Page 44 of The Clause in Christmas
December 10: Go Ice Skating.
Images of her and Luke hand in hand as they sailed across a frozen lake floated through her mind.
Quickly, Cassie slammed the book closed, shutting out all thoughts of Luke.What in the world was happening to her?She’d gone one day without seeing him, and already she felt as though she were going through withdrawal symptoms.
Cassie winced. Bad analogy.The hefty price tag for her mother’s rehab remained an ever-present burden, like a sack full of coal draped around her shoulders. Yet, in the two days since their luncheon, no solution had presented itself.
Leaning across the kitchen island, she buried her face in her hands, allowing herself a moment to wallow in defeat. Maybe she needed to start applying for jobs outside the coffee industry? Retail always seemed to be hiring. Or waitressing. She shuddered, pushing herself up from the counter.
A little more than two weeks of the Christmas Calendar was all she had left. Then, however long it took to sell the cottage. She hated her mother had to wait that long. The sooner Donna got help, the better.
Cassie opened the real estate app on her phone, scrolling through properties for sale in nearby towns. The several digits that comprised the average listing price used to fill her with extravagant daydreams. But now… conflicting emotions wrestled in her stomach. On the one hand, selling the cottage meant leaving Poppy Creek. On the other, even the lowest comp price was enough money to pay for Donna’s rehab and have some left over to…to what?Open her own coffee shop? The possibility sent goosebumps tingling across her arms.
Crossing the kitchen, Cassie swung open the pantry door and reached for Frank’s bag of coffee. She hadn’t been able to touch a single bean, wary of the implications. Frank had asked for her thoughts. But what if, like the last cup, she didn’t like it? She’d told him the truth once, but a second time? Cassie wasn’t sure she had the gumption.
Unfolding the tin ties that held the bag closed, Cassie snuck a peek inside for nearly the hundredth time since yesterday afternoon. The sweet, earthy aroma flooded her senses, causing her mouth to water. Cassie tilted the bag toward the light, peering closer, noting the beans looked plump and satiny, the exact color of decadent dark chocolate. Her pulse quickened, filling Cassie with a familiar, breathless excitement.
“Come on, Cassie,” she murmured aloud. “You may not know much, but youdoknow coffee.”
She paced the kitchen floor, tapping one finger against her lips as she debated the best brewing method. Typically, she preferred the French press. But on this particular occasion, Cassie decided to follow official cupping protocol. Since Frank entrusted her with this task, she wanted to carry it out to the best of her abilities. Even if the steps of the process would undoubtedly conjure up unpleasant memories.
Cassie drew in a deep, calming breath as she filled the copper teakettle with tap water and placed it on the stove. A few remaining droplets of water trickled from the faucet, pinging against the porcelain sink. Cassie closed her eyes, still able to hear the pitter-patter of raindrops as they danced across the large picture window of the coffee shop that fateful evening in March.
Cassie hadn’t been sure what to expect when she’d attended her first cupping demonstration at the grand opening of a new coffee shop on Market Street. But she certainly hadn’t expected the handsome and charming coffee buyer performing the demonstration to smooth talk her into a date.
Derek Price was unlike any man she’d ever met. Not only had he known more about Cassie’s favorite subject than Cassie herself, but he’d captivated her with outlandish tales of his adventures on coffee plantations around the world. So much so, their first date had lasted over four hours.
The coffee beans crackled inside the grinder as Cassie cranked the handle, releasing a nutty, pungent aroma. Instantly, her memories transported her to the night of their very first kiss.
Playfully, Derek had decided to appraise Cassie’s palate, blindfolding her for a taste test. She’d correctly guessed three different coffee varieties before Derek surprised her by gently pressing his lips against hers. At the time, the gesture seemed incredibly romantic. Now, Cassie wondered if she’d been blindfolded throughout their entire relationship.
The kettle screeched, wrenching Cassie back to the present. Slowly, she poured hot water over the coffee grinds waiting in the bottom of the mug. Then she set the timer on her phone for four minutes, observing the water change color as it reacted with the fragrant granules.
Cassie watched the seconds tick by on her phone, pondering how time had such a powerful effect. The coffee needed to interact with the water for precisely four minutes to reveal its desired properties. Time had taken the opposite toll on Cassie’s relationship with Derek. Nine months was all it had taken for that chemical reaction to blow up in her face. In the most soul-crushing way possible.
The alarm buzzed, scooting her phone across the counter with the vibration. Jabbing her finger on the end button, Cassie dismissed the timer… and all thoughts of Derek.
With nervous anticipation, Cassie lifted a silver teaspoon and gently plunged it into the mug, breaking the crust of the coffee before withdrawing the spoon. As the foam ran down the sloping curve onto the handle, Cassie inhaled the aroma, observing the various fragrance notes, exactly as Derek had taught her.
Cringing, she squeezed her eyes shut again, desperate to push the memories back into the deep recesses of her mind. The last thing she wanted was for Derek to taint this experience. He’d already ruined Christmas for her. She wouldn’t let him havethis, too.
Steadying her hand, she lifted the mug to her lips, sipping in a slow, deliberate motion so the sample hit her taste buds in the correct order. A harmony of sweetness and complexity overwhelmed her senses in the best possible way, and Cassie had to keep herself from guzzling the entire mug of liquid heaven in one gulp.
Having no idea how thorough of an answer Frank expected, Cassie followed the next steps of the cupping process to the letter, making notes in her phone as to the coffee’s acidity, body, balance, flavor, and aftertaste.
With each step, Cassie’s joy bubbled up inside until it spread across her face in an exuberant smile.
She had no idea what would come of the assignment—if anything—but for now, Cassie would allow herself to dream.
* * *
Luke smiled behind the dainty porcelain cup brimming with peppermint tea, grateful to see Dolores bustling about her kitchen with considerable ease.
“You’re sweet to check on me, but my ankle is good as new.” She set a matching sugar bowl and creamer next to the antique teapot before sinking into the chair beside Luke. “I only use this walking stick because it reminds me of Arthur.” Her smile grew soft and wistful as she gazed at the intricately carved handle.
“One of his finest pieces.” Luke set the teacup down and reached out a hand. “May I?”
Dolores passed it to him before serving herself, filling the cozy, farm-style kitchen with the refreshing scent of mint.
