Page 22 of Off the Wall

Yvette wrinkles her nose. “Knowledgeable?”

“Let’s just say we weren’t a love match.”

Yvette sticks out her lip in a sympathy pout. “I thoughtfor sure you’d meet someone special this time.” She shrugs. “You know. Since you’ve been so distracted all morning.”

“Distracted?” I scoff. “I’m not distracted.”

Ben, my favorite barista, lets out a guffaw and wipes his hands down the front of his I’m A Real Matcha Man T-shirt. “Youdoseem a little preoccupied, Nori.”

“That’s just me being … managerial,” I protest. “And focused,” I add. Then, to prove how managerial and focused I am, I leave the counter and move around the shop wiping down tables and restoring order to out-of-place chairs. This would be more convincing if I couldn’t perform the routine on autopilot. But the truth is, I know every inch of Serendipi-Tea by heart.

The original structure—a two-story Victorian—was Violet and Joseph Baker’s home for more than thirty years. Violet still lives upstairs, but after she was widowed, she converted the downstairs into a successful business.

The shop is straight out of a fairytale. From the street, it even looks like a gingerbread house. As for the inside, imagine if a couple of HGTV hosts swooped in to redesign your grandmother’s house, combining old-school quaintness and charm with the perfect modern touches.

The main room features overstuffed armchairs, mismatched sofas, and cozy loveseats, with bistro tables, quirky floor lamps, and antique consoles scattered amongst them.

Violet’s also got a green thumb to rival any florist, so the shop is full of plants and potted trees breathing fresh oxygen into the room. The vibe is warm and cozy but also bright and airy.

I absolutely love working here.

I started out here when I’d just turned sixteen, a couple of years after Serendipi-Tea opened. Hayden worked here then too. Besides being baristas, we took on the most menial tasks:mopping and dishes, restocking the self-serve station, even cleaning the public restroom.

Not our favorite.

During junior college, while I was still living at home, I helped Violet with orders and deliveries. I learned to handle payroll and scheduling. Then, when I was at NYU and only in town on summer breaks, I’d sit in on hiring interviews and train our new employees. Hayden had moved on to getting her teaching credential at that point. Meanwhile, I was busy gaining experience in every aspect of the business. I kept coming back until I thought I’d moved on and found my own career.

Not so much.

Last year, when I ended up back in Serendipity Springs, Violet asked me to take over as general manager.

At first I was worried she just felt sorry for me, but she promised the transition was simply her first step toward retirement. She’s still super-spry. In fact, her employees think she’s got another five years in her. In the meantime, though, I basically run the place. Waiting my turn. And even though it’s work, this shop is my security blanket. A home away from home.

With a boss.

“Yoo-hoo! Nori?” Violet calls to me from the swinging door behind the barista counter.

Speak of the boss.

“Can I have a word with you in my office?” She motions for me to follow her, then disappears into the kitchen. By the time I reach the swinging door, she’s already bypassed our walk-in refrigerator and the storage pantry. I have to practically break into a jog to catch her as she books it up the stairs.

See what I mean?

Spry.

Violet’s office is the first door on the right. At the otherend of the hallway, there’s a full bathroom and her bedroom. A series of carpet runners cushion her footsteps as she makes a beeline for her mahogany desk. “This won’t take long.” She lowers herself into the rolling chair, and tucks one side of her silver bob behind an ear.

“It’s all right.” I drop into the seat opposite hers. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you, too.”

Even as I say this, my pulse kicks up a notch. I wasn’t prepared to give Violet a verbal PowerPoint presentation on my ideas for the shop today, but everything else about my life feels off-balance right now. I might as well try to take charge of the one place I’ve still got some control.

“What a coincidence.” Violet tilts her head. “Why don’t you go first?”

“Really?” I draw in a quick breath. “Okay. The thing is”—I gulp—“since I came back to the shop, I’ve been brainstorming ways we could expand the business.”

Violet peers at me over her glasses. “Expand?”

“Yes.” I nod. “We’re doing great here, don’t get me wrong, but I think we can reach new customers, and the transition from spring to summer feels like the perfect time to experiment.”

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