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“Is everything okay?” Setting the cup down on the counter, Katelynn takes a couple of steps towards Deanna. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No, no. It’s not you. It’s just…” She jerks her head around to see a white boxed truck, similar to the one Gavin was in earlier, passing by the front of the coffee shop. She strains to see the writing on the side, but it’s too far down the road for her to make out what it says. “Why don’t we take a break? We’ve gone over quite a bit already this morning and we can see if anyone else might be confused.”
Katelynn looks over at Noah, one of the other new associates, then back to Deanna again. “Sure.”
If anyone was confused right now, it was her. She felt terrible that her new hires were having to see her this way. Normally, she was very professional and on top of things, but ever since she’d seen Gavin this morning, everything about her life here twenty some odd years ago came rushing back.
“Mom, dad, can I go to the Winter Formal with a boy?” Deanna had been rehearsing how she was going to ask her parents ever since lunch when Gavin had finally gotten the courage to ask her. She was almost certain she was as nervous as he was.
She’d had a crush on him since the beginning of last year, but her parents had insisted she was way too young to even be thinking about boys, much less date one. She knew better than to argue with them, so she and Gavin had settled for being friends. He’d hinted a couple times how scared he was of her daddy. Why? She wasn’t sure, but she thought it was funny that he would turn all red in the face any time they talked about going somewhere, even as friends.
“A boy?” her mother looks up from the magazine she’s been consumed with ever since she’d finished cleaning the kitchen. “Do you mean Gavin?”
Her palms begin to sweat and she shoves her hands down inside the back pockets of her jeans. “Yeah, Gavin.”
Wayne Carmichael mutes the television. “And how do you supposed the two of you are going to get there?”
“Dad, come on. You know we’re not old enough to drive. Either you or mom or his parents will take us and someone will have to pick us up. The dance is over at ten, so it’s not like we’re asking to be out all that late. Oh, never mind. Just forget it.”
“Honey, why are you getting so worked up over this?” mom asks.
“Because I like him.” It’s the first time Deanna has outwardly admitted having feelings for him. “I really like him a lot.”
“Yikes, I think I put too much whipped cream on this one.” Marilyn, the barista closest in age to Deanna, says. Pushing the clear plastic top down onto the rim of the cup, bits of soft cream run down the sides, leaving behind a mess on the countertop.
Deanna grabs one of the bar mop towels from the sink and swipes it over the spill. “I’m still trying to perfect it too. It’s either too much or not enough. Never the precise amount.”
“And when you add the drizzle, it only makes it worse. I never realized how challenging this was going to be. So, who wants to try mine?” Marilyn pushes her iced white chocolate mocha to the middle of the counter where they’re all busy working.
Deanna had a feeling she was really going to like Marilyn. Marilyn and her husband, along with their two girls, had moved to Lake Tahoe about five years ago. Her husband was a black jack dealer at one of the casinos and while they’d enjoyed living in Las Vegas, they’d needed something a little more laid back for their daughters. One would be starting high school next year and the other was a year behind her. The casinos in Tahoe were quite popular, yet there was no comparison to the fast-pace of world of Las Vegas.
Since Marilyn’s husband worked mostly evening shifts, she was hoping to get hired on for mornings, while the girls were in school. Deanna agreed this would be ideal, and she would make sure Marilyn got off in time to pick them up. Besides, she had others that could work the evenings, and it just made more sense that she have someone she could leave in charge of the shop if she needed to take care of anything.
“I will if no one else wants to.”
Deanna jerks her head around to see Gavin standing in the back doorway. Her knees weakened instantly, just seeing him standing there.
“Gavin, I didn’t realize you were here,” she says and takes a couple steps towards him.
“I knew the front would be locked since you’re not opened yet. Plus, it’s easier to maneuver the truck in the lot out back. I knocked a couple of times, but I’m guessing no one heard me.”
“Probably because I was laughing so loudly,” Marilyn admits. “Edwin’s been keeping us entertained too. He’s quite the singer, you know.”
“Is this your husband?” Katelynn asks as she slips the apron over her head and lays it down on the counter so she can go to the restroom.
Deanna feels her face turn ten different shades of red. Seriously? Had Katelynn just asked if Gavin was her husband? “Heavens, no,” she quickly admits before he has a chance to respond. “We’re friends from long ago. When I lived here before.”
“Is it okay if he has it?” Marilyn looks over at Deanna before passing the iced coffee to him. “I’m pretty sure it’s fine, but don’t hold it against me if I added too much of one thing and not enough of something else.”
“I’m sure it tastes great,” he says and lays a piece of paper down on the end of the counter.
“Sure, go ahead. Guys, this is Gavin. He delivered all of our milk this morning.” Deanna’s heart is beating so rapidly, she wouldn’t be a bit surprised if the others heard it too.
“Ahh, the milk man,” Marilyn snickers. “It’s nice to meet you, Gavin. Let me see about finding you a straw.”
“This is actually pretty tasty,” he says after taking a couple of sips. “Almost like drinking a milkshake.”
“Do you think so?” Deanna asks. ‘
