Page 40 of Of Literature and Lattes
Alyssa opened her mouth, but Janet raised a hand to cut her off. She wanted to get everything out before another wave of vitriol or something worse hit her.
“And I’m so glad you felt you could come home, even if it wasn’t to me.” She clasped her hands together to keep them from trembling. “Your dad is thrilled, by the way. He didn’t want you to see that. He wanted to respect that you’re an adult and, as I said, he was trying to give me time with you, but he’s missed you so much. To have his little girl home safe and sound is a big deal. For both of us. I hope someday we can talk, really talk and listen to each other, but until you’re ready, it’s best you go back to your dad’s. After dinner with your grandmother, of course. She’s excited to see you too. And don’t let her belittle Jasper and your work there, if you don’t mind. He really is a good man... And for when she starts in on me... I’m not so bad, Alyssa. At least not anymore, I hope.”
With that, Janet walked out of the kitchen.
Moments later she heard the back door open and shut.
Her daughter was gone.
Chapter 18
Jeremy took a deep breath. He needed to fire Ryan.
Rather than help, in the two weeks since Andante’s reopening he found Ryan nipping at his heels, making things worse with his constant complaining and doubts. Jeremy knew the place was a mess, but being reminded of it every single moment wasn’t helping. One foster mom used to quip when her kids complained, “Be a problem solver.” He’d grown to hate that line—yet he had used it on Ryan just that morning.
An hour earlier, Brendon had been “loitering” in the alley when, according to Ryan, he should have been clearing tables.
“It’s hardly a capital offense. You know kids, they move in packs. They just started summer break—it’s probably separation anxiety.” Jeremy had laughed.
“He’s not respectful, and that’s not good for business.”
“He’s a kid and he’s fine. Ryan, man, you gotta grow up. You don’t need to come to me for this. Be a problem solver. Mention it to him, but coming down on him isn’t helpful. He was gone only a few minutes. We’ve dealt with worse than this.”
That was a low blow—one Jeremy regretted the moment the words flew from his mouth.
It was passive aggressive. No, it was worse than that—it was mean. He knew it, yet he couldn’t stop himself. Despite his best intentions, he couldn’t seem to let go that Ryan had only been weeks out of rehab when they’d started working together, and that Ryan had been a mess back then. And now, rather than feel grace and understanding from him about his own weaknesses, Jeremy felt condemnation. How fair was that?
They used to laugh about their personalities and their pasts. They’d howl at the disaster Ryan was in those early days and what a challenge Jeremy could be on his best day. But ever since Andante opened, everything had changed. Jeremy felt it. With every mistake he made, rightly or wrongly, Ryan let him know it. And, rightly or wrongly, Jeremy held it against the younger man.
Jeremy had then motioned out the back alley door. “They’ll give up coming around soon and it’ll all be over. It’s not that interesting back there.”
Before Ryan could reply, Becca had pushed through the swinging door and his face split into a grin. “Becca Boo, how are you?” He scooped her high into his arms as Krista followed her daughter into the kitchen.
Krista took in the sight of Ryan holding Becca, smiled, and turned to Jeremy. “You good for the whole weekend?”
“I am. I’ve got fun planned and some time off work.”
Krista surveyed the space. The kitchen and office combo was small, and a little messy this morning. Jeremy had stayed last night to go over the books and ended up making batches of muffins deep into the early hours when none of the numbers made any sense to him.
He followed Krista’s scan of the place, trying to imagine what she saw and thought. He hadn’t cleaned well, not that it would have mattered if he had. Nothing he touched ever projected the world Krista wanted. Heck, Andante, front shop or back office, didn’t project the worldhewanted.
Jeremy shrugged. “She won’t spend the weekend here. I promise.”
“That’s probably best.” Krista dropped Becca’s Anna and Elsa bag on the floor next to his desk and left without another word.
Jeremy left Becca and Ryan chatting Polly Pockets and books and pushed through the swinging door. In the four months since he and Ryan had moved from Seattle, Jeremy often wondered who had gotten to know his daughter better. On the one hand he understood that Ryan had no parental responsibilities—he could be Becca’s friend. On the other hand, their easy friendship pinched at him. The little voice that often whispered his failings chatted up a storm whenever Becca and Ryan were together.
Yes, it was time they parted ways.
Jeremy stalled and counted the customers. Ten. The tiny fissure in his chest cracked wider.
He walked to the register. “What’s the take this morning?”
Brendon tapped a few buttons. “It’s been a little slow. $410.”
“So, what? A hundredish customers?”
Brendon shook his head. “Someone from the bookstore came and bought six muffins and three coffees, so it’s not that many individual sales, if that’s what you’re after.”
