his eyes scanning the pages of the books. "Okay, let's start with the ingredients. Are you buying in bulk?"
I shook my head, feeling a sense of shame wash over me. "No, I can't afford to buy in bulk. I've been buying small quantities, and it's been costing me a lot of money."
Hunter smiled gently, placing a hand on my arm. "It's okay, Becca. We'll find a way to make this work. Let's see if we can find a supplier who will give you a discount for bulk orders."
We spent the next few hours poring over the books, looking for ways to cut costs without compromising the quality of the food. Hunter, it seemed, had a natural talent for business, and his suggestions were invaluable.
We made a list of ingredients that I could buy in bulk, and we even found a supplier who was willing to offer me a discount. Hunter suggested a few new menu items that were cheaper to make but would still be popular with my customers.
About three hours later, Steve showed up with Mark in tow, he had picked the boy up from school. Mark looked fit to burst when he saw me. He ran over, waving a sketch in the air.
"Becca! Look what I made at school today!" Mark exclaimed, holding up a crudely drawn picture of a house.
I couldn't help smiling as I took the picture from Mark. "Wow, that's amazing, Mark! You're such a great artist."
Mark beamed with pride as I led him over to the counter, where I gave him a cookie from the display case. Hunter watched with a fond smile on his face, and I felt a sense of warmth wash over me as I looked at him.
“Where’s Steve?” I asked, looking around.
“He’s gone back to work; he’ll be back later to pick Mark up.”
After I had settled Mark down with a coloring book and some crayons, I and Hunter got to work again on my books. As we went through the numbers, Hunter was so kind and patient, always willing to lend a helping hand.
Hunter seemed different, he didn’t snipe at me or make sarcastic remarks. Either he had meant his promise, or something had happened while he was gone and I was only seeing it now.
After we had finished going through the books, I and Hunter sat at the table, sipping on cups of hot coffee. I looked at him, my eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you, Hunter. I couldn't have done this without you."
He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You don't have to thank me, Becca. You're my friend, and that's what friends do. We help each other out when we need it."
My friend. Of course, I was his friend. I felt my heart drop a moment.
I nodded, “Of course Hunter, but thank you still.”
We had just finished our discussion of the revised menu when Steve showed up to pick Mark up. Mark would spend the night at his place for a few days. They planned on playing soccer and eating pizza all day. Or at least that’s what Mark said.
Mark ran over to his uncle, beaming with excitement. "Guess what, Uncle Steve? I get to spend the night at your house, I already told Becca and now I’m telling you!”
Steve scooped Mark up in a big hug. "That's great, buddy! I can't wait to hear all about your day at school."
Then he turned away from Steve and looked up at me.
