Dear Reader...

Chapter Two

~Noah~

"Did I hear the bell go?"

"Yeah. Can you make a Latte with Oat milk? Maureen was telling me a story and you know she'll cause a fuss if I don't go back there."

"Just a latte? Nothing special?"

"Nope. Just a latte. Oat milk." Chris nodded over to the front corner of the store. "For the blonde on the corner." I looked up to where he was gesturing. Some woman sitting down at the table with her back to me. "She's Canadian."

"And she moved here?" Chris nodded once, dipping past me into the rest of the shop. "From Canada? Why?"

"No idea. I don't tend to quiz my customers." He shrugged. "I'll be back when Maureen decides I don't need to be tortured anymore.

No one moved here. That's the thing with this town. It's boring. There's never anything happening. People are born and die here. New people don't move to Satbury. You leave Satbury. And to come from halfway across the world? It didn't make sense to me. There was a million other cities and towns in this country that would give anyone more than they needed. But you travel thousands of miles to land yourself in a town where it's just people over 50 walking their dogs and talking about the weather.

Unless she is 50.

Can't really tell from here.

What I can see is she's taken a laptop out of her bag and half the table is covered in papers. I walk over slowly, clear my throat as I approach so I don't make her jump but she doesn't seem to be paying attention. I slip the cup down slowly and look at her a little better now- woah. Definitely not 50.

What the hell is a pretty thing like her doing here? There's nothing here for a girl our age.

She shifts the papers around a little, glances up, almost jumps out of her skin. She instantly pulls the glasses off her face, settling her hand in the middle of her chest and taking a few deep breaths.

"Sorry- I did-" Head. Together Noah. God. Anyone would think you've never spoken to a stunning girl before. I cleared my throat again, standing up straight and scratching the back of my neck. "Latte with oat milk right?"

"Latte with oa- OH. Yeah. Latte with oat milk. That's me." I have never seen eyes that mix of green and blue before. "You must be Noah?"

"Hm?"

"Chris- the owner. When he told me to sit down. He said he'd send Noah over with my drink so I'm guessing you're Noah?"

"Oh right, yeah. Me- I'm-" Oh for fuck sake. "Yes. I'm Noah." My hand automatically shot out and she looked at it like it was the weirdest thing she's ever seen in her life but she took it anyway.

"Nice to meet you Noah. I'm Juliette." Such a pretty name. Juliette.

"Chris said you moved here from Canada."

"Chris is correct." She nodded. "Near Toronto."

"What brings you to Satbury then? Business or pleasure?"

"A bit of both I guess." She turns ever so slightly, glances at the papers and then back to me. "I needed a change of pace. A fresh start I guess."

"And you chose Satbury? You know there's much nicer places literally anywhere else?" Her smile dropped and I should probably just stop talking, go back into the kitchen and put my head through the wall. "No. I- Ah jeez. I'm gonna go now before I scare you back to Toronto. Give us a shout if you need anything."

"Actually. This is going to probably sound really really stupid but I need to sort it and I don't even know where to start. I need to bleed my radiators? I'm sure I can find like a tutorial online or something but it says I need a key? We don't have radiators back home so I don't know what I'm looking for. Where would I get one?"

"I have one." The words leave my mouth before I can stop myself and yeah, I am putting my head through a brick wall the second I get away. " I mean. I have one. If you want it. A spare. I can bring it in tomorrow or- I could drop it by?"

"Uhh. I appreciate it but I need to learn. Will any shop have them or?"

"A DIY store. There's one if you come out of here turn right and left, bright yellow sign, you can't miss it. Paul runs it. He's normally open 9-5 Monday to Friday and 12-6 on Saturdays. Closed Sundays."

"Amazing. Thank you Noah, I really appreciate it."

"Not a problem. I'm gonna go now before I say something else stupid and embarrass myself further. Just-"

"Give you a shout if I need anything." I nod, take the empty tray back into the kitchen and hit myself over the head continuously until a laughing Chris tugs it out of my hands.

"You can't have been that bad?"

"I offered to bleed her radiators." Chris let out a laugh that I'm the citizens of Beijing would have heard. "What the fuck is wrong with me man? It's like I can't talk to girls anymore. Last year? Not a fucking problem."

"She's gorgeous in all fairness. I knew you wouldn't have a chance at getting out of it without making a tit of yourself."

"You set me up."

"Yeah. I needed a good laugh after Maureen." I shook my head at him, going back to weighing out the ingredients for tomorrows pastries. "So, you offered to bleed her radiators?"

"Practically told her I didn't want her here. I reckon if she spoke to the mayor I could get put on the welcoming committee you know? Just scare anyone new out of town before they unpack."

"You're right. I'll give him a call. Maybe right him a letter. Maybe I can get you as the head of the committee and then, I wouldn't have to deal with your shit."

"You can stick your fucking croissants up your ass if you carry on." His eyes widened slightly, zipping his mouth, and tossing away an imaginary key. "Thought so."