Page 11 of Trust Fall
What the hell just happened? She finally got the chance to interact with the woman she’d been daydreaming about for the past three years... and instead of it playing out as a cute Hollywood movie meet, like it had in her head so many times... she crashed into her trying to enter her shop and nearly took her out in the process.Smooth Ivy, smooth.
Ivy got up off the door, removed her glasses, and walked over to the sink to splash some cool water on her face. After she dried herself off and put her glasses back on, she took a second to fix a hair pin that had come loose, then made her way back out to the shop front.
“Well, do you want to know what order you’re about to bring them, and more importantly, who they are?” Toni said, her grin having evolved into a smirk.
“Yes, I mean, what are they having? And thanks for doing that. Their order I mean. Oh my God what is wrong with me and why can’t I speak around her?!” Ivy was spiraling, Toni was loving every second of it.
“Her name is Cleo, she’s having a decaf cappuccino. The little one is her niece, Sophie, and she’s having a hot chocolate with the works. I also let them choose a pastry each which you’ll pay for along with the rest of their order... and she knows that you’re the manager as that was the only way Cleo would accept notpaying for the order herself.” Toni handed the tray filled with the order to Ivy. “Oh, and since when do we offer table service?” she added, just as Ivy started to walk away, causing her to pause for a split-second before glaring at Toni.
Chapter 11
Cleo
Sophie was saying something, and Cleo knew she should give her niece her complete attention, but there was something about the blonde-haired woman at the door earlier that distracted her. That hadn’t happened in a long time. Longer than Cleo was willing to admit. Even to herself.
She could still feel tingles on her forearm where the woman’s hand had held on. That was new. That had definitely never happened before.
“Auntie Cleo, look!” Sophie’s excitement broke her out of her daze. Following Sophie’s eyeline, Cleo turned to see the woman approaching their table carrying a tray laden with their order.
“Hi,” the woman said softly, and Cleo noticed the blush on her neck and cheeks for the second time. “I really am so sorry about earlier. Mollie is one of our regulars and she was in here studying and forgot her scarf, and I just really wanted to return it to her. I didn’t even look before pulling the door open, which I never do! I just, well, anyway, I’m sorry. Again.”
Cleo was drawn into the woman’s green eyes. She cleared her throat, remembering to acknowledge the woman’s comments, “It’s really alright. Honestly. We’re both fine,” she turned to Sophie, “aren’t we kid?”
“Yup, we’re good Auntie Cleo.” Sophie’s eyes were glued to her mug of hot chocolate.
“Well anyway, this is on me, the door was entirely my fault, and I know Toni said you refused to take my gesture, but please do. It would make me feel better if you did,” the woman said as she sat the tray down on the table and started to place the items in front of Cleo and Sophie.
Cleo took a minute to look into the woman’s eyes again. She could lose herself in those eyes if she weren’t careful. Not being careful was what got her here in the first place. “I wasn’t looking where I was going either, so how about we split it? I really don’t feel comfortable with you paying for it all when I wasn’t looking at the door before pushing it open. Is that a compromise you can live with... I’m sorry, I don’t know your name?”
“OK, that seems fair. Oh, and Ivy. My name is Ivy.” She smiled warmly.
Beautiful.Cleo found herself all but mesmerized as Ivy walk back over to the counter.
Twenty-five minutes later and Sophie finally convinced Cleo to leave the coffee shop and continue their weekend of fun. Cleo made her way over to the counter to pay her half of the bill before heading back out to the shops.
“Was everything OK for you?” Ivy asked them both as they approached the counter, despite there being a small queue of customers waiting to be served. She then leaned over the counter to speak directly to Sophie, “Was the hot chocolate good?”
“It was the best EVER!” Sophie nearly burst with her sugar rush after finishing her entire hot chocolate which had been topped with cream, chocolate sprinkles and a side of four marshmallows.
Ivy’s smile lit up the whole shop, dimples and all, before she turned to Cleo, a small smattering of red flushing up her neck, “and yours?”
Cleo smiled and found herself blushing slightly as she echoed her niece’s response: “Best ever.”
“We’re going shopping now. But I don’t know where, Auntie Cleo won’t tell me. She says I can’t keep secrets.” Sophie said almost entirely in one breath.
Cleo laughed “That’s because you can’t. But, what if I told you we’re going to the music shop?”
“Really?! Yey!! I’ve always wanted to see musical instruments up close!” Her niece answered excitedly. “Kerry Watson in myclass gets violin lessons, and Jacob Conroy is learning the guitar. Even myteachercan play piano.”
Cleo laughed at Sophie’s reaction, “OK, well how about we go and let Ivy get back to work. She looks really busy. Say thank you for your hot chocolate.”
“OK, thank you for the hot chocolate, bye Ivy!” Sophie waved as she picked up her metal detector and fixed the straps on her backpack oftreasurebefore making her way over to the door. “C’mon Auntie Cleo, let’sgooooooo.”
Cleo blushed and looked back at Ivy, “I’d better go.”
“Yeah, you heard the boss.” Ivy let out a small chuckle. “Bye Cleo, maybe next time I’ll let you come through the door without any help?”
“I look forward to it. Bye Ivy.”
