Page 5 of Perfect Blend

Bricker: Watch it together? Starting at season 3, ep 8?

JavaJackOfAllTrades: Already got it queued up. Cheers, Bricker!

Bricker: Cheers, Jack! Happy New Year in whatever time zone you’re in.

JavaJackOfAllTrades: Right back atcha. Thanks for making what could’ve been the worst year of my life so much better.

Bricker: I couldn’t agree more. [Smile emoji]

- - -

Bricker: Holy shit! Guess what?

JavaJackOfAllTrades: What?? Sorry, it took me a bit to reply. Busy morning at work and finally getting a moment to breathe.

Bricker: No worries! Real life always comes first. I have a shot at a promotion!

JavaJackOfAllTrades: That’s awesome! It’s finally happening!

Bricker: Hopefully. The person whose job I want just put in her notice. There are a few people who will want it, but I think I’ve got a good shot.

JavaJackOfAllTrades: When will you find out?

Bricker: Hopefully soon. The boss isn’t one to rush into decisions. I bet she’s going to take some time and evaluate her options. Maybe even use our next projects to help her choose.

JavaJackOfAllTrades: Good luck!!! Keep me posted.

Bricker: You’ll be the first to know. [Smile emoji]

* * *

Facebook Messenger

Mikey Sullivan: Hey, Dave! Long time, no chat! Hope life post-high school for the past decade and *cough* years has been good. Seems like things are going well from the posts I see. I’m reaching out because these days, I’m a journalist for Lifestyles of the Queer and Fabulous (a national queer-focused digital magazine). I saw your post about planning this year’s Dahlia Springs Pride Festival, and I really think it would make a great story. I want to pitch an idea to my editor to cover the festival as an example of a growing presence of Pride celebrations in small towns and rural areas. But before I do, I wanted to check in with you to get your thoughts on the idea. If you’re up for it, I’d like to chat with you about the background of the festival. Maybe you could introduce me to some people I could talk to during the events too? Let me know what you think. Have a great night!

CHAPTER1

DAVE

Bricker: Good morning! I’m going to be MIA most of today. I hope you have a great day. [smile emoji]

JavaJackOfAllTrades: Thanks! I hope you do too! Talk to you later. [smile emoji]

- - -

I hopedwhoever had invented glitter was being spit-roasted in hell. Pride was one of my favorite times of the year, but the ever-present glitter wreaked havoc at my coffee shop. People didn’t mind muffin poppy seeds getting stuck in their teeth but drew the line at metallic shards in their coffee. Go figure. I bit back a curse as I scratched an aqua fleck off the white ceramic mug I’d grabbed to make a drink. The glitter had breached the counter’s security perimeter.

At least it wasn’t as bad as the first Dahlia Springs Pride after I’d opened A Whole Latte Love. The glitter-covered Docs I’d bought especially for the celebration had been perfect until I’d spent half the night crawling around on my knees to pick up every last piece of the rainbow glitter with tape. There were much better ways to spend a night on my knees. It had been far too long since I’d hadthatkind of fun.

I began to whip up a caramel macchiato for the customer waiting as my thoughts wandered to Mikey. He’d played on a constant loop as his arrival in Dahlia Springs loomed. My stomach twisted at the prospect of seeing him again after so many years. Twisted in the kind of way I hadn’t felt since high school. Fizzy and floaty. A hefty dose of nauseous too. What if it was awkward when he got here? Or worse, what if Mikey didn’t want to spend any time with me at all? He might’ve already got what he needed from me for his story and moved on to other sources.

I accidentally caught the cup on the milk frother and it tipped over, spilling coffee on the floor.

“What’s got you so frazzled?” Izzy, my only full-time employee at A Whole Latte Love, smirked as they pulled the now-empty cup from my hands. Their rainbow-dyed bangs fell over half their face as they crouched to mop up my spill.

“I’m not frazzled. It’s the normal start of the Pride Week celebration nerves.” I was totally frazzled. I’d debated confiding in Bricker about the whole situation but had ultimately decided against it. It would require divulging some personal details in our anonymous arrangement.

“Since when does this week give you nerves?”

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