by Haley Weir
Looking at himself in the mirror, he can’t help but notice that his recent lifestyle change hasn’t t affected his body. His rock hard abs and perfectly toned arms are as strong as they ever were. Even though he lost his job as a police officer, the years of physical training and maintenance left him in top notch physical form.
Douglas makes his way downstairs. He’s greeted by his brothers Ethan and Blake, who run a publishing firm in the city together, Collins-Forest Press. If Douglas had followed in their footsteps, taking classes in publishing, business, or even H.R., maybe he’d be able to score a job with his brothers in Manhattan.
“Good morning, brother,” says Blake. He passes Douglas a plate of bacon and eggs.
“Morning,” responds Douglas. “Where are the ladies?”
“They’re in town running some errands,” says Ethan. “How we doing today, bro?”
“I’m fine,” says Douglas, staring down at his plate.
“Yeah, that’s what you always say. But you know, with everything that has happened recently…” begins Ethan. He lets his words trail off.
“Everything? Oh, you mean losing my job at the precinct? Not everything...just my career. My livelihood. The only thing I have...had...going for me,” says Douglas.
“Here we go…” says Ethan.
“Doug, you have to start looking ahead and figuring it out. You’re not going to be unemployed forever. You’ve got skills and you’re charming. That is, when you’re not such a sad sack,” jokes Blake.
“Thanks for the support?” Douglas replies sarcastically.
“All we’re saying is that you may have lost your job, but you didn’t lose everything. You know just as well as we do that you’re qualified to do lots of things: private security, personal investigating...” Ethan begins to list.
“And how do we know I won’t end up losing my job the same way all over again?”
“Maybe you just need to think of a better reason for not being able to take the night shift,” says Blake.
“That’s part of the problem. No reason is good enough to refuse your assigned duty. Even if I made one up,” says Douglas.
“There’s nothing you can make up that’s more interesting than the truth, that’s for sure,” says Blake.
“Yeah, have you tried hitting them with the cold-hard truth and begging for your job back?” adds Ethan.
“Fantastic idea, Ethan,” says Douglas, “I’ll just say,‘sorry I can’t work overnight. That’s when I transform into a grizzly bear, a phenomenon I’ve been experiencing as long as I can remember. Just need to get home and have my brothers lock me up so I don’t run around terrorizing the neighborhood. That should go over well,” snaps Douglas.
“I don’t know what would be worse- your fellow cops not believing you and calling you crazy, or them actually believing you and launching a full-scale investigation,” Blake muses.
“You never know what you’re going to get with cops. Those who do believe in shifters tend not to have the best attitude about us,” says Ethan.
“I think I know that better than anyone, Ethan,” says Doug. “The other cops, military, too. And government officials in general have a huge distaste for shifters. They see us as ‘deviant’,” explains Douglas.
“So those are not jobs you’ll apply for,” says Ethan.
“You think?” Blake adds.
“Ugh,” groans Douglas. “Applying for jobs. I can’t wrap my mind around it.”
“Do you think ‘shifts into bear at night and/or when agitated’ would be good on your resume?” says Ethan. Blake laughs in response. Douglas does not.
“Oh, cheer up, you sad sack. If we can’t joke with each other, who can we joke with?” says Blake.
“You say that like you don’t have anyone else. You both do. I’m the one who doesn’t have anyone to help me hold the weight of this lifelong burden,” says Douglas. “At least when I was a police officer, I had my job. I was happy with my career. Now what?”
“Now, you move on,” says Ethan.
“Anyway, you’re here upstate with us for the next few months. You’ve got a whole summer out of Manhattan, away from all the chaos. Who knows? Maybe you’ll even meet someone before you go back to the city,” adds Blake optimistically.
“You’re getting a little ambitious,” says Douglas. But he can’t help but perk up a bit at the thought of meeting a nice woman to keep him company. Even if it’s not as serious as his brothers relationships, having someone to spend the long and hot summer days with wouldn’t be so bad.
“Fine. I’ll go into town today and work on my resume at the coffee place,” says Douglas.
“That’s the spirit!” says Blake. Douglas is feeling anything but spirited, but his brothers are right. What can he do but try to move on?
Chapter 2
“I really think going back to work could be the best thing for you, El,” says Chris. Ellen looks up from her laptop where she’s been very aggressively binge-watching The Office on Netflix for the past month. She takes out her headphones.
“What?” says Ellen.
“Nothing,” says Chris. “Just maybe you should stop spending your savings on ice cream and books you’re not reading, and try getting back to work. It could be good for you,” he explains.
“Are you my roommate or my psychiatrist?” Ellen snaps back.
“Hey, chill. I’m just trying to be a friend. Do what you want,” says Chris dismissively.
“No...you’re right. I should get back into the world. I was going to call out of my shift later but I’ll try to go. I guess I’m as ready as ever,” reasons Ellen. There is a clear lack of enthusiasm in her tone.
“There you go!” says Chris. “And make yourself look real good. Yaknow how the saying goes, ‘look good, feel good’?”
“Something like that,” says Ellen. She can’t think of the last time she felt good or looked good. Since getting out of her relationship, she’s been depressed and a little bit on edge. After committing the past two years to someone who became mean and threatening, she now feels lost in her life, even if being without her ex is what’s best for her.
“He’s always at that coffee shop, you know. He’d be there waiting for me, just to taunt me. It’s a really small town,” says Ellen. “There’s not a lot of options as far as coffee shops go.”
“You’re going to be fine. This is your anxiety talking,” Chris replies. “I’ll go with you if you want.”
“No, no.”. Ellen takes a deep sigh. “I have to do this on my own. Although my hermit lifestyle has been exhilarating, I need to make a change. I think I’m getting bed sores from the couch.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” laughs Chris. “Well, if you need me, just hit up my cell. I’m going up to the mountains to do some fieldwork today.”
“Do you remember when you first decided you were going to come live here so you can be a geologist?”
“I had to beg you to come with me. I still can’t believe I convinced you to move to Blue Ridge. I mean, it hasn’t been terrible, right? We hike, the water is really fresh, the air smells good. Plus, we can always go back to Manhattan when my research is done.”
“I love how it’s ‘we’. You’ve been one of my best friends since college, but at what point did this become a domestic partnership?” Ellen asks playfully.
“Hey, I’m not holding you hostage. You wanted to be here,” answers Chris. “Remember when we used to go outside? You would do yoga at the top of the mountain and we would swim in the lake. We made it out to the wilderness like we always talked about doing.”
“I’m going through something pretty traumatic, Chris,” Ellen says defensively. Tears are welling up in her eyes. She doesn’t really know why she’s getting so upset. “It’s not like I just chose to become a recluse. I’m...I don’t feel like myself. I don’t like it any more than you do.”
“You know I understand,” Chris says, his tone more gentle than before. “I’m just messing. When you’re ready,
you know I’ll be down for a much-needed hike. But, I think the best thing you can do for now is try to get back into a routine. Like going to work!” says Chris.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Routine,” says Ellen.
“And hey, maybe you’ll even meet a guy once you’re feeling like yourself again.”
“Ha, ha, ha. Meet a guy? You’re hilarious.”
“What? You don’t think you’re capable of getting back out there? Playing the field a bit?”
“Okay, why do guys talk about dating like it’s sports? But no, you dingus, that’s not what this is about. I don’t want to meet a guy. I think i’m done with men for a while. Like... a really long while,” Ellen says. How could Chris expect her to bounce back into the dating world after her last relationship? The man she thought she loved turned out to be emotionally manipulative, and she felt threatened. Looking back, the signs were always there. But it took her a long time to heed the warnings and free herself from his shackles. It’s never as easy as just “leaving”, as so many people tried to hint at her when she reached out in distress. Now she’s certain she’ll have years of trust issues. How could she feel safe when she’s seen the ugliness of men so up close and personal?
Chapter 3
Douglas inhales the crisp air is he walks towards the coffee shop. There’s only one in the small mountain town- Peak Point Cafe. He enters the cozy cafe and situates himself in an isolated corner. He looks up at the counter, and he can’t help but notice the red-head beauty standing there. Her long hair reaches half way down her back, and pieces are falling in front of her face. Her hazel eyes dance in the sunlight that is shooting through the big glass doors of the building. But, he didn’t come here to be distracted by an anonymous beauty. He has work to do.
He opens up his laptop to begin working. He wonders if he should keep his police work on his resume. It would be a shame to have to explain why he was let go from the force. Refusing to take an overnight shift is unacceptable, as he learned, and would probably not fly at most security jobs. Was it possible for him to completely change his path? Could he go back to school and get a degree in social work or teaching? Douglas cracks his knuckles and sighs. He’s stressed by all the uncertainty. Maybe a cup of coffee would give him the jolt he needs, even if it’s just a temporary caffeine high. He would try anything to get himself out of this slump.
As if on cue, he notices that the beautiful redhead is waltzing towards him. She’s small in stature, and she moves lightly as if she were a dancer. She comes to his table in the corner.
“Hi, sir, how are you today?” she says. Her tone is professional. She’s here to take his order and nothing more. It’s best for Douglas not to get distracted by her looks, even if she takes his breath away. It’s not like dating is, or should be, his priority at this point, anyway. Then he glances at his resume and remembers that unemployment isn’t the most attractive quality in a man.
“Hi there. I’m Douglas,” he says. His face immediately turns red. Who introduces himself to their server? God, why is he so embarrassing? She quickly jumps in to make him feel less awkward.
“Hi Douglas. I’m Ellen. Nice to meet you. Can I take your order?” Ellen asks in a very friendly manner, not phased by what Douglas thought was a cafe faux pas. He relaxes a little, feeling comforted by Ellen’s calm, sweet energy.
“Can I get a coffee? Something strong. Add espresso shots, please,” he says.
“Got a lot of work to do?” Ellen inquires. Douglas can’t read her. Is she just making conversation because she’s a friendly barista, or is she genuinely curious about him? Either way, he indulges.
“I’m actually working on finding some work,” says Douglas. “I’m unemployed.”
“Hey, we’ve all been there. Do you have any barista skills? We could always use some extra help,” she says. She twirls a piece of her long red hair around her finger.
“If only. No, I’m...an ex-cop,” he says nervously. What explanation could he give to her that wouldn’t make him seem like a failure or a screw up?
“Oh, that’s interesting,” says Ellen.
“Do you really think so?” Douglas asks. She pauses for a second.
“Nah, not really,” Ellen says. There’s a brief silence. Then, she laughs. Douglas can’t help but laugh along, too. There was something contagious about her giggle.
“Sorry, sorry,” she says. “I don’t think it’s that funny. Sorry, I’m being weird. You probably need to get back to work. I’m going to get your coffee,” says Ellen. She seems flustered.
“Wait!” he calls out, before his brain can filter the words leaving his mouth. He considers for a second that pursuing Ellen might be adding too much onto his plate. Plus, dating has always been difficult, considering his secret...the same secret that caused him his job on the force. The same secret that already caused him a painful heartbreak. The same secret that dooms him to a life of loneliness. But, then, Ellen turns around and comes right back.
“Yes? Did you want to order something else?” she asks. Douglas just wanted to get her attention again. He hadn’t planned what he was going to say, but all he knows is that he feels calmer around her. He wants to hear that infectious laugh again.
“No, I just. I guess I...wanted to pick your brain,” he says. He can feel his palms getting clammy.. He worries he’s being a little much, monopolizing her time and possibly misreading her interest in him. Maybe she’s just doing her job, but maybe she could stand a few more minutes of light chit chat. Douglas has been so down in the dumps lately that he forgot how nice it is to get out of the house and meet new people.
“Pick away!” says Ellen enthusiastically.
“Well, what jobs do you think I should apply for?” Douglas immediately regrets the question. How could she know? What does she know about him besides that fact that he’s an ex-cop? He wishes he could rewind, start over, and ask a more reasonable question for a stranger to field.
“Well I don’t really know you, or your skills,” says Ellen. “But, there are some really cool places in town that could always use extra help, if you need something to hold you over until you figure it all out,” Ellen ponders. Douglas is delighted at her thoughtful response. She doesn’t have to spend her time at work helping him out, yet here she is.
“Oh? Like what?”
“Well, a guy named Bruce owns Peak Point Cafe. He also owns the bait and tackle shop around the corner, the hiking supply store up the block, and the bakery right next door.”
Douglas considers working in retail. There wouldn’t be requests for overnight shifts in this small town. Maybe that’s just what he needs to get him back on his feet before figuring out his next career moves. Douglas feels adrenaline start to kick in, and he hasn’t even had any caffeine yet. It’s the high of feeling like progress is possible, that maybe it isn’t all hopeless.
“Here,” says Ellen, passing Douglas a pen and a napkin. “Why don’t you write down your contact info and I’ll pass it along to Bruce?”
“That’d be great,” Douglas says. He feels like he could jump up and kiss her. He has a moment before she returns to behind the counter to help other customers. He jumps into action.
“Do you think I could get your contact information? You know. For networking and such,” says Douglas. Smooth, he thinks. Why would she buy that line?
“Sure,” Ellen says, flashing him a smile that shows off her perfectly bright white teeth. Douglas’s heart is racing with excitement.
If she kept coming around, he wouldn’t need any caffeine at all.
Chapter 4
Ellen walks into Point Peak Cafe. She’s nervous to see her co-workers because she’s been calling out of work so frequently. She’s surprised she hasn’t lost her job yet, but management has been unexpectedly kind and understanding about her circumstances, the details of which she only revealed to her manager, Marnie.
“Oh, honey,” Marnie had said in response. “You take all the time you need. Your job isn’t going anywhere. Takin
g care of yourself is what’s most important,” she told her. Ellen remembers how touched she was that Marnie responded with such love and warmth.
Now, Ellen grabs her black apron and ties it around her waist. She feels more confident than she had anticipated. Maybe Chris wasn’t completely off the mark when he told her that going to work and trying to get some normalcy back into her life would be good for her. She hated when he was right.
The morning goes by without too much activity. It’s just Ellen and her co-worker, Brett, manning the cafe. Some regular customers come in and out.
“Ellen!” one of her old regulars, Beth, greets her. She’s an older woman who often brings her knitting materials to the cafe to sip tea and work on scarves, hats, and blankets. Ellen cherishes the waves of familiarity washing over her at the sight of Beth: an old friend.
“Beth!” Ellen greets her. “So great to see you. Working on anything good?”
“Oh, sweetie. You too. Just a hat. I’d offer it to you, but I can’t let anything cover up that long beautiful red hair of yours.”
“Oh, thanks,” Ellen smiles. “Can I get you anything?”
“No, I’m working on a cup of tea here. It’s just good to see you, dear,” says Beth. Ellen waves and heads back behind the counter. Then, someone she doesn’t recognize enters the cafe. He catches her eye immediately, despite the fact that she had argued with Chris about getting involved with men just a few hours ago. This man looks like he could be a model. There’s not an unlimited selection of men in Blue Ridge, so when someone so unusually attractive steps onto the scene, they’re sure to make heads turn.
He’s tall, with blue eyes that are hard to ignore. He has a perfect head of curly brown hair. Ellen’s always been a sucker for a brunette. The scruff on his face could be intentional, or maybe it's just a happy accident that this mystery man forgot to shave today. His effortless looks made him all the more appealing. Ellen realizes she’s been staring, and immediately gets back to wiping down a non-existent spill on the counter. He goes to the corner of the cafe and opens a laptop. She wonders if he’s a writer, or maybe a journalist. Snapping back into reality, Ellen reminds herself that establishing a crush on her first day back at work would not necessarily be productive. She is too quick to fall for a man with charming eyes or an enticing smile. She can’t keep making the same mistakes. Yet, as if her brain is taking a backseat to her body, her legs begin to move from behind the counter and walk towards him.
