“So you can’t tell me if it was a guy in a navy blue suit with a killer pink tie?” She sounded hysterical, and the waiter was looking at her like she was.
Ila cleared her throat, “Thank you.”
The waiter nodded and took off.
“It was probably a couple wanting to pay it forward,” Ellory said defeated.
“Maybe.”
Ellory’s shoulders slumped.
“But why don’t we pretend it wasn’t.”
“Doing a lot of dreaming tonight.”
Ila and Ellory laughed. Once they stopped laughing, they started eating. As Ellory chewed a feeling of dread took hold. It was that sensation you get when things are going great but in the back of your mind this little voice keeps saying it won’t last, and suddenly you can’t shake the feeling the other shoe’s about to drop.
Ellory danced into the cafe. It was three in the morning. Two hours earlier than she usually showed up but sleep had eluded her. She’d tossed and turned all night. Her excitement too much for her brain to shut out. She was excited because construction started today. Though Asher and his crew wouldn’t be arriving for another four hours, and Jackie and Malcolm didn’t show up for another two, she figured she’d use the time to get some paperwork finished since she couldn’t sleep. She hoped to finalize the health insurance documents she needed to go over with Malcolm and Jackie.
She unlocked the office and turned on her desk lamp before firing up the coffee pot. Once she had a cup of coffee, black, and a stack of folders under her arm, she plopped down into her desk chair. She put the folders beside her computer as she turned it on. She managed one sip of coffee before she was sound asleep.
A tap to Ellory’s shoulder startled her. She screamed swatting at the air as she opened her eyes. Malcolm’s dark brown eyes stared down at her. “Didn’t mean to scare you but you were snoring, and Asher is here.”
“What?” Ellory looked at the clock, “Shit, it’s 8:45. I didn’t get anything done.”
Malcolm handed her a mug with hot coffee. She took a sip. Malcolm had a way with coffee that had to be tasted to understand his brilliance. She was right making him the mix master. “Is that a hint of cinnamon?”
“Nutmeg and hickory.”
“It’s delicious.”
“I’m thinking of adding it to the rotating seasonal menu. I’m going to call it Fall’s Nectar. Now hurry Cinderella your prince of construction is here.”
Ellory got out of her seat and hurried out of the office into the cafe. Sure enough, Asher and a group of other hunks were gathered just inside the door. “Talk about eye candy,” Malcolm whispered to Ellory. She nodded in agreement. As Ellory made her way to Jackie who was operating the register, Ellory noticed there seemed to be a larger gathering of customers than usual. Ellory waved at Asher who came over to the coffee bar. Malcolm whispered in her ear, “Should we tell them he’s very much taken?”
“Hell no, fantasies are good for business.”
Ellory handed over keys to the other building to Asher, then she went back into her office to finish the insurance documents she’d meant to finish before she fell asleep.
By lunchtime, their crowd had thinned. Sounds of hammering and sawing were background noise barely audible over Adele playing on the speakers. Ellory’s eyes were going cross from staring at her computer screen. Her phone rang, it was Jackie on the line. “Hey what’s up?”
“You need to come out here ASAP. There’s an issue with the register.”
Ellory rubbed her eyes, “I’ll be right there.” Good. She needed a break. Jackie was at the register ringing up a customer. “What’s the emergency?” she asked looking between the register Jackie was clearly using and Jackie herself.
“Oh, did I say the register? I meant the trash as it were.” Ellory could feel a headache forming between her eyes. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Seriously, you need to deal with the trash,” Jackie said nudging Ellory with her foot. Ellory looked to the trash containers by the door and froze. There standing with his arms crossed staring at his phone was her unicorn. He was wearing a charcoal gray three-piece suit with a pale blue tie. For a minute her brain scrambled. Twice in two days? Could she be that lucky?
“So are you going to take care of it?” Jackie asked snapping her back into the now.
Ellory scratched her forehead, “Yeah, I think I will.” She turned fully to Jackie, “Any smears?”
“Nope you look great, and you’re wearing my favorite glasses. Now, go get him, tiger.”
Ellory brushed out the skirt of her maxi dress, adjusted her glasses then popped a mint in her mouth before walking over to the trash cans. She took a deep breath before tapping unicorn on the shoulder. He startled dropping his phone. He smelled better than she imagined. Like the forest after a good rain. Ellory bent down to pick it up. “Sorry,” she said holding out his phone to him, “hope it still works.”
His fingers lingered on hers for a moment as he took his phone back. “Doesn’t matter,” he tucked the phone inside his jacket pocket, “but thank you. Have we met before?” His voice was rich with a deep timbre that forced you to pay attention. She thought back to last night. The wink. A super simple gesture that had made her inexplicably hot all evening after. A smile grew on his face. He was magnificent. “Last night, I saw you last night.”
She wrinkled her brow, looking confused. She damn well knew what he was talking about, but not knowing seemed less stalkerish feeling. He scratched his chin, “I’m positive I’ve seen you before.”
She shrugged her shoulder, “I have one of those faces I guess.”
Unicorn shook his head, “No. You do not have one of those faces. Yours is exquisite.”
Ellory blushed, “Thank you?”
“No. Thank you.” He held out his hand, “Noah.”
Ellory took his offered hand, “Ellory.”
“Lovely name. Is it Ellory as in Ellory’s Corner Cafe?”
She nodded. “So you’re in a coffee shop, but no coffee?”
“Is that offensive?”
“Probably to the owner.” They both smiled. “Just loitering then?”
He turned towards her, resting an elbow on the counter over the trash. “If I were?”
She leaned in, “I’m personal friends with the owner. I could probably get her to look the other way.”
“If you did that then I think I would maybe—”
“Noah, here’s your Americano.” A gorgeous woman with brown hair cropped around her chin, and striking brown eyes handed Noah a to-go cup. The woman immediately turned her attention to Ellory giving her the once over.
Noah cleared his throat,” Marla meet Ellory.”
The woman’s eyes went wide, “As in Ellory of Ellory’s Corner Cafe?”
“I just call it the Corner Cafe but yeah I’m that Ellory.”
The woman looked gobsmacked. “I can’t even believe it. This place is like my morning mecca. I can’t get through the day without one of your double espressos. Tell me the truth do you use ambrosia for the gods in it?”
“I’ll never tell,” Ellory said with a wink.
“Good girl. I hate to drink and run but,” Marla turned to Noah, “we have to go I still need to pick up the veggie platter.”
Ellory gave them a wave, “Have a wonderful day.”
Marla and Noah were halfway out the door when Marla doubled back, a business card in hand. She held out the card to Ellory. “If you ever find yourself in hot water, call me.”
Ellory took the card. It was for a law firm. “Thanks.” Ellory tucked the card into her pocket before heading back to the counter. Jackie and Malcolm were both standing there staring at Ellory. She shrugged her shoulder, “What?”
“So?”
“He’s nice.”
Malcolm turned to Jackie, “The bitch finally gets a chance to talk a man she’s been eye-humping for months, and all she can say is he’s nice,” Malcolm glared at Ellory, “I expect better.”
Ellory threw up her hands, “He smells expensive. He sounds expensive. He looks expensive. He’s quite charming, and I’m pretty sure he has a girlfriend.”
“Doubt it,” Malcolm said.
“Why is that?”
“Because the woman he walked out with was hitting on me.”
“Everyone hits on you,” Jackie and Ellory said in unison.
“It’s because I look fabulous in these chinos.” Malcolm turned before sticking his butt out and looking over his shoulder at them to emphasize his point.
Jackie gave his butt a spanking. “I wish my ass looked that good in pants.”
“Told you to come with me to my pilates class.”
Jackie said, “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, ain’t nobody got time for that.”
When Ellory got home to her apartment, she was exhausted. Her terrible night’s sleep had caught up with her. She wanted to order a pizza to watch a movie and pass out. She was on the porch of her house, key in the door, when her sister’s voice called to her from the driveway, “Hey sis, what’s shaking?” Ellory leaned against her front door and groaned. Chloe shook a box of dominoes and a People magazine at Ellory”It’s good to see you too.”
Ellory unlocked the door and pushed it open, “It’s Tuesday isn’t it?”
Chloe pushed by her into the house, “Yep.”
Ellory stayed in the doorway looking at the driveway. Seeing no one else, she followed her sister inside the house then shut the door. “I think you’re missing some people.”
“I think I’d know if I’d forgotten something.”
Chloe dropped her dominoes and magazine on the entrance table before walking towards the back of the house and into the kitchen. Ellory followed. Chloe left her purse on the counter then opened up the fridge and started rifling through the contents. “Please make yourself at home.” Ellory walked to her bedroom off the kitchen. She kicked off her shoes and took out the ponytail in her hair. As she was taking off her dress and changing into a pair of black leggings and over-sized sweatshirt she asked, “Where’s my niece and nephew?”
“Is just me not good enough? I’m feeling a bit unwanted,” Chloe yelled.
Ellory could hear her sister rearrange food in her fridge. It was one of her sister’s quarks. Everything had to be sized and color-coded inside the refrigerator to be appetizing. “That doesn’t answer my question,” Ellory yelled back.
“The twins are sick, and Paul pulled paper.”
Ellory walked into the kitchen shaking her head. “Paper? Rookie mistake. Always go scissors.”
Chloe nodded. “We’ve been married for over six years, and he still hasn’t learned that. Anyway, it’s a blessing for him you know more daddy-kid time.”
“That sounds like bullshit.”
“It is but I don’t care. I cleaned up vomit all day. Piper projectile vomited on me, and I didn’t puke right back onto her, so I call that winning.”
“All right subject change are we—”
The door flew open causing both Chloe and Ellory to jump. Chloe grabbed a knife Ellory grabbed her heart and Ila dropped her purse and held up her hands, “I come in peace I swear.”
“What the hell Ila don’t you knock?”
“I did, and I also rang the doorbell, but no one answered.” Ila leaned out the door and pressed the doorbell. Nothing happened. “Broken. You should really invest in a video doorbell. All the cool houses have them. Now are you going to put down the knife or do you need to see my ID.”
Chloe dropped the knife on the counter. “How did you get in? I locked the door.”
“Yep, you did, but I was given keys and told to make myself at home whenever, so …” Ila shrugged her shoulders then shut the door behind her and locked it. One by one they shuffled into the kitchen Ila paused when she passed the table on the way to the kitchen, picking up the People magazine. “The Grammy’s edition? This should make a good would you or wouldn’t you game tonight.”
“I brought dominoes I’m thinking Mexican train.
“Thank god, because if I had to play one more round of Uno. You don’t even want to know.”
When they were all gathered in the kitchen, they started to assemble different snacks and drinks for the night. Once they were seated around the table, Chloe dumped out the dominoes, and all three started flipping them over. “I’m pink,” Ila hollered.
“Shoot for it,” Chloe said. They each held their right fist in their left hands.
“1-2-3-shoot.”
They both shot scissors.
Ellory grabbed the pink train, “This will never go anywhere, I’ll be pink and save this train wreck,” Ellory started laughing, “get it?”
Chloe rolled her eyes, “That was a dad joke.”
Ellory’s phone started ringing. She looked at the screen and answered, “Speak of the devil, hey mom.” Ellory placed the phone on the table and clicked the speaker icon.
Chloe yelled, “Hey mom.”
“Hi Mrs. Sutter,” Ila said.
“Hi. What are my favorite girls doing tonight?”
“Mexican train choo-choo,” Chloe said.
“I don’t know what that is, but it sounds fun.”
“Dominoes mom.”
“That’s my jam,” Ellory’s mom said.
Ellory laughed, “Mom jam isn’t hip anymore.”
“My jam is always hip. Since everyone is there, I was hoping we could discuss our summer vacation. Michael and I were thinking about an Alaskan cruise.”
“Mom, you know I get seasick,” Ellory said.
“Who could forget when your senior class went to Carmel,” Michael chimed in.
“Thanks for the reminder, Michael.”
“Hey, sweetheart.”
“Hey Michael,” Ila and Chloe said.
“Also I’m lactose intolerant, so a cruise definitely doesn’t work,” Chloe said.
Ellory turned her head to look at her sister, “How does that affect a cruise?”
Chloe shook her head, “Buffets.” Her expression said duh as if that explained it. It didn’t for Ellory, but she learned long ago that Chloe only made sense to Chloe.
“All right we’ll figure it out at the family dinner next weekend,” mom said.
“Why not this weekend?” Ellory asked.
“Which brings me to the other reason I was calling. As you know our twentieth wedding anniversary is Friday, so we decided to go out of town so no dinner.”
“I’ll see you in class Friday though, right?” Ila asked.
“What?” Chloe and Ellory asked in unison.
Ila turned to them, “Your parents are going skydiving with me.”
“Isn’t it wonderful?” their mom said, “Your aunt Lori and uncle Steve did it for their twentieth, and we thought why not.”
“Can you believe it? I’m so excited.”
“So are we. I do expect all three of you to come up with some ideas for the family vacation. All right Michael is signaling we have to leave. Comedy tickets. Love you.”
“Bye mom,” Chloe said.
“Love you guys,” Ellory said. She hung up her phone and turned to Ila, “You’re taking my parents’ skydiving?”
“Yep.”
Ellory adjusted her glasses. “Good luck with that.”
Chloe clapped her hands together, “Let’s get this game started.”
They shuffled the tiles, and each took twelve. After they set up Ellory went first. Four rounds into their first game the doorbell rang. Ellory looked between Chloe and Ila.
“Once again my point is made about a video doorbell,” Ila said.
“She’s right.”
“Shut-up Chloe.” Chloe shrugged. The doorbell rang again followed by a knock.
“I’m sure they can hear us and probably see us with this light,” Chloe said.
“Just answer it,” Ila said creeping over to the door. She picked up an umbrella hanging on the coat hook. “But don’t worry I got your back.”
Chlo
e came up behind Ila, “We both do.”
“I feel much safer with Velma and Daphne on the case.” Ellory unlocked the door and opened it. An officer was standing on the other side of the screen door.
“Hello. I’m deputy Watson,” he held up a badge, “I’m looking for Ellory Jones.”
“That’s me.”
He held up a clipboard, “Please sign.” He indicated to a line with an X. Ellory signed. He placed a manila envelope in her hand. “You’ve been served.”
Ellory paced the dining area of the coffee shop. She chewed her thumbnail as she aimlessly wandered a circle around an empty table. She hadn’t slept at all. Instead, her mind raced unable to comprehend what she was reading in the papers presented to her by the deputy. She stopped slamming her fist on the table repeatedly.
Jackie walked over to the door turning the open sign to closed before locking the door.
“Why’d you do that?” Ellory asked.
“Clearly something is up. You’ve been acting like a caged tiger all day.”
Malcolm came out from behind the counter, “Are you on drugs?”
“I wish,” Ellory said. She pulled out a chair and plopped down cradling her head in her hands. Malcolm and Jackie pulled out chairs and sat down on each side of her.
“So what’s up?” Malcolm asked, “I mean if it’s not drugs?”
“Did you have a booger in the breeze when you were talking to Mr. Handsome?”
Ellory shook her head sinking further into her hands before collapsing her head on the table where she began banging it repeatedly. Malcolm placed his hand on top of her head stopping the motion. “Girl you’re going to ruin a perfectly good table so why don’t you come out with it already. Get it off your chest.”
Ellory leaned up onto one hand. She took a deep breath ready to get the weight off her chest. “Ellory’s Corner Cafe is being sued.”
“Say what?” Jackie asked looking confused. How would Ellory get them through this when she didn’t even understand it herself? Ten years of hard work down the drain. “A Cynthia Muller is suing the cafe. If she wins, that will probably be the end of everything.” Ellory held a hand up snapping her fingers, “Everything will be gone. My dreams will be officially flushed down the toilet.”
Until Ellory: Happily Ever Alpha World Page 2