and coffee brewing, Kori had an extra ten minutes that were usually spent working to get everything in order before opening. So today she took that time to make her own breakfast—French toast with grilled peaches. She had them ready only two minutes before five thirty, so she opened the door and turned the sign to open before sitting down to eat them. She rarely let her customers see her take a bite, but today could be an exception.
The first bite was heavenly. She’d used thick bread she’d received in her delivery on Wednesday. Usually she took the time to make her own, but she always had a stash in the freezer for days like today when she hadn’t planned that far ahead.
The outside was crispy from the butter she’d used to fry it in, and the middle was soft and gooey. The peaches were extra sweet; the grilling caramelized their sugars and she closed her eyes for just a second to let herself fully get lost in the flavors.
Before she opened them she could hear footsteps coming her way and she knew her private moment was no longer. She opened her eyes and turned to see if she knew her first customers. She didn’t, so she took her plate in to the kitchen and would sneak bites throughout the morning. But none would be as good as that first decadent bite.
Kori got to work serving customers. Word must have gotten out that she now offered gluten free breakfasts because the waffles were flying off the waffle maker and she had to make more batter. Twice. Or maybe it was just the peaches on top that made them so popular.
Just before ten, Kori saw Jenna Rhodes come in and she expected to see Kyle right behind her. There was a lull in serving—everyone was contentedly eating—so she went to the door to chat while Jenna waited for a table.
“Morning, Jenna. Where’s Kyle?” she asked when she didn’t see him come in behind her.
Jenna looked around the café. Her eyes didn’t linger on anyone too long and Kori followed her gaze. Everyone was from out of town. “Kori, I don’t know what to do,” Jenna started.
Kori took her elbow and led her to the kitchen. Something was going on and she didn’t want to force Jenna to share it in public. Kori pulled a stool out from under a counter and offered it to Jenna, who happily sat.
Kori waited for Jenna to continue, not wanting to push her into sharing something she wasn’t ready for. Before she said anything else, she burst into tears, her hands flying to her face and covering her eyes.
Kori quickly wrapped Jenna in her arms and asked, “What happened?” She glanced through the window into the dining area and didn’t see anyone in need of immediate assistance so she stayed right where she was.
“I don’t know. Kyle has been gone a lot at night. I’m just worried—”
Kori didn’t need her to finish her thought, which she didn’t. “Why do you think he would do that?”
“I don’t know,” Jenna sobbed onto Kori’s shoulder.
“Do you really think he would … cheat on you?” Kori didn’t want to be the one to say it out loud and make it more real, but if Jenna truly thought he was cheating—with their first baby on the way—then she had to face the music and figure out what she was going to do about it.
Jenna remained silent and Kori could feel her shoulder becoming soaked with tears.
“I’ll be right back,” Kori said and gently removed Jenna from her embrace. “I have to go check on everyone.”
Jenna nodded and stayed seated.
Kori made the rounds quickly, refilling coffees and teas, clearing plates for the one empty table and checking to see if anyone was waiting outside. Then she returned to Jenna who hadn’t moved a muscle while Kori had been gone.
Without looking up, Jenna said, “No, I don’t think he’d cheat on me. But I don’t know what else it could be. His job doesn’t take him out at night but he’s been gone almost every night for a week.”
Kori nodded. “Have you asked him where he goes?”
Jenna nodded, still not
The first bite was heavenly. She’d used thick bread she’d received in her delivery on Wednesday. Usually she took the time to make her own, but she always had a stash in the freezer for days like today when she hadn’t planned that far ahead.
The outside was crispy from the butter she’d used to fry it in, and the middle was soft and gooey. The peaches were extra sweet; the grilling caramelized their sugars and she closed her eyes for just a second to let herself fully get lost in the flavors.
Before she opened them she could hear footsteps coming her way and she knew her private moment was no longer. She opened her eyes and turned to see if she knew her first customers. She didn’t, so she took her plate in to the kitchen and would sneak bites throughout the morning. But none would be as good as that first decadent bite.
Kori got to work serving customers. Word must have gotten out that she now offered gluten free breakfasts because the waffles were flying off the waffle maker and she had to make more batter. Twice. Or maybe it was just the peaches on top that made them so popular.
Just before ten, Kori saw Jenna Rhodes come in and she expected to see Kyle right behind her. There was a lull in serving—everyone was contentedly eating—so she went to the door to chat while Jenna waited for a table.
“Morning, Jenna. Where’s Kyle?” she asked when she didn’t see him come in behind her.
Jenna looked around the café. Her eyes didn’t linger on anyone too long and Kori followed her gaze. Everyone was from out of town. “Kori, I don’t know what to do,” Jenna started.
Kori took her elbow and led her to the kitchen. Something was going on and she didn’t want to force Jenna to share it in public. Kori pulled a stool out from under a counter and offered it to Jenna, who happily sat.
Kori waited for Jenna to continue, not wanting to push her into sharing something she wasn’t ready for. Before she said anything else, she burst into tears, her hands flying to her face and covering her eyes.
Kori quickly wrapped Jenna in her arms and asked, “What happened?” She glanced through the window into the dining area and didn’t see anyone in need of immediate assistance so she stayed right where she was.
“I don’t know. Kyle has been gone a lot at night. I’m just worried—”
Kori didn’t need her to finish her thought, which she didn’t. “Why do you think he would do that?”
“I don’t know,” Jenna sobbed onto Kori’s shoulder.
“Do you really think he would … cheat on you?” Kori didn’t want to be the one to say it out loud and make it more real, but if Jenna truly thought he was cheating—with their first baby on the way—then she had to face the music and figure out what she was going to do about it.
Jenna remained silent and Kori could feel her shoulder becoming soaked with tears.
“I’ll be right back,” Kori said and gently removed Jenna from her embrace. “I have to go check on everyone.”
Jenna nodded and stayed seated.
Kori made the rounds quickly, refilling coffees and teas, clearing plates for the one empty table and checking to see if anyone was waiting outside. Then she returned to Jenna who hadn’t moved a muscle while Kori had been gone.
Without looking up, Jenna said, “No, I don’t think he’d cheat on me. But I don’t know what else it could be. His job doesn’t take him out at night but he’s been gone almost every night for a week.”
Kori nodded. “Have you asked him where he goes?”
Jenna nodded, still not
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