Page 2 of Enemy Kisses

A couple of our regular customers breeze in through the door as soon as I flip theopensign. Yep, we already have regular customers.Pinch me now!

“Morning, Carol. Morning, Wayne.” I smile as I welcome them, then return to the counter, ready to make their usual coffee order. They’re so sweet. They’ve been married for fifty-four years, and they still hold hands. They’ve been stopping by every morning since we first opened, so they get their coffee on the house now.

“Morning, Harry. We missed you yesterday. To celebrate having you back, today’s the perfect day to enjoy one of your delicious breakfast croissants.” Wayne smiles.

I chuckle. They always have a new excuse for enjoying something or other. “It sure is. Take a seat and I’ll get started. Carol, same for you?”

“Yes, dear. That’d be lovely. Did you enjoy your day off?”

“I did. Thank you. Caught up with some things that I’d been neglecting at home.” The café has been taking up all of my time, which was evident by the state of my apartment.

I grab two breakfast croissants and place them in the oven, then set about making their coffee. More people step inside, and I get caught up in the busyness of chatting with my customers and filling orders. Throughout the day, the three of us work together seamlessly, and before I know it, Judy’s flipping theopensign toclosedand we all take a collective breath.

“Holy almond croissant. Today was crazy busy,” Judy says as she leans against the front door, her wide brown eyes glittering in the afternoon sunlight while she fixes her ponytail.

I nod, my smile wide and my feet and back aching. “Yep, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. We sold every single croissant, and I could barely keep up with the crêpe orders.”

CHAPTER2

–finn–

I flopinto my chair in my quiet office after midnight. It’s been a day. One would think after the celebrations yesterday, today would have been quieter because people were nursing hangovers.Nope.Today was one of the busiest Tuesdays we’ve had in months.

This is the first chance I’ve had to check emails, and it’s the last thing I feel like doing, but I need to keep on top of them or they get out of hand. I open my laptop and check the app.

Fifty-two!

Maybe I should hire someone to do this shit. Max has certainly been happier since he found himself an office manager. To be fair, that relationship turned into more than just a boss/employee situation. I smile, remembering the first time we all met Molly. The guys and I placed bets on whether or not they would hook up. Max has no idea we were betting on his love life, but it was fun just the same.

I make a start, working through solicitation emails, invoices, and responses from suppliers until I come across one with a subject line that catches my eye:

You need to take a good long look at yourself!

I glance down at myself and shrug, then read on.

From:Harry Dubois

To:Mr. Brady

Hmm, it came through late this afternoon.Harry’s House. I scan my brain, trying to work out why that name is familiar. That’s right. It’s the new place next door.

Dear Mr. Brady,

I’m the new owner of the building next door,Harry’s House of Crêpes and Croissants. On several occasions, I have stopped by to speak with you regarding issues that originate from your pub, only to find you unavailable or not on the premises. I am very busy and don’t have time to keep chasing after you, hence this email.

Jesus, Harry sounds like he needs to get laid.

I would like to bring some urgent matters that require immediate action to your attention. Since opening my café one month ago, and even before that during renovations, my employees and I have had to deal with the aftereffects of your drunken and disorderly patrons running rampant down our street.

Almost every day, I arrive at work before dawn to be greeted with the sour stench of vomit and a vile mess on my back stoop.

Oh shit!That’s disgusting. I retch at the thought of vomit. I’m a sympathetic vomiter, always have been, and it’s not like I can completely avoid it here, but I do my best.

I’ve had to purchase kitty litter, industrial gloves, and additional cleaning supplies to deal with the mess. However, that is not the only mess we have to deal with. The stench of urine is another issue we must address daily. Your patrons seem to think it’s acceptable to urinate at the front and back entrances of my shop and along the side wall which is facing the alleyway we share between our premises. As you can imagine, during our current summer, the smell is highly offensive, and the urine is unsanitary.

Well, shit.

Finally, each morning we must spend time we simply can’t afford collecting trash left behind by your loitering patrons. Empty cigarette packets and beer bottles, used condoms, as well as napkins and cardboard coasters with your pub’s name emblazoned across them—just to name a few items we regularly find surrounding our business.

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