Never Alone

Chapter 5

     Yawning, Annie flipped the sign on the door of the donut shop to inform the public she was open for business.

"You look tired today, sweetie," Kim, the middle-aged, Korean woman who worked for her observed with her usual broken English and kindness in her dark, almond eyes. "You not sleep good last night?"

"Not very," Annie admitted as she started a fresh pot of coffee brewing. The earthy aroma, while usually invigorating, was unable to chase away the exhaustion brought on by a night of tossing, turning, and worrying about Tracy. Even though she prayed and begged God to work everything out for good, her mind still fixated on the fear in her friend's countenance, and the heavy responsibility she may need to bear should something terrible happen. Biting her lip in an effort to keep threatening tears at bay, she wished she had saved Trevor's number. He needed to know what was happening, and it would be a welcome relief to share the load of anxiety she carried with someone else...yes, even with him.

The jingling bell above the door signaled the entrance of the shop's first customers of the day. For several hours Annie was busy enough to stave off thoughts of her current situation, and the distraction was as welcome as winning the Publisher's Clearinghouse grand prize.

By nine o'clock, the usual morning crowd died down, and only two patrons with man buns, plastic-framed glasses, and laptops were seated in the comfy leather armchairs sipping lattes and taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi. Annie and Kim worked to wipe down counters and replenish fresh coffee in the chrome urns at the end of the counter.

The tinkling of the bell drew Annie's attention to the door, and relief filled her when she saw Trevor enter the small shop. This was the first time he ever came to the café, even though she had been in business almost a year and boasted a significant number of five-star ratings on Yelp. He wore a navy t-shirt, and she couldn't help but notice the tightness of the sleeves over his bulging biceps. A small, white logo for the Geneva Fire Department stood in contrast on the dark background. His face was clean shaven, his hair was damp, and Annie struggled to keep her eyes on his face instead of focusing on the strong arms which had always been hugely distracting.

His smile showcased his brilliant, white teeth and the cockiness in his eyes told her he knew she was checking him out. Heat crept up her neck and spread across her cheeks as she lowered her head for a moment. Maybe Kim would help him, and she would be spared the embarrassment of facing him. Unfortunately, her employee gave her a none too subtle wink and nearly ran to the kitchen leaving the swinging metal door flapping on squeaky hinges.

Sighing, she directed her gaze upward and found Trevor's coffee, brown eyes searching hers from across the counter as if he was reading her like a book. The heat on her skin intensified, and for a moment all she could do was look back at him speechless. After seconds that passed like hours, she managed to clear her throat and find her voice in the garbage dump of embarrassment where she lost it. "Trevor...what can I get you?" Thankfully she sounded much more confident and composed than she felt.

"Surprise me, and then meet me at that table over there...I need to talk to you." He pointed to a table in a deserted corner of the café.

Nodding, she grabbed a cinnamon roll and cup of plain, black, French roast coffee and set it in front of him before taking a seat in the chair across the table.

For a moment she was silent as he bowed his head; he was clearly saying a blessing over the food and she had no desire to interrupt. By the time his eyes met hers again, she had ample opportunity to remind herself that she didn't like him...no matter how well he was pulling off that shirt. Staring coldly back at him, she left the burden of conversation on his shoulders, even though her lips were burning to tell him everything Tracy related to her the day before.