Page 48 of Common Grounds

So get out there, you idiot, I tell myself. I push open the door and make my way back out into the shop.

Emery has selected a table far away from her sister. Cass is glancing at her out of the corner of her eye. When she sees me, she chuckles darkly in the way of someone observant enough to know exactly what was said in the office just a moment ago.

Though, part of me thinks she doesn’t have to be all that observant to figure it out.

Cass waves at the seat across from her. “Emery is going to pout in the corner while she pretends we’re not here. She’ll probably write all of twenty words before leaving in a huff of frustration. We might as well chat.”

I glance over to Emery, but Cass says, “Don’t worry. She has her earbuds in. She can’t hear us.” She lowers her voice and barely moves her lips when she adds, “Unless she’s just pretending to listen to music. We’ll find out soon enough.”

“Okay,” I say slowly as I slide into the chair and place the stack of papers between us.

She shuffles through them for a few agonizing minutes before she finally says, “I want you to know that I took the liberty of putting out feelers for investors for this place. I hope you don’t mind, but it seemed like a logical next step.” From the deep breath she takes at the end of that sentence, I know better than to get my hopes up. “But it seems no one is willing to take a chance on an old shop without a new plan. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” I assure her. “I’ve tried to get loans a few times, too. No one wants to take on a failing business. I get it.”

Cass nods sharply, her lips pursed to the side. “That doesn’t mean we can’t get it there. It just means it’s going to be harder.” She picks up the papers and starts rifling through them again before glancing up at me. “You’ve been sinking personal money into this place.” She’s not asking, but I nod anyway. “Right. Okay. You’re going to stop doing that right now.”

I start to protest, but she glares at me, and I quickly snap my mouth shut. Damn, she’s got the mom look down already.

Emery chuckles from her spot near the window. Cass shoots me a knowing look before she swivels around to scowl at her. Emery schools her face to seriousness. I get the sense this is an old song and dance between these two and resolve to stay out of it.

“If you’re going to eavesdrop, you might as well come over here and make yourself useful,” Cass challenges.

“I am being useful. I’m writing these articles to get people in the door, remember?” Emery points at her computer screen.

Cass turns back to the papers as she says, loud enough to be heard, “I think that photographer has gotten more people in the door than either of those articles.” When no one responds, she raises her voice slightly. “Hotness is not a sustainable growth plan.”

“I can hear you, you know.” Emery sounds exasperated, but there’s an edge to it. Like she’s embarrassed of her articles, too, or she doesn’t like being called out.

Cass rolls her eyes dramatically. “How many words did you get down in the past few minutes?”

Emery glowers at her sister without saying anything. James takes a few quiet steps toward the office door, but Cass snaps her attention to him next. “Oh, no you don’t. You’re going to start earning your paycheck here, too. No more dead weight.”

“Damn, Cass. He’s just a kid,” Emery protests.

“Like I said,” Cass addresses her sister. “You’re welcome to help at any time.”

Emery sighs and takes out her earbuds before snapping her laptop shut. “What do you need me to do?”

“Well, I need to go over these statements and come up with some kind of plan.” She eyes me with a pensive look, and it makes me inexplicably nervous. “Your menu is… pretty basic.”

“My grandfather insisted we never change the actual menu, though we do offer things off-menu, as you’ve seen. He never could understand giant coffees and to-go cups,” I say sheepishly. I’m not embarrassed of him, exactly, but I’m starting to see that his refusal to change in any official capacity might be what got us into this mess in the first place.

“Right.” She drags the word out as she gives Emery a sidelong glance. “You’ve seen an uptick in customers this weekend, I heard.”

I try to ignore the excitement bubbling up at the knowledge these two were talking about me. “We have,” I confirm.

“And have any of them ordered anything directly off the menu?” Cass raises her eyebrow.

I take a second to think, then deflate again. “Not many.”

“Right,” Cass says again, more forcefully this time. “Let’s give the menu a little update then, yeah?”

Emery scoffs from her seat. “If I know you, nothing about this is going to be ‘little.’”

“One or two signature drinks should do it, especially if they’re unique. Something that big place down the street isn’t offering. For now, at least. And thank you for volunteering to help him, Em!” Cass exclaims with fake enthusiasm. “I’m sure you’re both just bursting with ideas.”

Emery frowns, the creases between her brows deepening. “What the hell do I know about coffee?”

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