That Summer Feeling: SUMMER 4EVER [H.S.]

4. Bags

"I'm sorry, sir. We just ran out of the lemon poppyseed muffins." My lips lift in a polite smile. "But we still have almond and blueberry."

"I didn't ask for almond or blueberry," the male customer with a thick beard and beady eyes retorts, "I want a lemon poppyseed muffin."

"As I said," I hold a tight-lipped smile, "we ran out of those. Would you like—"

"How could you run out of muffins?" He huffs and crosses his arms. "Aren't you a cafe? Just go make more."

I sharply inhale, maintaining my cool. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, sir, but our bakers—"

"Can I speak to the manager? Or somebody that's not you." He rudely interrupts, sighing as if the world was going to end unless he had a lemon poppyseed muffin in his hands this very second.

"Claude." Melinda comes in with a bright smile and the thin blonde strands of her bun falling effortlessly on the sides of her face. "How are you?"

"Not well, Melinda." He throws a final glare at me. "Are the lemon poppyseed muffins going to be ready in the next five minutes? I've got a meeting."

"I'm afraid not, Claude. Our bakers have gone home for the day. I can get you the rest of your usual and throw in some of those cookies I know you like free of charge. How does that sound?"

He sighs again, rubbing his brow bone. "Very well. That's the least you can do."

Melinda turns to me after Claude walks off to the side. She touches my shoulder, leaning in closer. "That's Claude. He's not usually this grouchy."

"Really? Seemed like a saint to me."

She softly chuckles as she prepares his order. "Ignore him, dear. He's harmless and probably just stressed over his meeting. He tends to get worked up over them all the time."

"That doesn't mean he gets to take it out on us and be rude." I sigh, not being able to shake off the interaction as easily as she can. "Why are you giving him free cookies?"

"Everyone deserves a little kindness. You never truly know what they're going through."

I watch as she goes off and hands him his order with a warm smile. Claude musters a small but polite smile and a thank you before walking out in a hurry.

"The world needs more people like you, Melinda," I tell her as I wipe the counter with a damp rag.

"It would be a very interesting world," she laughs as she walks off to the back room.

The bell of the door rings shortly after. I'm pleasantly surprised and a tad confused when I spot Gigi walking in alone in a matching white sports bra and legging set. We haven't seen each other since a week ago when we had our dinner.

"Lacey?" Her brows spike up when she meets my eye. "Wow, you really weren't kidding when you said you make coffee all day."

"Hey," I greet her, "what are you doing here?"

She giggles and points at the coffee pots behind me.

I chuckle sheepishly. "Right."

"I just finished my yoga class and saw this place was across the street. I remember we used to come here every Friday after school and order each other random things to try."

I laugh with her and recall the same memory. "And we'd end up getting our usual order right after because it felt like we were cheating on it."

She laughs again, her eyes lighting up. "Good times."

I clear my throat once the small moment between us passes, looking down at the cash register.

"So what can I get you? Your usual?"