Page 73 of Common Grounds

Sreco.

If only I had met Trevor first. I could have fallen for him so easily. It wouldn’t have been tainted by everything that came before. Now, there’s a tug-of-war going on inside my heart. Protect it at all costs, or put it in Trevor’s hands and hope he takes better care of it than everyone else has.

Trevor places the couple’s drinks on the counter. They take them and wave to both of us on the way out. “Good luck with your articles.” The woman’s green eyes sparkle with amusement. “And good luck with your shop,” she says to Trevor. “It really is a wonderful place.”

He beams in gratitude as they leave. As soon as the door is closed behind them, he turns that huge smile to me. “Out of town visitors!” he exclaims. “And they found your article. That’s amazing, isn’t it?” He slides back into the seat across from me.

“It’s pretty cool,” I admit, though with less exuberance.

“And they came here for the coffee,” he says, still excited.

“Why else would they come here?”

Trevor levels a you-know-why look at me as he says, “I’m pretty sure most of those young women have been coming in here to see if I look anything like my picture.”

A nugget of regret settles in my heart. “You are objectively, ridiculously good looking.” I scramble to keep it light, but he shrugs. I can tell by the way he tries to play it off that he’s at least a little bothered by the ogling.

“But they stay for the coffee.” I am trying to keep his spirits up, even though I know this was at least partially my doing.

He visibly straightens, then nods once. “You’re right. Doesn’t matter how they get in the door. They got here, and they will hopefully keep coming back.”

He threads his fingers through mine again, and I muster up what I hope is a reassuring look. But I can feel it already. I hurt him without even knowing it. I want to make it right with these next few articles, but it nags at me, nonetheless.

And this, I tell myself, is why I wasn’t built for relationships.

COFFEE AND COMMUNITY: A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Emery Darlis

I’m excited to be back with another installment of Baker’s Grove Living’s month-long feature of Baker’s Blend Coffee Shop.

Some people feel at home curled up with a good book on their couch. Others feel at home when they are with friends or family. Still others feel that sense of belonging at school or work.

For Trevor Kovacic, home is the Baker’s Blend Coffee Shop.

When you talk to Kovacic, the first thing you notice is the scent of warm coffee and sugar. The shop has been passed down to him from his father and grandfather, and, as he says, the coffee is “in my veins.”

But there are more people who feel at home there, too. If you come in during the early morning hours, you’ll see patrons—new and old—coming in to stay a while with their coffee. Regular customers who knew Kovacic’s grandfather, Marko, still enjoy the routine of waking up early and sipping their espresso at a counter facing the barista, taking in a quiet few moments before going about their day. Young people on their way to yoga classes stop by to share an iced matcha with their friends. Even I am writing this from a table in the corner, basking in the early-morning sunshine and letting the ambient coffee shop sounds inspire me.

We’ve made no secret of the fact that Baker’s Blend Coffee Shop is in trouble. It can’t compete with larger shops opening in the area. But maybe it shouldn’t. This shop is in a different category all together. Yes, both serve coffee. But Baker’s Blend serves a different kind of warmth: a home base for people who need somewhere to sit, sip, and savor their drinks. A friendly face and a conversation.

Baker’s Blend is a staple in the community, and to see it fail would be a tragedy, indeed. “A downtown needs a diner and a small coffee shop. It just does. It’s not about the food or the coffee. It’s about the community,” says owner of Donna’s Diner, Donna Fitzpatrick.

And it’s not only about the community at large; it’s about the community inside the café doors. There’s a missing link in our days, one that used to be part of a simpler time. It includes coming together more than moving apart—finding common ground. And a step toward that world we want is sharing an espresso with a friend.

“These things matter to some people, and they matter a great deal,” insists Fitzpatrick. She’s right, of course, as only a woman who has welcomed countless others into her doors over the years can be. Baker’s Blend Coffee Shop matters. It matters to the community. It matters to the people who come through its doors every day. It matters in a way a big box coffee shop never can. And it matters to Trevor Kovacic and his family.

So, what are you waiting for? Come to Baker’s Blend Coffee Shop for coffee and community. It’s an experience you won’t find anywhere else.

Be sure to join us for the grand re-opening celebration next Saturday. It’ll be another great chance for the community to come out to support the shop. And come back in a week to see the last installment of this feature.

Chapter twenty-eight

Trevor

“She is in love with you.” Mike lets out a low whistle as he slides the laptop back to me.

I practically spit out the espresso I had been sipping. I wipe the corner of my mouth with a finger while trying desperately to tamp down the blush I can feel creeping up my neck. “What makes you say that?”

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