A handsome, bald man in a black and red checkered flannel, dirty jeans, and work boots walks toward us with a coffee in hand. And is that—I squint—a kitten cradled in his other arm? When he passes us, he scowls at Leo and, wait, did he grunt too? Leo snickers.
“Friend of yours?” I whisper once the guy disappears around a corner.
“That was my brother, Sully. My sister and I played a joke on him a couple of hours ago, and he’s still pissed at us.”
“When I was sitting by the fireplace, I saw you with a woman in the lobby by the Christmas tree. Was that your sister?”
“Was she short with shoulder-length brown hair?” I nod. “Yes, that was Tonya. Unfortunately, Sully’s one big grump and we try to lighten him up. Sometimes we go too far. I’m sure I’d be like him too if I were in his situation.” He waves it off. “Enough of that. Let’s eat.”
It sounds like his entire family works here. At least his sister and brother do. I’m intrigued and want to ask him a ton of questions, but I’ll start with the important one.
“Okay, but first—was he holding a gray kitten with blue eyes, or am I delusional from lack of sugar?”
“Nope, not delusional. He found her a couple weeks ago. That kitten hasn’t left his side ever since. Don’t they say pets pick their owners?”
“Couldn’t tell ya. I never had one.”
“Doesn’t matter. Sully’s sweet and gentle with her, and he only grunts at us.”
That’s a lot to take in. It’s a reminder that everyone’s dealing with their own struggles, some more visible than others. Do I look miserable? Andy usually tells me when I do, which is pretty often. But since I arrived here, I haven’t felt that way. This is exactly what I needed—to get out of my head and to forget, even if it’s only for a little while, what I left behind.
The tempting fragrances of roasted coffee beans and baked goods reach out and surround us like a blanket. My stomach wakes up and grumbles. I don’t know the last time I’ve been this hungry.
I raise my chin and take a deep breath. “Something smells delicious.”
“Yep, and it’s right ahead through those doors.” Leo presses lightly on my lower back with his hand, urging me to go first, sending delectable tingles up my spine. Then his hand is gone. I glance at him and, with a flicker of surprise, see that he’s rubbing his neck and grinning. Did he feel it too, or is his neck stiff?
We enter the café, and my mouth drops open. “This place is amazing. It’s like we walked off a street in Paris into a fancy conservatory full of people.”
The glass walls and roof offer a view outside. An elegant gold chandelier with dangling crystals illuminates the room. To the left is a long white counter with gold accents and large, pastel-pink floral arrangements. Behind it are floor-to-ceiling glass display cabinets and a refrigerator filled with colorful delights. White tables with lit candles and pink-fabric wingback chairs fill the rest of the open space. French music plays softly in the background. Lively chatter from guests and the grinding of coffee beans adds to the charm. You’d never know that Christmas was a week ago.
“Hi, Mr. Leo,” a young boy says, running up to us with a big toothless grin. He raises his hand, and Leo high-fives him.
Leo kneels down to be eye level with him. “Hey, Mr. Cody. Aren’t you a happy camper this afternoon?” He waves to a couple at a table nearby. I’m assuming the boy’s parents.
“Guess what I saw yesterday?” Cody bounces on the tips of his toes, his eyes lit up with glee.
Leo tilts his head. “Hmm. A dinosaur?” Cody shakes his head and giggles. “Oh, I know. A clown?” The boy’s nose crinkles with disgust. Leo lifts his hands up in front of him. “Okay, someone doesn’t like clowns.”Who does?“I give up. Let me hear it.”
The boy’s eyes grow wide. “I saw a big fat whale,” he says, loud enough that other customers look in our direction.
“No way! That’s fantastic.” Leo messes with Cody’s hair. “You’re lucky to have seen one this time of year.”
“And look, I got this.” He dashes over to where the man and woman are getting up from their table. With an amused face, the woman hands Cody a large stuffed-animal whale. He runs back and shakes it in the air at Leo, handing it to him. “Mommy bought me this after we saw it.”
Leo turns the whale side to side, pretending he’s never seen anything like it. “This is awesome.” He hands it back to the boy. “Take good care of it.”
Leo urges me to come closer, then introduces me to Cody and his parents. Cody pulls on Leo’s shirt for him to bend over again.
“She’s pretty,” he mutters to Leo behind his hand, loud enough that I can hear him.
“She is, isn’t she?” Leo mutters back.
I don’t know where to look or what to do. I’m completely out of my element, it’s bizarre. Don’t get me wrong, I’m flattered. Is this how Dorothy felt when she walked out of her house in Munchkinland? Leo peeks at me, grins, and high-fives Cody again. His parents say their goodbyes and urge Cody out of the café.
I haven’t been around this many people in months, and I’m in major overload. My hands are cold and clammy, and a slight headache throbs behind my eyes. I’m tempted to leave, but I can’t quite yet. I’m enjoying watching Leo interact with the guests. His warm, cheerful expressions give him a friendly, approachable look that would give anybody a sense of comfort. I thought I’d be alone in my room by this time, not out socializing. I take a deep breath to calm my jittery nerves.
Leo notices and quickly says, “I’m sorry, Olive. It’s good for me to interact with the guests and make them feel at home. They’re a nice family.”