A Sip of Serendipity Page 2
“It’s Joseph, right?” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
I don’t know what it was about that woman, but hearing my name from her lips made me tingly in all the right places.
“I’d like to say your name too, but as I recall, you left before we could even get that far,” I replied. To our side, one of her teenaged staff hid a gasp behind her hand.
“Come with me,” she said, then turned on her heels and headed for what I assumed was her office. After I entered and she made sure the door was shut behind us, she turned back to me. “Okay, what are you doing here?” she asked.
In the light of day, she was even more beautiful than she’d seemed the night before. I was just about to comment on that particular detail when her question finally registered in my head.
“Oh, I’m stalking you, of course! I noticed you last night, and I couldn’t get over how beautiful you looked from behind as you left. So, I followed you around and decided to come in here and introduce myself again,” I managed with a straight face. Judging from her puzzled expression, I could see that she was trying to decide whether I was pulling her leg or if I had really meant what I’d just said. The prolonged look of confusion on her cute little face made me chuckle.
“I’m just kidding, relax! I’m actually here on official business,” I explained, lifting my briefcase. Her gaze dropped to it, then whipped straight back at me, and I scoffed.
“There’s no bomb in here, don’t worry,” I added, and she sighed, shaking her head.
“That’s... not what I’m worried about. Are you from the bank?” she asked, and I could hear the slightest hint of fear in her voice.
“Uhm, no, I’m not from the bank. I’m from a realtor’s office.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. I didn’t work for the bank, after all. And, besides, she looked scared enough already, I didn’t want to make the situation any worse for her. She nodded at me, pulled a chair from the nearby desk, and sat down.
“Please, sit,” she said, gesturing to a chair opposite hers.
“Thank you,” I replied as I took a seat myself.
“So, the first order of business. How about we start with you telling me your name?” I offered, and she managed a little smile.
“It’s Evelyn. Evelyn Stafford.”
Oh, I see... Your café’s name makes a bit more sense now. “Joseph Anderson,” I returned. “It’s nice meeting you again, Evelyn,” I added with a smile, holding out my hand over her desk.
Evelyn shook it confidently, the smile moving from her enticing lips to her bright hazel eyes. Her hand then retracted below the desk, away from my sight.
“So, why are you really here?” she asked, and I sighed. Time to get serious again...
“Well, my colleague and I noticed that your coffee shop isn’t bringing in as much profit as it should...” I heard Evelyn’s sharp breath, but I pushed on. “... so I’ve come here to give you some ideas on how you can improve your bottom line.”
Evelyn looked up at me, and I could see she was confused again.
“How come you are here to help me with my business? I thought the standard procedure was to inform me that I had three months to close up shop and then vacate the premises,” she said, and I shook my head with a smile.
“Well, that part only comes in much later, as a last resort. You see, the bank you took a loan from believes in supporting small businesses such as your own,” I added slowly. Evelyn’s gaze fell toward the desk, and I could see her eyes beginning to tear up.
“What are my current options, then?” she asked with her head bowed lower, so that I couldn’t see her eyes anymore. I pulled out the paper I’d scribbled Mason’s ideas on and handed it over to her.
“There is not even a single actionable option on this list,” she finally replied with a sigh. “I can’t fire any of my staff. I can’t cut back on the money I spend on the coffee beans either. I can’t stop using the little money I get from here to pay off my other bills. There’s no way any of the options you’ve suggested can actually help me,” she added in rapid-fire. I could see she was visibly distressed, so I replied as softly as I could.
“You could always sell the business to pay off the loan...”
The look she suddenly shot me would’ve turned me to stone had the rules of reality not been what they are.
“I’m not selling my coffee shop, period!” she retorted, and I could tell from the finality in her tone that she’d really meant it. It didn’t look like she had any other choice, though.
“Would you rather the bank seize it from you then?” I asked, frowning. I didn’t like the hopelessness that had crept into those big, beautiful eyes one bit.
“Of course not, but I don’t know what to do to keep that from happening...”
“Well, if you sell now and pay off your loan, you could always open up again in a cheaper location,” I suggested, but Evelyn shook her head immediately, then brushed a brunette lock back into place.
“I can’t leave here,” she replied. “You don’t get it... I built this business from scratch with my best friend, Emily. This is something we decided to do together. The people that are in our shop right now come in every single morning. I know their names and orders by heart. I just...” her voice broke off as she looked down at her hands.
I understood her position more than she could possibly know. Chris and I had also built our business from the ground up. We cherished our clients, and our clients recommended us in turn. It would be a damn shame if we had to close up or sell our business, but I knew that we’d eventually get over it. There was no point in pursuing a losing venture on account of sentiment. Pragmatism is a virtue in the business world.
“Evelyn, I understand your perspective, but being stubborn in the face of reality is only going to get the shop seized. We need to come up with a compromise,” I said calmly, trying to make her see reason. She looked at the customers enjoying their orders through the glass frames of her office door, then nodded gently.
“How long do I have?” she asked without looking at me.
“Three months from now,” I answered. I couldn’t read the emotion that passed over her face when she graced me with her gaze again.
“Okay... Well, your suggestions don’t seem like they’re a good fit for me at the present time. It looks like I’ll have to come up with some ideas of my own, and we’ll see if those work any better. If, during these three months, I still won’t be able to boost our income, then I will call you and discuss my options with you again.”
She needn’t call me, though. I would come back here of my own accord because even as I agreed and shook her hand in farewell, I knew as well as she did that she wouldn’t be able to pay off her remaining debt in just three short months.
“Hey, before you go, would you like a cup of coffee? A croissant, maybe?” she offered as we let go of each other’s hand. I stopped to contemplate her offer. Sit here a while longer with this gorgeous woman or go straight back to Chris? Option number two didn’t even register on second thought, so I gave her a smile and a shrug.
“If it wouldn’t be a bother, I would love some coffee, sure!”
She waved away my words. “Not at all,” Evelyn added and then walked out of the office into the busy seating area.
I managed to steal a quick look around her office while she was gone. I am here for an appraisal, after all. I took note of the structure and the quality of the materials that went into the building’s construction. From what I could gather, the coffee shop was built on a solid foundation, and it had been well compartmentalized. The wood, cement and paint on the walls were of good quality and did not show any signs of age. The furnishings are all top-notch too!
I was just about to check for any hollow spaces in the walls when Evelyn walked back in, holding a large plastic tray loaded with steaming coffee cups and croissants. The hopelessness I’d seen in her eyes before had vanished completely. Just then, she looked entirely hopeful and determined. So very determined.
“Thank you kindly, Evie! Can I call you that?” I asked, looking up at her, to which she threw me a close-lipped smile.
“You’re welcome, Joey! I’ll be right back,” she replied and left me by myself again.
The croissant was even tastier than I initially hoped. It was so soft and buttery, and the creamy chocolate filling made it something straight out of a dream!
I lifted the cup to my lips and took a small sip of Evelyn’s coffee. I was equally astonished. Chris and I usually downed coffee solely for a quick energy boost, but this was something else entirely. I never knew coffee could be brewed to taste this divine.
Evelyn walked back in after a while and re-occupied her seat across from me. “Well, how do you like the Eve’s hospitality?” she asked with a knowing smile. I simply nodded my head over and over because my mouth was still full, as I couldn’t get enough of her treats. When I finally managed, I replied, “It’s simply amazing! I can’t believe how good everything tastes!” She chuckled a bit and sat back in her chair.
“I’ve been told we’re really good,” she mused, pursing her full lips.
“Oh, yes, you most certainly are. You might’ve just got yourself a new loyal customer, Miss Stafford,” I said and then basked in the way her eyes lit up.
I could barely stop myself from outright staring at her. The night before, at the bar, she’d caught my attention the way no other woman had in a looong time. And that day, she still commanded my full attention by just being herself. It wasn’t hard to tell what she was feeling or thinking, and she didn’t seem like the kind of person that liked keeping secrets. From what I’d noticed about her until then, she wore her heart on her sleeve. That particular facet interested me the most, actually. There aren’t a lot of people like her in the world anymore.
“I’d be happy to see you here more often then,” she said, smiling and looking me straight in the eye.
I could tell that throughout our short second meeting, the mood between us had subtly shifted. It wasn’t about her business anymore – it became suddenly about us. I glanced at the heat emanating from Evelyn’s eyes as I took another sip of her delicious coffee.
“You needn’t worry yourself about that,” I replied with a wink, and she chuckled.
I so wanted to ask her out on a date right there and then... I was just about to speak out when my phone rang. Judging from the upbeat ringtone, I could tell it was Chris. He is probably wondering what is taking me so long.
“Hello, stranger,” he greeted me as soon as I answered his call.
“Stranger? Don’t you go hurting my feelings now, Mr. Moreland,” I retorted.
“Far from it, actually! It’s just that you have been gone for more than two hours now, and you know how lonely I get sitting here all by myself...” he purred into the speaker. My eyes rolled up of their own accord.
“I’m almost done here, I’ll be back at the office before you know it. Try not to burn it all down before I get there, okay?” I replied.
“No promises, hotshot!” he retorted, then promptly cut the call.
I turned my attention back to Evelyn, and as I did, I knew I was going to have to work something out for her soon.
“I have to go now,” I told her.
“Yeah, I figured. It was nice seeing you again, Mr. Anderson,” she said with a wink.
“You too, Miss Stafford,” I replied, and we shook hands again like proper business people. Her eyes were sparkling, so much so that I almost forgot to let go of her hand. I wonder how long it would be socially acceptable to just stand here and stare enraptured at this gorgeous woman...
I must have been doing that for a while actually, because I suddenly heard her clearing her throat. I blinked and quickly regained my composure.
“Goodbye then, Evie,” I blurted and walked straight out of her office.
My feet were carrying me in great strides toward the front door, but then I passed by the counter. On second thought... I stopped all of a sudden, turned toward the nearest barista, and ordered four large cups of coffee and a matching number of chocolate croissants to go. I would never again be able to drink the coffee Chris and I had at the office after having sampled Evelyn’s heavenly brew.
I paid and tipped the teenager generously when she handed me my order, before walking out of the shop and waving down a taxi that was just passing by.
I gave the driver our office’s address and enjoyed one more cup of coffee and a delicious croissant for good measure. On the way back, I mulled over what the Eve’s underlying problem could be until the car pulled over to a halt outside the business tower. After I paid and tipped the driver, I picked up my brown paper bag of heavenly treats and walked inside the building with purpose.
Chris had been lounging in his chair, swaying lazily back and forth when I burst through the office door.
“Hey, you’re back!” he exclaimed gleefully. “And you even brought me lunch! You, sir, are a man after my own heart,” he said, wiping faux tears from his eyes.
“So, how went the appraisal?” he pressed, helping himself to a paper cup of coffee and a neatly-wrapped croissant.
I just sat back in my chair, let out a lengthy sigh, then proceeded to tell him everything.
Chapter Three
Evelyn
“Emily, we need to talk,” I said while we were both sitting in the Eve’s back office.
We had closed up for the day, and Emily had been keeping me company while I counted our latest earnings. I figured there was no better time to talk to her about the loan... and the three-month deadline before which we had to get everything in order. So, we both sat down to chat, starting from the first late payment and the letters I started receiving from the bank, to Joseph and his suggestions to set things straight.
Emily was shocked into silence. Her eyes were downcast, but I could see she was holding back tears.
“Are we going to have to close? Will the bank actually seize our property?” she asked, and it was apparent to me she was very close to having a full-blown panic attack. I reached out across the desk, took her hand in mine and gave it a calming squeeze.
“There’s no need to panic, Em... We can do this, you and I. We will do this, okay?” I said, making my voice as soothing as I could. Emily didn’t look up, but still nodded her head, taking in deep breaths to calm her nerves.
“All right... So, what are our options? How can we make this place better?” she finally asked, having collected herself.
“Well, first things first. I thought that Sundays we should have a special on our signature blends. Slash 25% of what they are usually selling for since weekends are our busiest days. We’ll make more sales that way since people will buy more than they need just because we’ll be running a limited offer. If this doesn’t help our bottom line, we’ll think of another idea.”
Emily nodded her head. “That sounds like a good place to start, sure... I think we can do this,” she said, finally meeting my gaze.
I could see that, deep down, she was just as determined as I’d ever been.
***
The next day, we decided to address our staff: Amber, Michael, and Caitlin. As I looked at them leaning against the countertop, their long aprons neatly pressed, it was hard remembering that all three of them were orphans. They had dropped by the Eve in the past to ask for donations for their orphanage. Emily and I figured it would be a lot better for everyone involved if we hired them as full-time baristas. They were all such good kids and had helped Emily and me a lot around the Eve ever since we took them in.
“We need to talk about something, guys...” I started as I rested my hands on a chair’s backrest.
Amber suddenly frowned and pointed at Michael. “He’s the one who took home the bottle of chocolat
e syrup. I saw it yesterday in his room!” she blurted as Michael shot her a betrayed look. I couldn’t hold back my laughter.
“It’s not about the chocolate syrup, relax!” I managed between giggles.
I knew that even if they didn’t have nearly enough money between themselves, they would still share whatever little they had with the other children at the orphanage. I was sure Michael gave the chocolate syrup to some of his younger friends, so I couldn’t really be mad at him, although I would’ve preferred if he’d asked me for it first.
“Long story short, Emily and I took out a loan from the bank to start up the Eve,” I continued, then saw their expressions become suddenly attentive.
“We were supposed to pay back parts of it every year until we managed to cover the sum fully, but, unfortunately, we haven’t been able to do that this year. Our income just isn’t enough to handle all of our bills, pay you guys, and then also pay back the loan by the deadline the bank gave us,” I explained.
“Therefore, we’re going to have to make some changes around here to help boost our profit margin. I won’t be firing any of you, so you can relax if that’s what you were thinking,” I quickly added with a reassuring smile. I could already see the three of them exchanging glances of relief.
“You might, however, have to endure a small pay cut for the foreseeable future. It will only be temporary, though, so don’t worry about it too much,” Emily picked up from where I’d left off. All three teenagers nodded their agreement.
“That’s right! It’s just until we can get back on our feet,” I confirmed.
“We don’t mind, Evie, it’s all right,” Amber said with a shy smile. I almost teared up seeing her accept like that. It was humbling to think they would do this for me, given their situation.
“Okay, great! Thank you for understanding, guys! We’re also going to stay open later than usual, and I would like you to hand out some flyers to people on the street,” Emily added. “Please, talk to all of your friends about us! If you can take some pictures of the Eve and post them on your social media feeds, that would also help a great deal.”