Cafe Latte

Chapter Ten/The End

Danny was in an hour early the next morning. He swept into the back while Meara was putting the cupcakes in the oven, and Meara started, head darting up at the clock. 5:00. Okay, he wasn't behind. Good.

"Danny, what are you doing here so early?"

"I was looking over the numbers last night with Josselin after your date," Danny said.

"You met up with Josselin?"

"We talked on Skype."

Meara nodded, closed the oven door, and set the timer.

"But it looks like closing down a few weeks will be our best option," Danny continued. Meara frowned. Danny turned around at Meara's silence, and his face softened at his friend's expression.

"This could be a blessing in disguise," Danny said gently. "You've been wanting to revamp the menu. I could get some new menu boards. We can't afford a total overhaul, but we can move around the furniture and see if we can get some more seating in here. Maybe a comfortable couch in the corner."

Meara nodded and pulled his rag out of his belt to start wiping down the table.

"What do you want to be our last day?" he asked.

Danny opened his laptop and booted it up before turning back to face Meara. "Maybe this Sunday."

"That soon?"

Danny hummed unsurely. "We need the time, Meara," he said. "We just... if we want to be open by the first of November, we need three weeks. We're already cutting it close at two and a half, but I want our customers to have some warning, you know?"

"You're sure they'll be done by then? We both know construction schedules don't mean anything."

Danny chuckled. "Yeah. I talked to the workers next door. They're on time."

Meara finished wiping up the spilled flour and tucked his towel back in his apron pocket. He bit his lip and exhaled hard through his nose. "Well, Josselin and Frankie said they'd be willing to help with anything they can."

Danny nodded. "Josselin told me, too. I might have him email all the blogs that have been advertising us and ask them to mention we're closing for a few weeks, so people don't make the trip here just to be disappointed."

"And he can tell them about our grand re-opening?"

"Yeah."

Danny pulled out his cell phone and sent off a quick text. After he slid it back in his pocket, he paused, and said, "Shit, do you think I should have emailed him?"

"Josselin keeps his phone on silent while he's asleep," Meara said. "He has clients all over the country and some don't think about the difference in time zones."

"How do you know what Josselin does when he sleeps?" Danny grinned and hiked an eyebrow.

"Because he told me," Meara laughed. "You're ridiculous." The timer rang and he opened the oven door to flip the trays. "Why don't you make a sign and update the website and I'll get to finishing up all the baking."

Danny grinned and gave Meara a loose salute, then turned back to his computer to get to work.

Meara was filling and cleaning the sugar station when Josselin and Frankie came in. He grinned and waved at them, and said, "Do you mind waiting just a minute while I finish this? I'll be right there to ring you up."

"No problem." Jossselin smiled, gently running his hand along Meara's lower back as they passed by to his table in the back. "We'll just get my work set up in the meantime."