713 Main St. by Mika Jolie EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
- Status: Available for Free Download
- Authors: Mika Jolie
- Language: English
- Genre: Contemporary Short Stories
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 2 MB
- Price: Free
Cora
“Double-shot cappuccino with skim milk, Cora,” Denise calls to me from
the other end of the bar. The register rings, the cash drawer slams shut, and
I glide over to the espresso machine to make the best coffee in Cherry Falls.
The machine roars as it grinds beans into powder, and then it’s showtime.
My hands fly from the tamper to the portafilter to the steamer, my
movements smooth and sure after years of practice as I pour the twin shots
of espresso into a ceramic mug before topping it off with carefully-steamed
milk, complete with my signature rose design in the foam. The perfect
cappuccino.
“One skim double cappuccino,” I announce, passing the drink to the
customer just in time for Denise to call out another order. It’s peak time at
my shop Cherry Tree Coffee, and even though it’s a Tuesday morning, the
rush has yet to let up. That’s fine by me; I’m in the groove, and Denise, my
sixteen-year-old assistant, is killing it on the register. There’s something
meditative about making drink after drink, all with artistic precision, and
the busy periods only heighten my sense of pride. In four years, I’ve taken
this place from a forgotten Main Street shop space to a thriving business,
and if the customers’ reactions are any indication, they seem to love coming
here as much as I love running the place.
I can still remember the day I first walked past the building, on my way
back from a long shift at the Cherry Falls Convenience Store, only to stop
dead in my tracks when I saw the “For Rent” sign hanging crookedly in the
window. I remember the realization that struck me then, that for all its
quaint boutiques and galleries, there was nowhere to get a decent cup of
coffee in this small town. I didn’t move here to make a name for myself,
and using the last of my savings to get this place up and running was a
gamble, especially after…
Well, that’s not important right now. Connor, and the mess he made of
my life, are in the past. What matters is that the gamble paid off, and never
has that been clearer to me than it is now, watching customers line up to
order my coffee.
Denise and I continue to work through the rush like the pros we are, and
by the time eleven rolls around, the majority of the customers have either
cleared out or settled at one of the many tables, plush armchairs, and soft
sofas. “You killed it, Denise,” I tell her as she steps back from the register
to stretch her arms.
Denise grins at me. “We make a good team.”
“Damn right,” I agree, glancing around the shop. “Want to take your
lunch break now?”
Denise purses her lips. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, go for it,” I reply. “I think we’re past the worst of the rush. I can
handle anyone else who comes by.”
“Well, if you insist,” Denise replies. “Just call me if things get too
hectic.”
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