tables.
“Wren, it’s nearly eleven o’clock, time to get ready,” she called before heading into the kitchen.
“I’m on it,” Wren replied, heading out into the café front with some fabric folded over one arm, and then she saw Michael standing outside reading the chalkboard. She put the fabric down and returned to the counter, biding her time.
~~~
Michael had walked through the Village, making his way toward the bakery. He had no idea what he was going to say. He hadn’t visited the bakery for a few days, and since his night of drunken debauchery, he’d steered clear while he tried to get his thoughts in order. However circular his thoughts had been, they always returned to one thing: Kate.
Michael looked down the street toward the red canopy of Take the Cake, not realizing that he was already smiling. The store seemed to be a bit busier than usual today, and he could see people coming and going as he made his way toward it. He hoped he’d be able to find a table. As was his tradition, he stopped and checked out the chalkboard before entering.
The early bird gets the worm,
but the second mouse gets the cheese.
As soon as he entered, his gaze automatically went to the counter, looking for Kate. He wasn’t disappointed. She was serving some customers, exchanging a few words and a laugh with each of them. She was wearing a black, tight-fitting tee with the unmistakable Rolling Stones logo of red pouting lips with a tongue hanging out which moved suggestively as Kate twisted and turned.
Emily saw Michael pause in the doorway and nudged Wren, who looked up from her coffee making.
“It’s him,” Emily said with quiet excitement.
“Excellent. Second cast has left the stage and now it’s time for the main attraction,” Wren replied.
“Huh?”
“Don’t worry,” Wren said, looking serene.
Michael dropped his newspaper and keys onto a spare table and made his way to the counter to order. Kate was with other customers, so he turned to the small woman near the coffee machine, who grinned at him.
“Your usual?” Wren asked as she got a cup out.
“You know it?” Michael was surprised.
“I remember our ‘Specials’ as we like to call them,” Wren replied blithely. “Anything for lunch as well?”
Michael laughed despite himself. “How about I leave it up to you?” he replied, getting out his wallet.
“Oh, good.” Wren gave him a happy smile. “I like it when people come to their senses.”
“Is that what they do around you?”
“Generally,” Wren replied, flicking a glance toward the kitchen. “Some faster than others.”
Michael had no idea what she was talking about but handed over some bills and accepted his change as Wren shooed him back to his table. Later he looked up from his coffee at the sounds of furniture being moved to see a very business-like Wren set to work. Kate had come to his table to collect his plate and Michael made the most of the opportunity.
“Hi, Kate.” He smiled, marveling that conversation with her was becoming easier with each visit.
“Hey, Michael.” Kate gave him a warm smile. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“Likewise. So what’s going on over there?” he asked, pointing toward Wren’s endeavors.
“We’re hosting a little girl’s birthday party. They’re having a High Tea,” she explained. At Michael’s look of inquiry, she went on. “We don’t normally take bookings, but we thought we’d give it a shot and see how things go.” She looked over at the activity around the tables, and then grinned back at Michael. “If you think you can handle the estrogen levels, stick around and see for yourself.”
Meanwhile, Wren had moved two tables together and produced a vintage white tablecloth. She draped it over the top and then arranged the chairs to fit. Emily appeared with a laden tray from which they decanted a series of mismatched floral teacups and saucers, sugar bowls, and milk jugs. A vase of flowers was added, and Wren
“Wren, it’s nearly eleven o’clock, time to get ready,” she called before heading into the kitchen.
“I’m on it,” Wren replied, heading out into the café front with some fabric folded over one arm, and then she saw Michael standing outside reading the chalkboard. She put the fabric down and returned to the counter, biding her time.
~~~
Michael had walked through the Village, making his way toward the bakery. He had no idea what he was going to say. He hadn’t visited the bakery for a few days, and since his night of drunken debauchery, he’d steered clear while he tried to get his thoughts in order. However circular his thoughts had been, they always returned to one thing: Kate.
Michael looked down the street toward the red canopy of Take the Cake, not realizing that he was already smiling. The store seemed to be a bit busier than usual today, and he could see people coming and going as he made his way toward it. He hoped he’d be able to find a table. As was his tradition, he stopped and checked out the chalkboard before entering.
The early bird gets the worm,
but the second mouse gets the cheese.
As soon as he entered, his gaze automatically went to the counter, looking for Kate. He wasn’t disappointed. She was serving some customers, exchanging a few words and a laugh with each of them. She was wearing a black, tight-fitting tee with the unmistakable Rolling Stones logo of red pouting lips with a tongue hanging out which moved suggestively as Kate twisted and turned.
Emily saw Michael pause in the doorway and nudged Wren, who looked up from her coffee making.
“It’s him,” Emily said with quiet excitement.
“Excellent. Second cast has left the stage and now it’s time for the main attraction,” Wren replied.
“Huh?”
“Don’t worry,” Wren said, looking serene.
Michael dropped his newspaper and keys onto a spare table and made his way to the counter to order. Kate was with other customers, so he turned to the small woman near the coffee machine, who grinned at him.
“Your usual?” Wren asked as she got a cup out.
“You know it?” Michael was surprised.
“I remember our ‘Specials’ as we like to call them,” Wren replied blithely. “Anything for lunch as well?”
Michael laughed despite himself. “How about I leave it up to you?” he replied, getting out his wallet.
“Oh, good.” Wren gave him a happy smile. “I like it when people come to their senses.”
“Is that what they do around you?”
“Generally,” Wren replied, flicking a glance toward the kitchen. “Some faster than others.”
Michael had no idea what she was talking about but handed over some bills and accepted his change as Wren shooed him back to his table. Later he looked up from his coffee at the sounds of furniture being moved to see a very business-like Wren set to work. Kate had come to his table to collect his plate and Michael made the most of the opportunity.
“Hi, Kate.” He smiled, marveling that conversation with her was becoming easier with each visit.
“Hey, Michael.” Kate gave him a warm smile. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“Likewise. So what’s going on over there?” he asked, pointing toward Wren’s endeavors.
“We’re hosting a little girl’s birthday party. They’re having a High Tea,” she explained. At Michael’s look of inquiry, she went on. “We don’t normally take bookings, but we thought we’d give it a shot and see how things go.” She looked over at the activity around the tables, and then grinned back at Michael. “If you think you can handle the estrogen levels, stick around and see for yourself.”
Meanwhile, Wren had moved two tables together and produced a vintage white tablecloth. She draped it over the top and then arranged the chairs to fit. Emily appeared with a laden tray from which they decanted a series of mismatched floral teacups and saucers, sugar bowls, and milk jugs. A vase of flowers was added, and Wren
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