Page 59 of Beat around the Bush
I hadn’t realized I was walking awkwardly until she mentioned it. I was sore from falling countless times while attempting to learn how to ski, and my gait showed it.
“Let’s just say skiing is not my forte,” I said once I got to the counter.
“You got to play in a fort? I wanna make a fort,” Averly exclaimed as she hopped off her seat at one of the tables. I guess I hadn’t seen her there.
“Not a fort, Avery. A forte,” Sage corrected.
“What’s a fort-ay?” Avery asked, doing her best to pronounce the word.
Sage pursed her lips, hiding a smile at her daughter's attempt. “Did you finish your sandwich?”
Avery nodded, then headed back to the table to grab her napkin. She proceeded to throw it in the trash by the front counter, then skipped to the bakery cabinet, eyeing the sweets.
Sage sighed, bringing her attention back to me. “What can I get you?”
“Black coffee, vanilla latte, and two cranberry scones, please.” The least I could do after Lennon saved me from freezing to death on the side of the road, inviting me over to dinner at his parents’ house, and giving me ski lessons was bring him a coffee and baked goods.
I had a lot of making up to do.
Sage typed it into the register, then turned to pour the black coffee after starting the espresso machine. While the espresso was brewing, she reached into the bakery cabinet to grab two scones. Avery tried to slip a hand in, but Sage was quick and closed the glass door, causing Avery to pout as she headed through the door to the back of the cafe.
“Sorry about her,” Sage apologized as she placed the scones in a bag. “I’m still trying to find a babysitter. Surprisingly, there’s not many in a town of maybe five hundred people,” she joked, her voice laced with sarcasm. In towns this small, it was hard to come by much. I was grateful there was at least good coffee.
“It’s no worries at all. She’s adorable.” I took the bag from her, then she set Lennon’s coffee on the counter and got to work finishing mine.
“She sure is. All the elderly women who come in on Fridays for coffee go on and on about her.” She faced the counter again, setting the steaming latte in front of me.
I handed her what I owed, then left a few dollars in the tip jar. “I’m sure they love her.”
I didn’t want to pry and ask where Avery’s father was as it was none of my business, but a small part of me couldn’t help but wonder.
She nodded. “Have a good day, Oakley. Tell Lennon I said hi.”
I smiled. “You, too, Sage. I will. See you later.”
I grabbed the two coffees and the bag of pastries, then headed for the door. The cold hit me in the face, instantly freezing my cheeks and the tip of my nose. I hurried to the feed store, thankful that the sidewalks were mostly empty as people stayed inside warm stores or at home during the cold mornings.
Snow that had blown in the wind overnight clung to the windows on shops, on top of lampposts, and piled high on the sides of the streets where snow plows had shoved it aside. The sun had just risen, casting a blue glow on everything through the slightly overcast sky.
I opened the door to the feed store with my shoulder, thankful that Lennon left it unlocked for me. We still had about tenminutes until the store opened, which gave me just enough time to warm up and scarf down my scone.
“Good morning,” I greeted Lennon as I strolled through the doorway of his office.
His eyes raked over my body before meeting my gaze as I sat across from him. I placed the coffee and bag of scones on his desk, then took a long sip of my latte. Steam billowed up out of the tiny hole in the lid and swirled around my face as I sipped, warming my nose.
“Good morning.” He phrased it more like a question. “You seem happy today, and… sore?”
I set my cup down, then stood to take off my denim coat that I’d thrown over my sweatshirt. It wasn’t snowing today, so I’d opted not to wear a full-blown snow jacket, thinking this would keep me warm enough in the brief moments I’d be outside.
“Skiing is hard work,” I pointed out.
He reached forward to grab his coffee. “Especially when you’re spending more time falling than actually skiing,” he pointed out with an eyebrow raise.
My hand found one of the scones in the bag and slid it out, bringing it to my lips to take a bite. Sage must put heaven in her pastries. I didn’t think I’d ever tasted something this good before in my life.
“All a learning curve,” I said after swallowing my bite and washing it down with a sip of my drink.
He took his scone out, flattening the bag to use as a makeshift plate. He set the pastry on it, then met my gaze. “Look, Oakley, about what happened in the hall-”
