Excerpt
Sandra loved connecting with people. She would sit back watching them relax while taking pleasure in drinking her coffee. It was like personally inviting people into your home. Life taught her, more than once, that anything and everything could be solved over a good cup of coffee.
“Was it that bad?” She looked into his eyes and read his misgivings.
“Are you crazy? I loved it. I’m sorry I got lost in my thoughts. I have a feeling I’m going to lose you soon.”
He sat their cups on the table, a deep crease forming between his full brows. She wrapped her hands around the cup finding comfort in its warmth.
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” He chuckled. “Things are going good, but I don’t plan to quit my day job until I see more zeros on my checks. Besides, I won’t leave you hanging, I want to make sure you have a solid replacement.”
“Well, they’re coming. I’d bet my shop on it.” They shared another laugh. “And don’t worry about me, I’m a big girl.”
They chatted about the shop and the current employees. She may have to place an ad in the paper and start interviewing soon.
“So, what’s up with you? You seemed out of it tonight.”
Sandra crossed her legs and leaned closer into the table. She could smell the warm cinnamon rising from his cup. She relaxed in the chair, placing her chin in the palm of her hand.
“I feel like I don’t have much of a life. I’m here from sun up to sun down. And I’m not complaining because I love my business, but I always thought I would have kids by now and I don’t even have a boyfriend.” She fell back in the chair, crossing her arms in her lap.
“Girl, you act like you’re a hundred years old. It’s not too late.” He took a drink of his coffee. “How about I set you up with someone?”
Sandra lifted her hands in protest, “Oh, no, no, no…I am not turning into a charity case.”
“Whatever.” He dismissed her response, and she could see the wheels in his head turning. She had to stop him. She could just imagine some young kid, strolling in with his pants hanging to the floor, showing his expensive drawers to the world, and Lord help her if he showed up with a mouth full of fancy hardware. She was too old for that. She needed a nice, respectable guy, the problem was how would she find him?
“Earth to Sandi,” Bruce snapped his fingers trying to regain her attention.
“You know what, thanks, but no thanks. I don’t think I’m the young hip-hop kind of woman. I need a nice settled man.” Her list of qualities for her ideal man was short. She knew he had to love her independence, her hectic work schedule, her family, and most importantly, her girls.
“Dang, don’t you trust yo boy? I got you. Really, give me a chance.”
Sandra paused. She knew she had to try, but something whispered brace yourself. Her thirty-fifth birthday was months away and things would remain the same if she didn’t at least try.
“Okay, I’ll give you a chance. But I don’t want a—“
He held up his hand, cutting off her impending checklist. “No, thanks. I got this.”
Sandra picked up her cup and drained it. She couldn’t believe Bruce was playing matchmaker and setting her up on a blind date. She stood to throw her cup in the trash, but slumped back into her still warm chair upon realizing she didn’t know any of his friends outside the shop. He could find her some crazed lunatic.
“Actually, I don’t know if this is a good idea,” she said, her voice just above a whisper.
“I know the kind of guys you like.” He leaned back in the chair and assessed her. She squirmed under his watchful eye. He continued, “You like those conservative, educated, I want to take you to a jazz club kinda dudes.” He laughed. Her nerves prevented her from joining in.
“Sandi, I got you. Really. I have someone that’s perfect. Let’s get through having Marques here this weekend and I’ll set something up for next week.”
He stood and she follow suit. Bruce grabbed their cups and started gathering the trash. It was past midnight and he was probably heading to the studio. She planned to head home and pray. She knew without a doubt that she trusted him with her business, but could she trust Bruce with finding her a date?
“Was it that bad?” She looked into his eyes and read his misgivings.
“Are you crazy? I loved it. I’m sorry I got lost in my thoughts. I have a feeling I’m going to lose you soon.”
He sat their cups on the table, a deep crease forming between his full brows. She wrapped her hands around the cup finding comfort in its warmth.
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” He chuckled. “Things are going good, but I don’t plan to quit my day job until I see more zeros on my checks. Besides, I won’t leave you hanging, I want to make sure you have a solid replacement.”
“Well, they’re coming. I’d bet my shop on it.” They shared another laugh. “And don’t worry about me, I’m a big girl.”
They chatted about the shop and the current employees. She may have to place an ad in the paper and start interviewing soon.
“So, what’s up with you? You seemed out of it tonight.”
Sandra crossed her legs and leaned closer into the table. She could smell the warm cinnamon rising from his cup. She relaxed in the chair, placing her chin in the palm of her hand.
“I feel like I don’t have much of a life. I’m here from sun up to sun down. And I’m not complaining because I love my business, but I always thought I would have kids by now and I don’t even have a boyfriend.” She fell back in the chair, crossing her arms in her lap.
“Girl, you act like you’re a hundred years old. It’s not too late.” He took a drink of his coffee. “How about I set you up with someone?”
Sandra lifted her hands in protest, “Oh, no, no, no…I am not turning into a charity case.”
“Whatever.” He dismissed her response, and she could see the wheels in his head turning. She had to stop him. She could just imagine some young kid, strolling in with his pants hanging to the floor, showing his expensive drawers to the world, and Lord help her if he showed up with a mouth full of fancy hardware. She was too old for that. She needed a nice, respectable guy, the problem was how would she find him?
“Earth to Sandi,” Bruce snapped his fingers trying to regain her attention.
“You know what, thanks, but no thanks. I don’t think I’m the young hip-hop kind of woman. I need a nice settled man.” Her list of qualities for her ideal man was short. She knew he had to love her independence, her hectic work schedule, her family, and most importantly, her girls.
“Dang, don’t you trust yo boy? I got you. Really, give me a chance.”
Sandra paused. She knew she had to try, but something whispered brace yourself. Her thirty-fifth birthday was months away and things would remain the same if she didn’t at least try.
“Okay, I’ll give you a chance. But I don’t want a—“
He held up his hand, cutting off her impending checklist. “No, thanks. I got this.”
Sandra picked up her cup and drained it. She couldn’t believe Bruce was playing matchmaker and setting her up on a blind date. She stood to throw her cup in the trash, but slumped back into her still warm chair upon realizing she didn’t know any of his friends outside the shop. He could find her some crazed lunatic.
“Actually, I don’t know if this is a good idea,” she said, her voice just above a whisper.
“I know the kind of guys you like.” He leaned back in the chair and assessed her. She squirmed under his watchful eye. He continued, “You like those conservative, educated, I want to take you to a jazz club kinda dudes.” He laughed. Her nerves prevented her from joining in.
“Sandi, I got you. Really. I have someone that’s perfect. Let’s get through having Marques here this weekend and I’ll set something up for next week.”
He stood and she follow suit. Bruce grabbed their cups and started gathering the trash. It was past midnight and he was probably heading to the studio. She planned to head home and pray. She knew without a doubt that she trusted him with her business, but could she trust Bruce with finding her a date?
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