Call of the Mountains

Chapter Five - Seeds

A week has gone by. We've managed to clean our entire apartment and unpack most of our things. I've never been so thankful to have an already furnished place. We cleaned and cleaned, revealing just how quaint and charming this place was. It really felt homey.

We started our jobs this week, as baristas at a the local café and coffee shop. I hadn't much prepared for the job, as my mind had been preoccupied by those angered green eyes.

You.

I had prepared to confront him in the hardware store when I recognized him, but he simply turned and ignored me, heading down an aisle opposite of ours. Josh and I left shortly after.

"Earth to Dakota?" I heard a voice in the background.
"Huh? Oh, sorry Josh. What were you saying?" I snapped back into the present.
"I was just asking are you ready? You look a little pale, are you alright?"
"Oh yes, sorry. I just need a coffee."
"I just mean, it's been awhile since you've worked at a coffee shop so I just want to make sure you're alright." He was right, I hadn't worked in a position like this since college. During the phone interview I was nervous. Maybe it was the corporate world who changed me, but the whole process was surprisingly easy. We were hired without much pushback.

The shop was warm when we walked in. I couldn't get over the wood tones inside, from ceiling to floor, covered in pine. Just like the perfectly placed pine trees outside. This place wasn't just a mountain town, it was a forest. And people just happened to live here.

We met the shop owner, a nice middle-aged man with a burly beard. He looked exactly like a lumberjack, the ones with the red flannels and long brown beards. His name was Pete Hammond.

After our introductory we got right to learning the machines and the menu. The place wasn't small, as it had two stories with seating on both levels. Even a small library of bookshelves were placed throughout. Pete told us that he and his wife opened the shop a few years ago,
"We really wanted a space for the community to hang out, work, or just grab a cup from a hundred percent locally owned and operated shop. We even roast our own beans and our beans come from the local farm."

It was admirable, and the space was just beautiful and welcoming. Pete said Three Rivers is mostly a passerby town, a place halfway between the local ski resort and main freeway through. But he insisted all were welcome, and I truly got that feeling. It didn't matter who you were, what your past was. This shop would welcome you with open arms and a hot cup.

Pete and his wife usually were the only ones running the shop, but they were expecting their fourth any day now, and Pete would like to take time for paternity leave.

Picking back up the job was like riding a bike. I quickly learned to use the espresso machine, the amount of pressure needed to tamp, and even nailed my first latte art in 3 years. Josh had been mainly working the "kitchen" which was fixing the sandwiches and baked goods. Pete said all of their pastries came from the local bake shop across the way, Bessie Bakes. We had just missed the daily delivery, but he mentioned Bessie was one of the best people in town and we would love her. Her baked goods were "The best in town" and that all of the items offered at the coffee shop were baked exclusively for us.

Not to mention, Josh's charming height and good looks attracted a lot of attention. I could have sworn even Pete blushed when he saw him. I would always catch the women giggling after Josh took their order. One even slid me her phone number to give to him.

"Your coworker is hot. Please give him this. My name is Carly," she smirked and grabbed her coffee, waving seductively at Josh on her way out. Josh flashed a golden smile and waved back. He laughed when I told him my encounter with her.