Page 7 of Love Me Tender, Love Me Brew
He doesn’t know who’s more excited—him or Charlotte.
He waits for her to put her things away in the back and when she returns, he doesn’t waste any time showing her the ropes. Charlotte is a fast learner, and before the night is up, she’s already comfortable making the basic beverages.
Of course, the little “cheat sheets” that print on each ticket that specify how many pumps to use of each flavor is a huge plus, but she’s doing so well working alongside him.
“Did you want to go ahead and go now or wait until I’m done with the close-up?” he asks, looking up at the clock on the wall.
“If it’s okay with you, I’d like to stay.”
Edwin locks the door then stops by the jukebox to put on a couple of songs. While the other baristas are used to him singing while he’s taking care of the end of day duties, he hopes Charlotte doesn’t mind. Some of his best performances happen when the “CLOSED” sign is hanging in the front window.
He grabs the mop from the hook next to the sink, fills the bucket with soapy water, and pushes it out front.
“…well, it’s one pump for the grande, two for the venti; three to get lofty, now go, Char, go…”
With his favorite pair of navy blue Vans on, Edwin slides across the floor, the mop handle clenched tightly in his left hand. He quickly flips it over to the right hand and pulls it close to his mouth.
“…well, you can knock me down, steal my mug…”
Charlotte sets the sleeve of cups down on the counter and brings both hands up to her mouth.
When the songs ends, Edwin-style, he finishes by coming up on the balls of his feet. He holds the position for a few seconds, then takes a bow. He doesn’t know if his heart is beating rapidly from his swift movements across the floor or if it’s from the look on Charlotte’s face right now. She’s practically beaming!
“Oh, Edwin, you’re too much! But I love it!”
Chapter
Six
“Thanks for coming to the meeting tonight, everyone. I promise I won’t keep you all long.” Deanna places a couple boxes of pizzas in the middle of the table then gives everyone time to fix their plates before she begins going over things.
“This is really good,” Edwin says, taking a bite out of the slice of pepperoni.
“I haven’t had pizza in forever,” Charlotte adds. Using her napkin, she wipes the cheese dangling from Edwin’s chin.
“I figure I might as well feed you all, since I’m taking you away from your families tonight.” Taking the seat at the end of the table, she gathers her paperwork together and proceeds to go over her notes one last time. “As some of you are aware, Tahoe’s Got Talent is coming to the Glitz Casino next month. While the casino will be handling the majority of their food and beverages, I’ve signed a contract with the show andCoffee Loftis going to be providing any and all specialty coffee beverages for the duration of their stay.”
The baristas all begin to cheer and clap.
“I’m pretty sure I’m crazy for even doing this, but hey, you live and learn, right? I’ve rented a food truck that will be parked outside the studio doors and I’m working on a schedule to keep at least two of you there serving hot and cold coffee during thetimes we agreed upon. I’ll be going back and forth between both places, so don’t panic and think you’re going to be left on your own to tend to things. If anything, I’ll probably spend more time there, since this is such a huge deal. If I sound like I’m nervous about this, you bet’cha I am. But I’m also looking forward to it. I should have a tentative schedule posted in the next day or so and if we need to make any changes, we’ll do so on a one-on-one basis.”
Edwin and Charlotte exchange excited glances, as do the other baristas. “This is going to be really cool. I bet they bring in some really big name performers for the actual show,” Niecy adds.
“I was wondering that, too,” Deanna says. “The coffee truck will close each day around 5pm, after the last scheduled auditions. The producer will provide us with guest passes, so if any of you would like to attend any of the tapings, you’ll be able to go at no cost.”
“With that being said, the truck is set to be delivered on Friday and I’ll spend the weekend getting it set up for operation on Monday. I’ll be here for a little while tonight working on an order—someone say a prayer for me—so if you have any questions, feel free to stick around. Otherwise, you’re free to leave.”
“I think Edwin needs to audition,” Niecy speaks up before anyone has a chance to go anywhere. “Not only can he sing, but he totally has all the right the moves.”
“Oh, no. Not me.” Edwin lifts his hand into the air and takes a step back from the table.
Charlotte reaches for his arm. “I agree. I think it’d be great to have someone local on the show. Imagine all of the support you’d get.”
“At least give it some thought,” Gavin, Deanna’s boyfriend, says from the doorway. “I’ve heard you sing. These guys are right, you’re a heck of a performer.”
“I’ll think about it,” he says. “But I’m not making any promises.”
Instead of taking Charlotte back to her dorm, he drives down to the lake and switches his car off. The view of the water is absolutely breathtaking tonight. With the sun almost completely settled behind the mountains, the sky is a beautiful mix of purples and blues. “If you get cold, let me know. I have a blanket in the backseat.”
