Page 3 of The Story We Wrote

My parents shared a glance. I knew they were communicating through mental wavelengths or something. My parents were high-school sweethearts; time could do that.

“Aspen Westgrove?” my mom said. " She’s been at The Coffee Cup since high school. It’s a shame to see that place close down. I think that’s a great idea, Honey. Why don’t you invite her over, and we can talk to her? Maybe we can make it work depending on what she is looking for.” The stand had been unattended for longer than we expected, and hearing my mom say yes made this choice easier.

Nodding, my dad spoke next. “Yeah, son, we can take a look at the finances and see what we can swing to bring on a newaddition.” My dad paused, and I saw a flicker of what looked like pride in his eyes. “Thinking like a real businessman.”

I couldn’t help but feel my chest swell at the praise from my dad. I’d done a lot of fucked up things as a teen, and over the years, I’ve been trying to get my act together. Taking over the ranch one day was a goal I knew he had for me as I did for myself.

* * *

Right after my parents and I talked, I wanted to run it by Aspen. The excitement from this project started to hit me. I’d been sitting on this idea for days. Now that I had the go-ahead, I needed to see if the next part of the puzzle was going to fit.

I pulled up to The Coffee Cup minutes before closing. Throwing my Chevy Silverado in park, I jogged to the door.

Aspen was there, sitting on the wooden stool perched behind the counter while reading a book. Walking towards her, I maintained a slow pace. Apparently, I didn’t care how I looked or smelled. My shirt was dirty, my jeans had holes, and I’m pretty sure my boots had horse shit on the bottom. I hadn’t even gone home to shower or change after a day on the ranch; excitement got the best of me.

“Boone?” Aspen asked, looking up from her book and pinching her eyebrows together. She was beautiful. Her blue eyes caught mine, and I couldn’t look away. “We close in a few minutes. I’m sorry, I already turned off the coffee pot. The muffins are all gone. We sold out hours ago.” She laid her book down on the counter. “I can get you something else, though. Let me see what I have.” She made a quick pivot to head for the kitchen. Before she could get through the swinging door, I spoke.

“Wait, no. I’m okay. I don’t need anything.” I stood at the counter right where she dropped her book. The cover had acartoon image of two people on it. The guy was wearing a cowboy hat, and the girl had a tattoo sleeve up her arm. I looked back up to find her watching me stare at her book. Aspen moved to swipe it off the counter, tucking the cover to her chest.

“What do you want?” she asked, her face quickly changing, her cheeks blushing. Wow, that came out so wrong. I mean, what brings you in if it wasn’t coffee or food?”

She was nervous, and I could tell by her fidgeting with the book and not making direct eye contact.

“I have an opportunity for you. Just hear me out.” Aspen took a few slow steps back toward the counter, closer to me. I took a moment to admire her. Her short blonde hair was curled and slightly parted as she stared back. Her blue eyes were a shade darker than mine, and her lips were slightly squinted as if she were waiting for me to speak, skeptical.

“The Coffee Cup is closing down. Do you have another job lined up?” She put one hand on her full hip, her curvy figure perfectly filling the sundress she wore today.

When I last saw her, she wore a flower print; this one was a shade of green that complemented her eyes and skin. “If you don’t, I have one for you. We have a farm stand at the ranch. By we, I mean my sister does. She’s taking a step away to travel for God knows how long. We need someone to help out. With her gone, we need someone to run it. If you’re interested, you could come over to check it out tomorrow after the shop closes.”

Her eyes were wide, and her mouth was still slightly parted. She took her hand off her hip and moved to sit back on the wooden stool. I saw her shoulders sag, and she let out a breath. That exhale contained more than oxygen—relief, maybe?

“Are you serious?” she asked, looking up at me. I towered over her while she was standing, but now that she was sitting, I really had to look down. I crossed my arms over my chest, giving her a smirk.

“Yes, I’m serious.”

She nodded, standing up again, pacing back and forth. She looked like she was thinking about something, concentrating hard enough to solve a Rubik’s cube in her mind. I gave her a minute to think, but a part of me wanted to speak to fill the void.

“Okay,” was all she whispered after a minute of waiting.

“Okay?” I responded. “Like yes, okay, or okay, I need to think about it?”

“Yes, okay. I don’t need to think about it. I haven’t had any luck finding anything. The fact you came here like a knight in shining armor makes it a sign.”

“Do you need the address?” I asked.

This made her laugh; it was a pretty sound. “Boone, your family owns the only cattle ranch in Faircloud. I think I’ll be okay.” She got me there.

“Tomorrow, after the shop closes. My mom is making dinner, so come hungry.”

“I’ll be there, thank you,” she said, looking down to hide the smile I saw forming on her lips.

I tipped my cowboy hat at her and walked to the door. Hopping in my truck, I waited a minute to make sure she locked the door. We made eye contact as she flipped the “open” sign to “closed.” I raised my hand in a wave while pulling away and following the speed limit back to Cassidy Ranch.

Three

Aspen

I’ve made closing the shop at the end of my day a routine to help unwind from the chaos. I don’t rush the cleaning or the work needed to be able to open smoothly in the morning. Instead, I’ve made it a part of my duty to incorporate music and dancing to release the tension or stress collected throughout my shift. Tonight, however, was a different story. I was meeting Boone and his parents at Cassidy Ranch to discuss my new job opportunity. It was an opportunity I knew nothing about because I didn’t ask a single question, which wasn’t like me. I’m not an impulsive person. I weigh out my options and seek guidance before making a decision. However, this couldn’t have come at a better time.

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