Page 59 of Arranged Silverfox
I switched on the lights and got to work opening the shop, flipping the open sign, setting out the A-frame sign, and dialing in the espresso machine. By the time the shop opened at seven, I was already serving my first customer a warm blueberry lemon cookie and pulling a shot for their Americano.
I lost myself in work, comforted by the steady rhythm of ringing up customers and plating cookies. Around eight thirty, the bell above the door rang, and Olivia walked in, beaming.
“Hey, long time no see!” I called from behind the counter.
“You’re just the person I wanted to see. Can I get two large, iced coffees with cream, a chocolate chip cookie, and a cinnamon toast crunch cookie?” she asked.
“Coming right up.”
“You’re a lifesaver,” Olivia gushed. She chuckled to herself, “Allie’s watching the store right now. I needed caffeine. I left my to-go mug on top of my car this morning and drove off. It spilled all over the back window. Mom brain, you know? I’m starting to look at preschools for Joey. Apparently, you can choose the wrong place to teach your kid the ABCs.”
For a moment, I thought about what Sebastian said about the stress of motherhood and working. Olivia seemed to be doing great. I wished I could actually talk to her about it.
I laughed and crouched down to the mini refrigerator beneath the espresso machine, fishing out a large jug of iced coffee. I filled two cups with ice and filled them up, leaving room for cream.
“Here you go,” I said, handing her the coffees.
“There’s creamer to your left. Do you want the cookies in separate bags?” I asked.
“Yes, please,” Olivia said. I tossed the cookies in bags and handed them to Olivia, along with lids for the cups and straws.
Olivia paid and popped a lid onto the first coffee before sticking a straw in and taking a contented sip.
“You’re the best. I missed you this weekend!”
I laughed. “Aw, thank you! I was actually in Napa over the weekend, visiting my friend from high school. She runs a barn behind this huge resort. We went horseback riding.” I was sick of lying. I wanted to tell Olivia a bit of the truth.
“Wow, you and half of Boston! My brother was in Napa this weekend, too.”
“Really? Well, it is peak season.”
Olivia took another sip of her coffee and nodded. “Probably! I know nothing about wine. But, oh. I meant to ask you, are you guys doing anything for the Tulip festival?”
“You caught me at the right time. Once Jennie gets here, I’ve got ten pounds of dough and a tulip cookie cutter with my name on it. We’re making the cookies for the gift baskets,” I explained.
“No way, that’s awesome!”
“What about you guys?”
“We’re doing a signing with Diane Reeves. She has that book about how to make windowsill gardens.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful! I’m glad you guys are starting to have more in-person events.” It had been absolutely delightful to watch Olivia’s shop grow.
“It’s certainly something. I’m really grateful,” Olivia said. I paused, tongs in the air, longing to have an honest conversation with someone free of artifice or arrangements.
“Hey Olivia, can I ask you a sort of personal question?” I asked.
“Go for it,” Olivia replied.
“How do you manage the shop and Joey?”
“That’s always the question, isn’t it? Well, my husband helps whenever he can. And I have a nanny that comes twice a week. If it’s a late-night shift for me, and I know we won’t have many customers, I’ll take Joey with me. But if it’s an event or a weekend morning, he’s usually with his dad. Why’d you ask?”
I sighed. “It’s just something my fiancé said,” I grumbled. Olivia eyed my ring for the first time.
“Okay, first of all, congrats. Second of all, what happened?”
“We got into a fight over the weekend. He doesn’t think I can run a business and have kids,” I said.