Page 149 of Huckleberry Hill
Gracie handed me a marker and said quietly to me, “Abby posted on social media and we went viral.”
“So I’ve heard,” I said. “You need reinforcements.”
“I need more hands,” Gracie agreed.
I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket. “I’ll make some calls.”
“Bless you.”
“I’m still waiting,” the man said.
“Right,” I said. “What would you like?”
He rattled off a drink order with five different customizations. I glanced at Gracie and cocked an eyebrow.
“City folk,” she mouthed.
I nodded and smiled. And then I got to work making his drink. Abby started taking orders and ringing people up and getting them their baked goods. She wrote drink orders on the to-go cups and set them in a line at the espresso machine. I was a decent barista and while I was steaming milk, I called Wade and told him to get over here and help. I called Muddy next.
I picked up a cup and glanced at the drink order and frowned. “What’s a Huckleberry Mist?”
“Our version of a London Fog,” Abby explained. “Instead of Earl Grey we’re using local berry tea.”
“A London Fog, huh?” I asked with a wry smile.
“We were curious and looked it up.” Abby shrugged and turned her attention to the next customer.
Wade showed up ten minutes later with Chelsea in tow.
“Holy cow,” Wade announced.
“Tell me what to do,” Chelsea said.
“Talk to Gracie.” I pointed to the back kitchen.
Muddy arrived ten minutes after that and began to help Gracie. Chelsea cleaned the tables and made sure the coffee bar was well supplied. Wade checked that the bathroom was clean and there were enough paper towels. Then he was on trash detail.
More trays of baked goods came out of the kitchen, much to the delight of the eager customers who were no longer annoyed because the line had begun moving at a good pace.
Time blurred and by the time it was 3 p.m., all of us were exhausted. The line was only five people deep. We finished serving them and then had a much-needed lull.
Gracie walked over to the front door and closed it, locking it and flipping the sign over to read Closed.
“I was not ready for that,” Gracie said as she pulled out a chair from a café table and took a seat. “Nothing like that has ever happened.”
“I need food,” Abby said. “But I’m too tired to move.”
“There are a few meat pies left over from the rush,” Gracie announced.
“Tell me where they are and I’ll get them,” Chelsea said.
“Counter in the back.” Gracie stood. “I need to use the restroom.”
“Should I heat them up?” Chelsea asked.
“Don’t bother,” Muddy said. “I’m starving. I’ll eat mine room temperature.”
“Same,” I said.
