Love at the Salted Caramel Cafe

by Angie Ellington

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Leaves floated into a tango with the breeze along the winding road as Sierra and Miranda drove into Mill Hollows. The Blake's property was located a short distance outside of town on a hillside with the mountains of southern Virginia canvassing their back yard's skyline. Sierra stared out of the passenger window at the rustle of leaves and swaying song of the tree branches admiring the beauty of her hometown's countryside. She had missed the changing of seasons most of all while living in Florida.

  Palm trees and temps in the eighties lasted most of the year in Tampa. The navy knitted sweater coat and leather boots over faded skinny jeans, layered over the buttercream tank she had comfortably slid into weren't a look she would be wearing in Tampa on a typical afternoon any time of year. Long tanks and capri leggings would be her casual choice even in December.

  As they pulled into the graveled lot of the cafe, Sierra tucked her hands into the pockets of her sweater. The cool breeze fluttered through her long hair like butterflies in spring landing along the flowers. She breathed in the freshness of the valley air as she opened the back door and assisted Eden in getting out of her booster seat.

  Eden wrapped her arms around Sierra's leg and held on tightly. Sierra felt her heart warm with glee.

  “OK. I can't move, Eden. You're too big to carry now,” Sierra teased.

  “You stay Aunt Rie. You stay wif me!” Eden bellowed out with demanding sweetness. She eased her grip and took Sierra's hand instead. The love of a little girl who thought she was the greatest aunt in the world gave her a pang of regret over not being closer to watch her niece as she grew.

  “I wish I could stay with you all the time, Eden. But I'm here now. We'll have some fun. I'm going to be here for a while.”

  “Goodie. We play wif my barbies?” Eden's face lit up with joy.

  “Yes. We will definitely play with your barbies, sweet girl.”

  They followed Miranda inside the cafe and toward the back to find Tom and Carlotta cleaning up the work stations and preparing for closing. A young teenager was serving a few last minute customers having coffee and chicken salad sandwiches with pumpkin mashed potatoes. A specialty for the fall at the cafe.

  “Hey, mom. Sis. Come here Eden. Uncle T's got something I saved for you in this box,” Tom said with an energetic bounce toward his niece.

  “I believe I saved the something you're referring to for her,” Carlotta corrected with a throated cough and a scowl that quickly switched into a jovial eye wink.

  Eden bounced up and down in her tiny brown suede Ugg boots. A gift from Sierra the Christmas before. Her curly pigtails of platinum blonde bobbed along with her feet as she beamed.

  “What is it Uncle T? Bwownie?” she asked in her high pitched voice with the sweetness of child wonderment that would make the hardest of hearts soften like butter.

  They all smiled and watched as Tom removed an orange cake pop with a vanilla cake filling from a styrofoam container.

  “Spwinkles!” Eden bellowed out with glee.

  “Yes, honey. It has sprinkles on it. Your favorite,” Miranda said.

  Eden hugged Tom and then snuggled up around Carlotta's thickened hips as she rose from a chair and squeezed.

  “Oh, OK, Princess. You go enjoy your treat,” Carlotta said almost breathlessly from the grip Eden still had around her thigh as she slid down her leg.

  Tom led Eden to a small table in the corner of the baking room and headed out the back to join Richard and Roxie at the cabin. Miranda and Carlotta discussed the usual rundown of questions Miranda had when she came into the cafe. Discussions of the weekly specials, desserts, and how busy it had been that day. She would save a review of the expenses and receipts from the last week for Roxie.

  Carlotta joined the waitress up front in preparing for closure as the couple that had been dining paid their bill. Sierra watched with attentive focus at everything surrounding her in the cafe. Marketing ideas swirled through her mind. She couldn't help it. Marketing was her forte' and she was good at it. It didn't fulfill her the way it did when she first started out working in hospitality marketing after graduation from Virginia Tech. Perhaps looking for a new position wasn't going to be such a bad thing after all. She hated being unemployed, but she hadn't been given much of a choice.

  How does one continue working for a resort after turning down a wedding proposal from the manager and future owner of the hotel?

  She could've accepted a transfer, but she didn't feel as though she deserved to be shipped off to the Gulf Coast to a smaller resort and lower stature in management. Besides, Miles had wanted her out. She had embarrassed him and embarrassed his family by not racing into his arms and screaming with joyful tears when he simply opened a box and pulled out a ring. No actual words were even spoken. He just waited for her to hold out her finger.

  “Sierra?” Miranda's voice was stern.

  “What?” Sierra replied with a down-turned expression and widened eyes of surprise.

  “I've said your name three times. Are you on Mars?” Miranda said with exasperation.

  “I didn't hear you. I---I guess I zoned out for a minute. I'm still tired from the trip up. Even though I split the trip up and stayed in Charleston with a friend, I'm still exhausted. I think the nap I took made it worse. An hour of sleep was just enough to make me feel more dazed and confused than before,” Sierra justified.

  “I'm sure. We'll get going in a few minutes. I had made some barbecue yesterday for today's special since we were open later for the Pumpkin Patch Pow-Wow. I'm taking what's left home for us. There's plenty for all of us to eat tonight and left over pumpkin mashed potatoes, as well. It may not sound like the perfect combination, but trust me. It's delicious,” Miranda said. “The others will be a while getting back from the cabin. You can nap with Eden when we get home. That's if we can get the sugar rush to fade from that cake pop.”

  “What's the Pumpkin Patch Pow-Wow? I don't remember that,” Sierra asked.

  “This is the inaugural event. It's basically an adult day at the pumpkin farm. Pumpkin ale and apple wine. Vendors from local stores were set up outside. Many ended up at the sports bar watching college football, it appears by the amount of leftover barbecue we have. I stopped by and bought a couple of wreaths and knick-knacks. I didn't partake in the beer party,” Miranda said with mild sarcasm.

  “I'm sure we'll appreciate the leftover barbecue. Their loss is our gain.”

  Sierra walked behind the bakery counter and lifted the handle of the plexiglass display case. She reached inside for a pumpkin spice coffee cake muffin, getting caramel syrup on her finger as she slid the muffin out. She admired it for a moment with its' cinnamon and clove sprinkles adorning the drizzle of caramel syrup that swirled in the center. She tickled over her finger with her tongue as she delighted in the taste of sticky goodness.

  It needs a dash of ginger and butter along the paper cups in the muffin pan next time. That would give a subtle spice and brown the bottom of the muffins for an unexpected final bite of flavor.

  As the chime of the doorbell sounded, Sierra was brought out of her thoughts and alerted to a man of maybe 6 feet tall with hair that reminded her of hazelnut, and a thin beard surrounding a curved smile of curious acknowledgment. He began approaching the counter as Sierra stood motionless with crumbs on the corners of her mouth.

  “Hey, there. I'd like a cup of coffee. Black. And, that muffin you're eating looks good. I'll take one of those, too,” the man of Sierra's gaze said as he reached for a brown leather wallet from the back pocket of his jeans.

  Sierra broke her silent stare. “Umm. We're closed. The register's already locked up. Sorry,” she said with a shrug.

  “I've been hearing about this place since I arrived in town last week. This is the first chance I've had to get by. The sign still says open. I'd really like to get a muffin. The crumbs on your lip make it quite enticing to try,” he joked in an effort to sway her to serve him. “I've got cash. I can leave it for Monday
morning. A pre-pay sort of thing.”

  Sierra wiped her mouth with a napkin and turned away as her cheeks pinked up.

  “The coffee pot was turned off when I came in about ten minutes ago. I don't work here. I'm not even sure it's still hot, but if you're OK with lukewarm or a microwave warm-up, I'll give you a cup,” Sierra said, feeling her eyes narrowing with his persistence.

  “I'd love some. Thank you kindly, ma'am. Although, I'm not sure the owners would be too happy about someone who doesn't work here hanging around behind the counter and eating their baked goods after closing. I'll keep your secret if you'll let me buy one of those muffins to go with the lukewarm coffee,” he said with a wry smile and sea foam green eyes that reflected in the haze of the ever-popular 'golden hour' lighting pouring in from the cafe windows. “I'm Wes, by the way. Wes Carter.”

  Sierra twisted her lip around and brushed her hair over one shoulder. She walked over to the coffee pot and poured the medium bodied brew into a paper cup. It was still fairly hot. Not piping, but enough to satisfy. She returned to the bakery case and removed a pumpkin spice muffin. As she sat both upon the counter, she placed her hands on her hips.

  “You must be in sales, Mr. Carter. You don't strike me as someone who takes no for an answer very easily,” she scoffed and then blinked her brown eyes, catching the rays of the peachy haze. The handsome newcomer surveyed Sierra's face. Her long golden hair. Her full cheeks and lips. The sparkle of her brown eyes. Her slim waist and bronzed skin.

  “Not sales. I don't think I could sell cheese to mice. I'm a geologist. I dig in the dirt for a living. If I'm going to keep your secret of hanging out in diners and eating muffins, I'll need to know your name. Oh, and if you live in the area or just pass by diners and such as a wayward traveler surviving on late day coffee and leftover baked goods,” he said, stepping closer to the counter and taking a sip of the coffee.

  “What do I owe you....Jane? Nah, you don't look like a Jane. Mary? Nah. Help me out here.”

  Sierra shook her head and chuckled. “I'll give you the coffee. I'm not sure what the muffin is, but just give me three dollars. No worries about the owners coming after me. I know them pretty well. But next time, try to get in before five,” she said. “If you're new in town, you should probably know that flirtation will get you far with some of the girls over at Frankie's Brewhaus across the street. Not so much here.”

  He handed Sierra a five dollar bill. “Keep the change for your trouble. It's not a tip since you don't work here, but for you just for putting up with me. I really have no game, but don't blame me for trying.”

  As Wes turned to walk away, Sierra contemplated stopping him. He had already opened the door when she decided to call out her name. “I'm Sierra.”

  As the door closed, Wes looked over as he walked by the cafe glass pane and nodded with a smile. Sierra rolled her eyes and smiled as their eyes searched each other's for a moment.

  She leaned against the bakery case and placed a loose fist over her mouth.

  Miranda walked in with Eden. “Was there someone in here? Eden said she heard people talking. I was on the phone with your dad. He was making sure Tom was on the way to help him and Roxie move stuff out of the cabin and Carlotta went out the back. Eden was in the office with me.”

  “Yes. A last minute customer. Some new guy in town. Annoyingly persistent. I had to give in and let him have coffee and a muffin. I think he would've stayed for an hour pleading his case if I hadn't,” Sierra said.

  “Let's go before he comes back for a refill,” she snarled with a chuckle that followed.

  “Yes, we should get going. Your dad and siblings will be hungry after moving Roxie's mess. Honestly, I think a yard sale is in order for half of it,” Miranda groaned as Eden tugged on her hand.

  “Let's go, Nana!” Eden led her grandmother and aunt by the hands out of the cafe swinging her arms with theirs.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Family dinners at the Blake household, had always consisted of overlapping conversations and college football on the television in fall. Even now, with Sierra having lived half of the East Coast away, and Tom residing about fifteen miles outside of Mill Hollows, Saturday evening dinners in October were still mostly the same. The only differences being the addition of little Eden, and of course, the boiling pot of tension between Sierra and Roxie bubbling just beneath the proverbial lid.

  “Pass the green beans, please,” Tom said as he looked toward Roxie. She lifted the Blue Willow dish and tried to reach across the table to his left angle of her.

  “Roxanne, you know we don't pass food that way in this house. Pass it to your sister across from you and she'll hand it to Tom,” Richard ordered.

  Sierra and Roxie glared at one another. Roxie rolled her eyes quickly and held the dish outward with a grimace. Sierra paused momentarily, entering into a stare-down of wills with her younger sibling, before taking hold of the stoneware bowl. The rest of the family dashed back into conversation about cleaning the cabin and didn't notice their exchange.

  “We've got to get a little tidying up done tomorrow before the tenant moves in later tomorrow evening. He's staying in a hotel in Blacksburg, but he's ready to get settled in,” Richard said.

  Sierra surveyed the table to see if she were the only one who seemed surprised by the news of a tenant moving in to their family cabin Richard had built when she and her siblings were kids. It had been a hunting cabin and man cave of sorts until Tom was old enough to join in and then the two of them practically moved into it when Tom became a teenager. That was until, of course, Miranda put an end to overnight stays down the hill.

  She had felt an emptiness when Sierra left for college and Roxie moved out of the house and into a camper park with her boyfriend a week after high school graduation.

  “Who's moving into the cabin?” Sierra asked, leaning forward and cupping her hands in her lap below the mahogany table.

  “A young man with a contract for the Corps of Engineers. He's doing something with rocks and sediment. I don't know. Something environmental down by the old gristmill. What's his name, Randa?” Richard asked with a fork in his hand twisting it in a circular motion and furrowing his thickened brows.

  Miranda wiped her mouth delicately on both sides with her napkin. “Please lower your fork before you toss that green bean onto Roxie's lap, please,” Miranda said flatly with a faint smirk.

  A snicker floated around the room from everyone as Richard pretended he was going to poke Roxie's arm before obliging.

  “Wes Carter is his name. Nice young man. Around the age of you girls. Roxie, he's cute, too,” Miranda said with a smile and a tap on Roxie's hand.

  “Mom, I'm not looking to meet anyone right now. Geez. I'm trying to get rid of one bum,” Roxie groaned.

  “Well, that's just it. It's time to meet someone who isn't a bum. Wes is a geologist. He's actually Dr. Wes Carter, I believe,” Miranda added.

  Sierra felt her pulse fasten. “Wait. Wes? I think that's the name of the guy who came in the cafe as we were leaving today. Does he have sandy brown hair and about six feet tall?” Sierra inquired noticing smiles around the table. Smiles from everyone except Roxie, who continued to eat her pumpkin mashed potatoes.

  “I do believe that describes him pretty well. Did you happen to catch his eye color, as well, honey?” Miranda teased intrigued.

  “No. (Yes, I did. As green as fresh basil). Of course not. I thought he looked a bit rough around the edges. I guess that explains it if he'd been digging in the dirt or whatever he's doing down there by the river and Dalton Mill,” Sierra said in an effort to sound uninterested.

  “Maybe Sierra should go meet him when he arrives Monday. We have revival at church this week, and Roxie, you're going with Eden and I. It's not up for debate. You're staying with us, and it'll do you good to get out and see some people who love you,” Miranda stated firmly. “Too much baggage for you over at the cabin. It's best if someone else deals with the tenant. Sierra, are you OK with
going over and making sure he gets his key and collect his deposit?”

  “Sure. I guess I can handle that. I'm used to handing out keys and discussing rentals more than anyone else, so I'm quite certain I can handle getting him settled in,” Sierra replied.

  “Why does Sierra get to skip out on revival?” Roxie asked with a look of disdain. “She's living here too, at least for however long she's in town for.”

  “Sierra doesn't have a child to set an example for. You do. End of discussion.” Miranda eyeballed Roxie as Eden began bouncing in her seat.

  “Eden, baby. I'm sorry. Of course I'll go to revival with you and grandma,” Roxie said as her eyes welled with tears.

  “I'll go Tuesday, so your mama can take a bubble bath. Can she borrow your rubber ducky?” Sierra asked, beaming at Eden as she fought back the thickening of emotion forming in her throat. Roxie softened her expression and breathed in deeply; pressing her lips into a curved unspoken sign of gratitude.

  Everyone rose from the table and Roxie exited with Eden down the hallway avoiding eye contact with Sierra. Tom and Sierra cleared the dishes.

  “Go on. I've got this. I know you're exhausted from helping at the cafe and then helping dad and Roxie at the cabin,” Sierra said.

  “I hope you and Roxie can clear the air while you're home, sis,” Tom said as he handed a glass to Sierra.

  “Well, it certainly won't be for a lack of time. I'm staying for a while. I haven't told mom and dad yet, but I'm home for at least a month or two until I decide my next move. I've got my stuff being delivered in a few days from Florida to a storage unit in town. I had no idea Roxie would be moving in at the same time, however. I may need to come stay with you.”

  “Let's not be too hasty,” Tom chuckled. “I'm a total bachelor and I think you and Roxie will make amends faster if you're under the same roof.”

  Sierra nudged Tom's shoulder with her own. “Get outta here, little brother.”