Page 28 of Pinch of Love
Grace chuckled. “Pancake is almost the town mascot, and Izzy is probably her talent manager.”
“Who is Abby?” I asked.
“Buttercup Java’s owner. She’s so sweet. You’ll love her.”
“Hey, Aunt Maya,” Izzy said, waving in my direction. “Want to try my favorite drink?”
Happiness flooded through me as that word lingered in my mind.
Aunt.
Growing up, we’d never had a strong family unit that included our parents. Grandma Millie and Grandpa Renny were our one stable and present force in our lives every single summer. It was the best time of my life and the worst because we always had to leave.
None of my sisters wanted to tell Grandma and Grandpa about how bad it was with our parents because we worried about where we’d wind up. Why it didn’t occur to us that Grandma Millie and Grandpa Renny would have been the first to line up to take us in, I didn’t know.
But it was because of that lack of a parental unit and solid foundation of family that I think I treasured the idea of family a little more. It was also why I’d put up with Rob so much. I wanted to wish things right for the sake of the imaginary family I’d dreamed of, which I know was completely delusional because the man was incapable of empathy or growth.
“I can’t wait to try your favorite drink.” I grinned. “Does it contain caffeine, or are you too young to have the serious stuff?”
Izzy chuckled. “I’m fifteen. Of course, I can have coffee.”
“If her vice in life is caffeine, I’ll happily support her,” Grace whispered, and I chuckled as I made my way to the counter.
The coffee shop was adorned with everything related to coffee. Behind the counter, a rustic wall of stained pieces of wood was the perfect backdrop for shelves that held various glass jars filled to the brim with coffee beans. A beautiful wood carving of a giant coffee bean took center stage, which was flanked on either side with the menu written in colorful chalk.
“What do you want, Sis?” I asked Grace, who was staring at her phone again.
She smiled and looked at her daughter. “The usual. Put our drinks on my tab.”
I chuckled. “You have a tab?”
A perky woman wiping down a counter grinned. “Your sister sure does. I think she solely supports Buttercup Java. I’m Abby, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Maya, but you must be psychic.”
Abby chuckled. “Not psychic, but you have a very excited niece about you being here.”
Grace nodded but added, “I’m addicted to their coconut tea right now only because my daughter works here, and it happens to be the best stuff on the planet.”
I grinned and shook my head. “You know, there’s this thing called a debit card. You don’t have to carry a balance here.”
“Which I used nonstop in Chicago, but half the time here, I don’t even have my purse because I’ve been at the lake or am wandering the local boutiques.”
“Are you telling me you have tabs all up and down this town?”
“It’s a perk of being a local.”
Izzy grinned. “I hope you love this drink. It should give you enough caffeine to last until ten o’clock tonight.”
She slid an iced tea to her mom and an iced cup to me with a swirl of whipped cream on top.
“I’m in love with this drink already,” I promised, taking the iced coffee. “With that amount of whipped cream, I’m already in heaven.”
An incredible mixture of coffee, chocolate, and raspberry swirled around my tongue, and I shut my eyes in ecstasy.
“Amazing,” I announced to my niece, opening my eyes. “Just so yummy.”
“I knew you’d love it.”