Wesbury
Geneva and I are huddled in the cozy, dim office at Hearts and Mugs Cafe, surrounded by the delicious smells of coffee and pastries. It’s like a little haven, and the scents are totally tempting as we talk.
‘I left it here yesterday,’ Geneva says, frustrated. Her voice is nearly drowned out by the clink of cups and saucers just outside.
I frown, thinking hard. ‘Maybe Amer moved it.”
‘Can you ask him?’ she asks, her blue eyes looking at me, so desperate.
I glance toward the busy cafe. ‘No, it’s way too hectic out there right now,’ I say, feeling the pressure of our morning workload.
Geneva nods, her dark curls bouncing a bit. ‘Mondays are always insane here. I just don’t get why.’
I can hear the tiredness in her voice, and it matches the weariness I’m feeling.
‘You know, I think she should open another branch, maybe somewhere close by,’ I say, thinking about how busy the cafe always is.
Her eyes go wide, and she laughs a little. ‘I never thought coffee could be this profitable.’
I smile. ‘It’s not just the coffee. It’s also because of the Presley connection.’
‘That’s true,’ she agrees, her voice full of respect.
Geneva and I are deep in conversation about the cafe’s expansion when suddenly, the door swings open. In bursts Kari Dennis, Aisling’s assistant. She looks kind of frantic, her cheeks all red and her eyes wide with urgency. It totally throws us off.
‘Good thing you’re both here,’ she pants out, clearly out of breath.
Geneva and I exchange glances, the gravity of the situation evident between us. It’s a rare moment when words fall short, and our mutual understanding communicates more than words ever could.
‘What’s going on? You okay?’ My heart’s racing, and anxiety starting to bubble up.
‘Is there some kind of problem?’ Geneva adds, her voice filled with concern.
Kari’s trying to catch her breath, and then she blurts out, ‘Got a call this morning from this woman who wouldn’t say who she was, but she’s got something really important to tell us…’
Her voice just trails off, and you can feel the tension spike in the room. The hair on the back of my neck stands up, and I get this chill. Whatever this mystery woman has to say, it’s clear it’s going to be big, maybe even change everything for us.
