Coffee Buds

8. Cold Brew

☕☕☕

The notice came the day after he had that moment with Amanda in the break room. It felt like he was drenched him in cold water.

He had two weeks.

He couldn’t believe this was happening. He had worked so hard to be here. He knew he had saved enough to make a deposit on a new store but it wouldn’t be this place. The decadent brick walls and huge windows that opened to the streets and invited people in.

This spot was good for business and he was lucky enough to have run into it two years ago fresh out of college. There were no Starbucks anywhere near or any coffee shops for a few blocks. He got lucky.

He didn’t know if that luck was still on his side.

Cube found him as he read the notice.

“what’s that?” Cube asked though he was already looking over Clark’s shoulder to see. “Notice?”

“Yes, I’m to evacuate in two weeks,” Clark informed his friend.

Cube whistled. “Damn, Smith don’t play.”

He really didn’t. Clark didn’t know the man but he had heard of him. He pretty much demolished and renovated most of the shops on this block and made the rent thrice as much. Something that Clark couldn’t afford. He was already having a hard time paying for this place as it was now.

“He really doesn’t.”

Clark sighed and leaned his forehead on the counter. It was not like he hadn’t tried looking for places to relocate. But there were either too small or too much for his budget or located in areas that would make it impossible to make ends meet.

He didn’t have much of a choice now.

He had to start packing up and put his staff in storage before he found a location that was at least decent enough for his taste.

“I’m sure you will figure something out,” Cube reassured. “And I’m sure the new place will be baller.”

Clark tried to be positive but for the life of him, he couldn’t. Running a coffee house had been his dream since coffee pretty much saved his life. And now he was about to lose that.

The bell chimed and he looked up to find Amanda walking in, her friend not too far behind. Amanda walked to the counter, a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes in place. He didn’t like it. As much as he was worried about losing the shop, he was also worried about whatever it was that was troubling Amanda. He itched to reach for her again. To feel her small frame fit perfectly into his arms and smell her coconut braids.

“Hey,” she greeted.

“Hey,” he tried to plaster a smile of his own but he grimaced.

Amanda looked to his hand and found the papers he hadn’t thought of hiding.

“what’s that?” she reached for the papers and he had just enough thought to move them away and shoved them under the counter. “It’s nothing to worry about.”

Amanda didn’t seem to believe as her eyes looked to where the papers had disappeared.

He tried again with a smile to reassure her.

“Hey short black girl,” Cube greeted.

“Hey, Cube,” Amanda greeted back but it lacked her usual enthusiasm.

“what brings you here? Ready to try my black coffee now?” Cube suggested and Amanda looked to Clark in question.

“is that my coffee order today?” she asked him.