katie porter
- january 7, 2020 -

            THE COFFEE SHOP CALEB DECIDED to go to, Tony's Coffee, was a small little thing in the middle of town. It's red paint chipping because apparently the people in this town don't exactly know what a paint job is supposed to look like. Yet, I smiled when he held the door open for me.

            A tall, lanky guy with purple hair stood behind the counter chatting away with a blonde-haired girl. Her hair passed her mid back and braided behind her. She wore thin wire glasses and a bright smile. I've seen that smile before, but I couldn't place where it was from.

            "Hey guys," she eyed the man for only a second before he broke away and stepped up to the drive through window; a smiling face looking back at him.

            "What can I get you today, Caleb and friend," she nodded in my direction.

            "The usual for me, Jordyn." The girl looked down and scribbled on a notepad and then turned to look at me. The pressure piling on.

            "For you?" She asked after a moment of silence on my part.

            "Something with Irish Cream would be great and nothing too sweet. Iced if I can have it. And, the biggest size you can give me. With a couple of extra shots."

            She instantly lit up. If I thought her smile was wide before, I'd been entirely wrong. I didn't realize it was humanly possible to smile at someone with so much intensity, "I've got just the drink for you."

            She paused and then laughed, "I love my job. It's like serving intense drinks to sober people."

            My eyes darted between Caleb and the girl, Jordyn. Nodding, I shrugged trying to keep a smile at bay, "Very nice."

            Caleb paid the girl after a small argument between the two of us over who was going to pay. My logic being that he paid the first time we went out and his being that since he asked me out, he should pay.

            "Not too bad of a place, right?" He beamed as if he'd just won an Olympic medal for date locations.

            "Oh, it's alright," I commented with a smirk. I liked giving him a little bit of shit talk. Didn't really matter what he was talking about.

            He laughed that honey-like laugh of his, "Forgive them for not being some pricey, western styled place in Texas."

            I erupted in laughter. He was so dumb. Not in intelligence, but just... in what he was. I like him for it though.

            We stood waiting for our drinks when Caleb's phone began to ring. He pulled it from his front pocket and sighed heavily when he looked at the screen. Stepping towards the door, he frowned, "I'll be right back."

            He answered the phone as the door swung behind him, "Hey, Babe."

            I looked away from the door. I knew I couldn't hear the conversation anymore, but that didn't make it any less irritating. I plopped down on a red velvet couch on the back wall and wiggled down into its cushions. They were soft, but falling apart from what I could only imagine was years of use.

            They may have been going for some kind of rustic, worn down theme, but it actually just looked like the place was falling apart at the seams. All of that had its charms though. A place you could stop by and it didn't matter your past or your future. Kind of like the rest of Kensington.

            Tapping away at the armrest, I watched the people interact with one another. They all acted as if they'd known each other for years, but in a town like this one, they probably had. This was the kind of place where everyone joked about leaving one day and then never did. If they are lucky enough to escape, they're never gone for very long before stumbling right back in.

            I stepped up to the counter to get our drinks, when Caleb came sulking back through the door. His shoulders drooped and his back slouched. My heart stopped when he looked up at me. I know that look in his eyes. I could already feel my brow start to twitch.

            I crossed my arms to put a barrier between us and frowned, "You have to go, don't you?"

            He grabbed my elbow, giving it the smallest squeeze. A pleading gesture of his, "Katie, I'm so sorry."

            I couldn't quite keep from rolling my eyes. What bullshit.

            If he was truly sorry, he wouldn't be leaving in the first place. His hand slid across my cheek and he placed a small kiss on my lips before I could even think of stepping away from him. My mind went blank for a moment.

            "I wouldn't go if I didn't have to. You know that, right?" He stared at me. Waiting for my response. For my forgiveness.

            A knot twisted in my stomach when I looked him in the eyes. They were soft and delicate to watch. Like the dogs back home in Texas. I sighed, "Yeah."

            I forced myself to send him some sort of an attempt at a smile, "Go. I don't want you getting into any more trouble."

            A smile grew on his lips, "Thank you."

            He planted a kiss on my cheek, "Thank you. I'll call you later, okay?"

            "Can't wait," I tried to fake enthusiasm as much as I could, but still a hint of sarcasm leaked through. Not that Caleb would notice something as subtle as that.

            I stepped back from him and let his arms fall hopelessly to his sides. He sent me a weak smile. He thanked Jordyn as he grabbed his coffee from the counter and all I could do was watch him walk out the door.

            Grabbing my own cup, I went back to the couch and fell into its cushions. They seemed so different now than when I had first sat down. What I thought was worn out fabric, now seemed like arms welcoming me into a secure embrace.

            Was that going to be my story? My reputation? Am I always going to be that girl who watches people leave? Was that what it would always be like? Waiting around just to see if I was lucky enough to get even two minutes of his time before he was whisked away once again.

            This felt like something. It could be something, something real. But, was he willing to pick me? To choose me between the two of us. Was I actually worth picking at all?

            I was spiraling out of control. A honey sweet voice echoed through the building, "Katie!"

            My head snapped up just in time to see the ball of blonde hair bounding towards me. I set down my drink as she plopped on the couch and pulled me into a bone crushing hug. If anyone was literal sunshine in human form, it would be Elisha Beanblossom.

            I scanned the shop before my eyes landed on her beaming face. Her lips were moving and her hands flew around as she spoke, but I didn't hear a single word she was saying, "Where's Max?"

            She barely even paused to take a breath, "He's in the car with Kevin. You know how he is. I swear. Ever since we got that dog, he hasn't taken his eyes off him for even a second." That was when she closed her eyes and sighed. It happened a lot more lately than it used to, "He would have been a great dad."

            My hand found her knee without thinking. Elisha was one of the first people I'd met when my family moved to Kensington from Texas six short years ago.

            "Anyways," she shook my hand from her knee and smiled. I swear the entire room became bright, "I've never seen you here."

            "Yeah, no." My eyes glanced at the door before returning to her, "Caleb brought me, but he had to go." Her nose scrunched the slightest. Anyone else would have probably missed it, but not me.

            "And how's all of that going, exactly?" I could hear the subtle clip at the end of her voice. She didn't approve and, in all honesty, why would she.

            "I need you to not do that right now."

            Her brows pulled together, "Do what?" She was good at that. Pretending to be innocent, but she forgets we've been friends for far too long for that to work with me.

            "That disapproving mom thing you do."

            She took in a deep breath and let it go slowly, "Fine. I'm only going to say this one time and then I'll never mention it again, so listen up. You're the closest thing Maxwell and I are going to get to a kid besides Kevin."

            I shook my head, "you're only six years older than me."

            She shot me a look, "Shut up and listen, will you." I held up my hands in surrender, "Thank you. Now I love you both, but this little thing that the two of you are doing. It's wrong. Not only is it disrespectful to his girlfriend, but demeaning to you. You're worth so much more than the value he's put on your head.

            I think if Maxwell knew he'd agree with me and then probably have a little chat with Caleb. In a town like this, you better pray that I don't run into her because I won't keep my mouth shut."

            She huffed, "Okay, I'm done now."

            Against my better judgement, I smiled, "Are you sure there, Momma Bear?"

            Tilting her head to the side, her blonde curls fell to a single shoulder, "For the time being, I'd say so. Well, since you're just sitting here, why don't you come with Maxwell and I to the shop. I'm making these chocolate croissants for this dinner."

            She sank deeper in the couch and hummed, "Can't you just taste them already?"

            When I didn't attempt to move or say a single word, she sprung up. Her hand dropped in front of me and she wiggled her fingers, "Come on now. No moping over ridiculously stupid boys."

            "Of course, you can say that," I rolled my eyes, but grabbed her hand anyway, "You have perfect Mr. Maxwell waiting for you."

            "Yes," she nodded with a smile, but there was something in the back of her eyes that confused me, "yes I do. Now get off your ass."

            "Yes, Ma'am," I grabbed my drink from the table and let her pull me from the couch with ease. However, giving her the ability to lighten my spirits was something else entirely.

            We grabbed the drinks from the counter with Elisha's name scribbled across the top. She spoke a sweet thank you as we left. As soon as I looked up, I found Max sitting in the driver's seat of a white suburban with a Golden Retriever puppy scrambling around in his lap.

            Elisha paused for a moment to watch them. Apparently, we caught the dog's eye because he turned to face us barking and wagging his tail. Max followed the puppy's gaze to us and his smile widened.

            Opening the back door, a yellow blob of a puppy came flying towards me. Max called Kevin back to him, but the dog seemed far too occupied with smelling every inch of my clothes rather than paying attention to his owners.

            The puppy wiggled in my lap and despite myself, I laughed. Few things could bring up my moon faster than a dog. He licked my face repeatedly before I could grab him and settle him in my arms.

            "Rough morning, there, Katie?" Max glanced in the rearview mirror as he drove.

            "I'd say, I've had better mornings." Elisha and I shared a glance. So, she was being honest when she mentioned Max didn't know anything. It was a bit of a surprise, but in the end, Elisha always knew far more things about this town than Max ever did.

            "If Kevin is bothering you, just push him away." Max laughed, "He's a bit of a lover though. Gets that from his mom." He grabbed Elisha's hand and planted a kiss on the back.

            "You're ridiculous," Elisha said, but still smiled. It was that smile she reserved for only him. A smile that said, 'I love you' and 'you're an idiot' all at the same time.

            Max's open affection for Elisha always startled people. He wasn't the most outgoing person in the world and he definitely didn't draw attention to himself. But, when it came to her, he did it all. That man would rope the moon and gather every last star if she asked him to.

            He pulled behind Main Street and to the back of Sunshine Bakery. We headed into the back of the bakery. Walking in was like stepping into a magazine. Everything in its place, organized and labeled. I mean, it smelled like cookies and brownies. It made your mouth water.

            Instantly, Elisha grabbed an apron and wrapped it around her thin frame. Always a worker bee that one. Max sat on the far side of the shop with Kevin laying under the table while he set up a workstation for himself. As for me, I took a stool at the bar next to Elisha's work area.

            Thirty minutes later, she rolled out dough for a second batch of croissants, powder covering her apron and hands. She moved to place the chocolate down when she jumped. Her ringtone blasted through the air. Patting her hands against the apron, she reached back and pulled out her phone.

            Her eyes widened and she snapped to look at Max across the way, petting Kevin with a smile. When he caught her gaze, the smile dropped instantaneously.

            "It's the bank."

            He stood, the chair scraping the floor beneath him and scaring the dog, "Well, answer it, Honey."

            Elisha jumped again, "Right! Yes." She slid over the screen and pressed it to her ear, "This is Elisha."

            "No, no, no." She spoke quickly, "No, yes, I understand completely," she turned away from us. "Yes, of course. The end of the month works for me. Thank you. Yes, you too. Have a wonderful day."

            She brought the phone away from her ear and breathed a sigh, her shoulders dropping.

            "Elisha," Max crossed the room in record time, Kevin happily following him with his collar jingling, "don't stress. We can make this work. We have practically two months to figure things out."

            His hands barely touched her before she broke away from him and stepped back, "Don't touch me."

            After watching them for a moment, I stood. My hands pressed against the counter, "What's going on?"

            "We're going to lose the bakery," Elisha snapped. Her eyes filled with tears, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to snap at either of you."

            "You don't know that," Max tried again.

            "Yes, Maxwell, I do. I can't possibly raise that kind of money in such a small amount of time."

            I glanced between the two of them and then around the building, "That's not going to happen. We're not going to let that happen. How much money are we talking about here?"

            She turned, her features falling. Wiping the tears away with the back of her hand, she refused to look in Max's direction at all, "60,000."

            My jaw dropped and I blinked a couple of times, "60,000 dollars? Elisha, how do you owe the bank 60 grand?"

            "I've been late on a few payments lately and they've decided they want the rest of the loan for Sunshine at the end of February."

            I shook my head, trying to wrap my brain around the idea of owning someone 60,000 dollars and not stressing about it. Half the time I couldn't owe someone a dollar without worrying.

            "How can you only be late a couple of times and the bank just throw out that they want the rest of your loan by the end of February?"

            Elisha let out a heavy sigh, "Okay, maybe late was a bit of a stretch. Missed is more like it. I've missed a couple of payments."

            "How do you just miss payments?"

            "We were running tight on funds and I didn't know what else to do. I've made up most of them, but the bank has already made up their mind. It's all or nothing at this point."

            Grabbing my purse, I let out a breath and slung it over my shoulder, "Then we find the money."

            Katie, you can't just go pulling 60,000 dollars out of thin air."

            "No, you're right," I nodded, "but we can work our asses off to get it. We're not going down without a fight. Sunshine Bakery is yours and that's that. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some phone calls to make."