Chapter 12
1562 Words
Saturday mornings at the Willow Bean always started the same way.
Denise unlocked the front door at six-thirty.
The coffee beans were ground by six-thirty-five.
The first pot of dark roast finished brewing at exactly six-forty.
By seven o’clock, the regulars began arriving.
Ava loved the routine.
There was something comforting about knowing what came next.
“Morning, sunshine,” Denise called as Ava tied on her apron.
“I don’t think anyone has ever called me sunshine before coffee.”
Denise laughed.
“Then drink faster.”
Ava poured herself a small cup before checking the pastry display.
Blueberry muffins.
Cinnamon rolls.
Chocolate croissants.
Everything looked perfect.
“You’ve got front counter today,” Denise said.
“Works for me.”
The bell above the door chimed.
Right on schedule.
Mr. Harris shuffled inside wearing the same green jacket he wore every Saturday.
“The usual?” Ava asked.
He smiled.
“You know me too well.”
“Large black coffee.”
“And one blueberry scone.”
He chuckled.
“I was going to surprise you.”
“You never surprise me.”
“One of these days.”
She rang up his order before sliding the coffee across the counter.
He tucked two dollars into the tip jar.
“How’s nursing school?”
“Busy.”
“Worth it?”
She didn’t hesitate.
“Every minute.”
“I thought you’d say that.”
Mr. Harris took his coffee and settled into his favorite corner booth with the morning newspaper.
The next two hours passed in a blur.
Families stopped in after soccer practice.
Students wandered in wearing pajamas and sunglasses after late nights.
A young couple argued playfully over whether caramel belonged in coffee.
Ava smiled through all of it.
She genuinely enjoyed people.
She liked hearing snippets of conversations.
Celebrating good news.
Offering encouragement before exams.
Remembering names.
It made the café feel less like work and more like a community.
Around ten-thirty, the morning rush finally slowed.
Denise leaned against the espresso machine.
“Take fifteen.”
“I’m okay.”
“That wasn’t a suggestion.”
Ava laughed.
“Yes, ma’am.”
She stepped outside with her coffee, settling onto the small bench beside the entrance.
The October air carried the smell of fallen leaves and fresh rain from the night before.
Across the street, families wandered in and out of the Saturday farmers market.
Someone played acoustic guitar near the fountain.
For a few minutes, Ava simply watched the world move around her.
It was peaceful.
Her phone buzzed.
She smiled when she saw Mason’s name.
Good morning.
She answered almost immediately.
Morning. Busy already?
A minute passed before his reply came.
Heading into the office. Sorry.
She frowned.
On Saturday?
Networking event. It’ll look good.
Ava leaned back against the bench.
Good luck.
Another pause.
Then…
Thanks. Love you.
Love you too.
She slipped the phone back into her pocket.
There was no disappointment this time.
She understood.
He was building a future.
She wanted that for him.
Even if it meant they didn’t see each other as often.
“You look deep in thought.”
Ava looked up.
Mrs. Patterson, who owned the flower shop next door, stood holding a watering can.
“I was just enjoying the weather.”
Mrs. Patterson smiled knowingly.
“Or thinking about a boy.”
Ava laughed.
“Maybe a little.”
“The nice one?”
She blinked.
“I hope so.”
Mrs. Patterson watered a row of chrysanthemums before looking back at her.
“You know what my husband used to tell me?”
“What?”
“‘Love should make your world bigger, not smaller.’”
Ava smiled politely.
“I like that.”
“I did too.”
Mrs. Patterson returned to her flowers.
“It took me forty years to understand it.”
The words lingered in Ava’s mind as she went back inside.
Love should make your world bigger.
She wasn’t entirely sure what that meant.
⸻
Just after noon, the café doors swung open again.
A familiar golden retriever trotted inside first.
“Cooper!”
The dog’s tail wagged wildly as he made a beeline for the counter.
Ava laughed.
“Well, hello.”
She knelt to pet him.
“You remembered me.”
“I don’t think he forgets anyone who scratches behind his ears.”
She looked up.
Ethan smiled from behind Cooper, leash in one hand and an apologetic expression on his face.
“I’m sorry.”
“We were walking past.”
“He saw you through the window.”
“And apparently made the decision for both of us.”
Ava laughed.
“I don’t mind.”
Denise walked over carrying a dog biscuit from behind the counter.
“I was wondering when he’d come back.”
Ethan looked surprised.
“You keep dog treats?”
“We’re a dog-friendly café.”
She handed Cooper the biscuit.
“He has excellent manners.”
Cooper accepted the treat with obvious satisfaction.
Ava stood.
“Coffee?”
Ethan smiled.
“Actually…”
He glanced toward the menu.
“I’ve never been here.”
Ava looked horrified.
“You’ve lived here for years.”
“I know.”
“You’ve never had Willow Bean coffee?”
“I guess today’s the day.”
She grinned.
“Okay.”
“What do you normally drink?”
“Black coffee.”
She made a face.
“That’s boring.”
“It wakes me up.”
“So would motor oil.”
He laughed.
“I’ll take my chances.”
Ava leaned against the register.
“Trust me.”
“I work here.”
“I know what I’m doing.”
Ethan lifted both hands.
“Alright.”
“You choose.”
She thought for a second.
“Medium maple cinnamon latte.”
“That’s very specific.”
“You’ll like it.”
“You sound confident.”
“I am.”
He smiled.
“Okay.”
As she prepared the drink, Ethan watched her move comfortably around the café.
She greeted customers by name.
Asked an older woman about her grandson.
Remembered someone’s usual order before they reached the register.
She made everything seem effortless.
“You were right.”
Ava looked up from the espresso machine.
“About what?”
“This place.”
She handed him the latte.
“It feels…”
He searched for the right word.
“Comfortable.”
She smiled.
“That’s my favorite compliment.”
He took a careful sip.
His eyebrows lifted.
“You were right.”
“I know.”
“It is good.”
“I also know.”
They both laughed.
Denise watched the exchange from the other end of the counter.
A knowing smile crossed her face before she quietly disappeared into the kitchen.
Neither of them noticed.
⸻
Ethan stayed for nearly twenty minutes.
Most of that time was spent talking about ordinary things.
School.
The changing weather.
Cooper’s habit of stealing socks.
Ava found herself laughing more than she’d expected.
“So,” Ethan said, “did you enter the photography contest?”
She shook her head.
“Not yet.”
“But you’re thinking about it.”
“I am.”
“What changed?”
She shrugged.
“People keep telling me I should.”
“Maybe they’re onto something.”
She smiled.
“Maybe.”
A customer walked up to the register.
Ava stepped away.
“Sorry.”
“Work comes first.”
“I’ll be right back.”
By the time she finished helping the customer, Ethan had slipped a few bills beneath his empty coffee cup.
“You forgot your change,” she called.
He looked back.
“It’s a tip.”
“Ethan—”
“For the recommendation.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know.”
He smiled.
“But I wanted to.”
Before she could argue, Cooper tugged gently on the leash.
“I guess that’s my cue.”
Ava laughed.
“I guess it is.”
“It was good seeing you.”
“You too.”
As he reached the door, Cooper looked back one last time, tail wagging.
“Bye, Cooper.”
The dog barked happily before following Ethan outside.
Ava watched them disappear down the sidewalk.
Denise walked out of the kitchen carrying a tray of clean mugs.
“So…”
Ava looked over.
“So?”
“He’s nice.”
“Who?”
“The architecture student.”
“Oh.”
She smiled.
“Ethan.”
Denise nodded.
“He has kind eyes.”
Ava thought about it.
He did.
“They’re rare.”
“What?”
“Kind eyes.”
Denise stacked the mugs onto the shelf.
“Most people smile with their mouths.”
She looked toward the window where Ethan had disappeared.
“The good ones smile with their eyes.”
Ava found herself glancing toward the sidewalk.
He was already gone.
For reasons she couldn’t explain, she hoped she’d run into him again.
Not because she was looking for anything.
Simply because talking to him always seemed to brighten her day.
She smiled to herself as she picked up a clean towel and went back to work, completely unaware that life was quietly placing people in her path long before she realized why.
- Writer
