by Bria Marche
“Finally, some good coffee again.” She sat at the breakfast bar and contemplated who to call at seven in the morning. Mia might still be sleeping, and Sasha, too. Vic and Tina are likely getting ready for work. I’ll call Vic. Karen pushed the lever down on the toaster—luckily, she’d found half a loaf of cinnamon-swirl bread in the refrigerator that was still perfectly edible. She slathered butter on the toast, took a bite, and called Vic.
“Thank God!” Vic said as she answered the phone on the first ring. “We were worried sick about you. Are you home?”
“Yeah, and it took forever. What a long night.”
“Well, what the hell are you going to do about Mario and Sarah? I swear, I’m going to kill my brother as soon as I call him.”
“Vic, you know that’s actually impossible, don’t you?” She felt deep sadness and exhaustion.
“I know hon, I’m just saying…”
“Can we get together at lunchtime? I’d like everyone to tell me what I’m supposed to do. I’ve never been in this situation before, and I’m at a loss. Mario left a message, but I haven’t returned his call. I need to talk to all of you first.”
“Good plan. I think you should go over to Sasha’s house until lunchtime. Maybe you can help her with some of the wedding decorations. It sounds like she started on them already. That might get your mind off my two-timing brother. I’m going to call him and rip him a new one.”
“No, don’t, Vic. After lunch, I’ll know better what to say to him myself. I appreciate the offer, but I’m an adult, and I don’t want him thinking I blab everything to you guys.”
“Seriously, Karen, I lived with him half my life. Mario knows girls blab. Growing up, I was always running my mouth—it’s how we’re wired.”
“Well, anyway, I need a hot shower, then I’ll think about stopping at Sasha’s. Where should we meet later?”
“Just come to the salon, and bring preggers with you. We’ll decide when you get here. Call Mia, too.”
Karen took a fresh cup of coffee with her to the bathroom and started the shower. Who am I kidding? She looked at herself in the mirror. Mario isn’t my type at all. He’s young minded and cool, just like Debbie Dreadlocks, the bitch.
She lingered in the hot shower, wallowing in self-induced misery. Her phone on the bathroom counter rang twice, but she ignored it.
The doorbell chimed while Karen was combing out her wet hair. Who the hell can that be? Damn it. I’m barely dressed. A peek out the kitchen window showed Sasha’s bright-red Tundra outside.
Relieved, Karen opened the door to find Sasha and Mia standing on the porch. Sasha held a bag of donuts, Mia a bouquet of mixed flowers. They both embraced her as they entered.
“Are you guys here to make me cry or what? I thought I was getting a grip until now, seeing both of you. C’mon in. I just made a fresh pot of coffee.”
“I brought instant decaf for myself,” Sasha announced. “I don’t expect people to keep decaf for me, so I carry along a small jar everywhere I go. Smart thinking, huh?” Sasha was trying to brighten Karen’s mood.
“Very smart, Martha. I ate cinnamon toast already, but what the hell, donuts sound great. I can’t go over everything with you guys—about Mario, I mean. Vic will kill me if I do.” She filled them in on the plan for a lunchtime powwow.
“Okay, I have an idea,” Sasha said. “Let’s pig out on donuts and coffee, then we’ll go to Hobby House. We need silk flowers to make table arrangements anyway. After that, we can head over to the salon and decide where to have lunch.”
***
He woke earlier than usual. Sleep deprived and lonely, Mario got up and started the coffee. No missed calls or messages from Karen on his cell phone. He sat at the table with his strong brew and called the Summit. With the time difference, the Hunter store was already open. He explained to Ray Dunn, the manager, that he might be gone for several more weeks. He left instructions to finish swapping out the seasonal merchandise and discount all winter gear by twenty percent. He’d call back twice a week and update the staff with any additional news.
Mario left another message for Karen, finished his coffee, and drove to the nearby Enterprise Rental agency to drop off the Explorer. There wasn’t a need for it anymore. He could take the shuttle to Gravity in the morning and back to the condo at night. The weeklong stay at the Cimarron Lodge would be over in a few days. After that, he could rent a small hotel room at the Telluride Inn on Colorado Avenue, only a block from the store. It was within walking distance and inexpensive. The plans for day hikes and touring with Karen were gone. The drive back through Kansas to visit her Amish relatives wouldn’t happen after all. Now, his focus would be on firing the managers, hiring new ones, and getting the store back in the black. The sooner Gravity sold, the sooner he could return to New York and be in Karen’s arms.
Mario unlocked the front door of Gravity after being dropped off by an Enterprise employee. He reset the alarm and headed to the office. He had an hour of alone time before the store officially opened for business. Mario checked the schedule to see which manager was working that day. He ran his finger down the calendar and saw Rick was on board for the next three days. He would be the first to be fired. A pot of coffee brewed as Mario went over the receipts for the last four days. The income seemed the same as always, yet the amount of product on the shelves was different. Now that Mario was in town, the five-finger discount the managers were giving themselves had come to a screeching halt. With that confirmation, Mario knew firing both Rick and Joe was the right thing to do. There wouldn’t be two weeks’ notice. Mario would remind both of them they could easily have been arrested with charges filed for theft. That in itself should be enough to convince them to just go away. Knowing Rick would call Joe immediately and tell him he was fired, Mario decided to beat him to it. No sense in prolonging this. He gathered discharge paperwork for the two of them to sign then called Joe and told him to come to Gravity at nine o’clock. Better to get rid of them both and start fresh. I’ll get the word out around town that I’m looking for new managers. I can post a few ads on the message boards in the stores and cafés as well as online.
Mario typed out the requirements he wanted for a manager. The job would be temporary unless the new owners wanted to keep that person on after the store was sold. With the ad complete, Mario printed out twenty-five copies to post around town.
He heard the key turning in the front door. Rick had arrived. It was 8:47 a.m. Mario rose from the desk and went out to the sales floor. “Rick, I’d like you to join me in the office. I just made a pot of coffee.”
“Yeah, sure, Mario, what’s up?”
“Let’s just sit for a few minutes. I’m expecting Joe, too.”
By the look on Rick’s face, he had to know what was coming next. He shifted in his chair with nervous energy. Mario poured two cups of coffee. “Cream and sugar?”
“What?”
“Do you take cream and sugar in your coffee?”
“Oh… just cream, thanks.”
The front door opened once more. Mario got up and met Joe at the entryway. “Go ahead and lock the door behind you. I’m not opening the store for business quite yet. C’mon back to the office.”
Joe followed Mario to the office at the rear of the store. He and Rick gave each other a surprised look as he took a seat in the remaining vacant chair. Mario offered him coffee as well.
“Now that we’re comfortable, I’d like to go over last week’s receipts with both of you, compared to the week before. I’ve noticed that sales remain strong, as always, but it seems there’s the correct amount of product left at the end of the day unlike before I arrived in town. Do either of you know why? Is there a logical explanation for that?”
They both stammered. Neither had an answer.
“Well, here’s what I do know. The theft ended coincidentally when I got to town. I don’t believe it’s because of the tags and antitheft devices that were put in place, even though in hindsight they’re a good d
eterrent. With that said, you can plead your case, or sign these discharge papers and be on your way without legal action taken against both of you. What’s it going to be?”
Joe reached for the pen and signed the papers. Rick followed suit.
“Telluride is a small town, guys. I’d suggest moving on. Word travels fast around here. If you don’t have anything to say, I’d suggest leaving now. I’ll take the keys from both of you, and I’ll be reprogramming the alarm system. Have a nice life.”
They reached in their pockets without a word, removed the keys to Gravity from their key rings, and placed them on the desk. Mario got up, followed them to the door, and locked it after they left. With a deep sigh, he returned to the office, poured another cup of coffee, and put the discharge papers in their files. He called Abby and asked her to work that day alongside Steve at the register. He needed all employees on board until he replaced at least one manager.
With the staff working and the alarm code changed, Mario stopped in a few of the stores along Colorado Avenue and hung the manager-wanted ad.
Chapter Eighteen
Karen, Sasha, and Mia entered Hair Brained at eleven forty-five. Vic and Tina had just finished trimming and highlighting their clients’ hair and directed them to set up their next appointments with Jennifer.
“It’s good to see you, hon,” Vic said to Karen with a tighter-than-normal hug. “Let’s go somewhere quiet for lunch so we can actually talk.”
“Why don’t we go to Amelia’s? It’s much quieter in there than at Bottoms Up or Morey’s,” Karen suggested.
“Lead the way, sister. It’s nice outside. Let’s walk.”
The four-block walk, door to door, took less than ten minutes. They found a secluded booth at the far back of the restaurant. Once they were all seated and had ordered a bottle of Merlot and a glass of grape juice, Karen began.
“Okay, I want everyone’s honest opinion on what to do. I’ll tell you in a nutshell what has happened over the course of the last week. Vic, if you don’t want to hear the intimate stuff, you’re going to have to plug your ears. I won’t go into detail, but I’m not going to leave anything out, either. So, to begin, everything went fine until I caused a wreck with the Explorer.”
“What the hell? Nobody told me about that,” Sasha complained.
“I didn’t tell any of you, Sasha. Don’t start feeling special. Anyway, after the accident, Mario surprised me with a kiss, then everything progressed from there. We did it several times over the course of the next few days and life was wonderful, especially when we got to Telluride. I didn’t suspect anything, and Mario never led on that he had a girlfriend in town. The stupid bitch, I hate her. She’s so…”
“So what?” Mia asked after slinging back a mouthful of Merlot.
Tina pointed to Mia’s napkin. “You have a wine mustache, dork. You look like the Joker.”
“Sorry.”
Karen continued. “So young, cute, and hip. I can’t get my youth back or grow dreadlocks. I might as well throw myself over a cliff.”
“Now you sound like a seventy-year-old drama queen,” Tina said. “There are no cliffs nearby, and you’re thirty-seven, for crap’s sake. That isn’t old.”
“Jeez, Tina, don’t be so bitchy. We’re supposed to be helping. Has anyone ever heard Mario talk about a girl named Sarah?” Mia asked.
“Nope… never, and I’m his friggin’ sister.” Vic huffed.
Mia poured another round of wine, and they ordered lunch. “So, you heard this Sarah say she and Mario were together for a few years, right?”
“That’s right, and she said she was going to get him back.”
“Okay,” Sasha said, “that obviously means they broke up. Maybe that’s why Mario came home in the first place. He cut ties with her and was moving on. This might not be Mario’s fault at all. You just left Colorado and didn’t say why?”
“I left him a note saying there was an emergency at home. I didn’t know what else to do at the time. I needed advice from you guys.”
“Ugh… not the dreaded note,” Mia said. “That’s the chicken’s way out. Okay, I’ll speak for myself, and Vic too. When it comes to misjudging people, we’ve both done it. You never know what the truth is unless you just ask. We’re pros at screwing up, and we’ve wasted a lot of time being mad for no reason.”
“No shit,” Vic said. “I’ve learned my lesson. Do you want me to call Mario on your behalf?”
“Hell no, we aren’t in fifth grade, Vic. I’ll call him, but what will I say the emergency was? He’ll know I was lying, damn it. Pour me some more wine, Mia.”
“Blame it on Sasha,” Tina said.
“What the hell for?” Sasha squeaked. “Why do I always get thrown under the friggin’ bus?”
“Because that’s your personality—you know, the ditzy one. Everyone expects it of you and forgives you because you’re Sasha. It helps to be preggers, too. It’s a good thing, hon.”
“Hmmph… I never thought of it that way. I guess I can take one for the team.”
“That’s our girl,” Vic said. “Anyway, you can say Sasha had a false alarm—you know, heavy cramping or something disgusting like that—but she’s fine now. Guys aren’t going to discuss that with each other. It’s too gross for them. I guarantee Mario won’t ask about it.”
“So, is Mario coming back in a few days like you guys originally planned?”
“I don’t have the slightest idea what’s going on with him. After Daphne Dreadlocks gave Mario that lip-lock, they took off, and I haven’t talked to him since.”
“Yeah, that part has me confused. Why would my brother be such a dick and leave with her? Wouldn’t he think you’d wonder where he went?”
“So, should I call him, or let him call me? And, what the hell do I do now? Slutty Sarah probably has her hands all over him since I’m not there to punch her in the face.”
“I like the names you’re coming up with, Karen. Very inventive, I’ll admit.” Mia chuckled.
“Wait until later tonight, after dinner time. See if he’s out on the town or moping around and missing you at the condo. If you don’t hear any background noise, that’s a good sign.”
“Thanks, Vic. That’s kind of underhanded but a great idea. Guys aren’t smart enough to know there’s always a reason behind our actions.”
“See why I stay single? Guys aren’t to be trusted.” Tina smirked.
“Right… you’ll be next. As soon as you find some hot, eligible piece of manflesh, you’ll be on him like a fly on shit.” Mia laughed. “Just saying…”
***
Business as usual, Mario thought as he scanned the store. There were nine customers browsing the merchandise, and friendly employees doing their jobs, being helpful and courteous.
It reminded him of old times, good times, a year or more ago. That was before he found out about Sarah and Brad. Things changed dramatically after that. He changed, becoming less trusting and more withdrawn. Just recently, Mario had reached a turning point, wanting to trust again, to give love another shot with Karen. But suddenly she’d pulled up stakes and gone home. The confusion gave him a headache. He didn’t understand why she still hadn’t returned any of his calls. Mario slipped back to the office and opened the cabinet above the coffee maker. He pulled out the bottle of aspirin and shook three tablets into the palm of his hand. He poured a glass of water and slung back the white tablets with a large gulp. His eyes caught a movement to his left. The office door opened, and Sarah stood there, peeking in.
“This isn’t a public office, Sarah. The restroom is down the hall to the right, and you obviously walked through the retail area already.”
“Grumpy, aren’t we? Do you have a headache, Mario? I can massage your forehead and shoulders. Why don’t you sit down and let me take care of you.”
“What are you doing here? You obviously aren’t here to shop.” Mario pulled out his office chair and dropped down on it, exhaling loudly.
“I saw the ad
you put up on the message board at Soup and Sandwiches.”
“That new place across the street?”
“Yeah, I work there part-time, but I’d rather work here with you, Mario. I earn minimum wage there, and it’s only three days a week. Slopes is fun, but that’s just four nights a week. Sure, the tips are great, but…”
“But what?”
“I used to work here, I know the ropes, and you can trust me.”
“I can trust you? That’s funny.”
“You know what I mean. Word around town is you’re back because somebody was stealing from the store. Now you have security tags on everything. I know what’s going on, Mario. You need a manager, and I’ll do a good job, really. I almost ran this place by myself when you and Brad were giving ski lessons. I seriously don’t see a downside to this. You won’t have to train a new person, plus you know I’m trustworthy at work. You don’t even know how long it would take to find somebody to hire. Here I am, right here and now, offering myself to you.”
Mario gave her a long, dubious stare. His heart told him not to fall for her pleading. His business sense said it was a no-brainer to hire her back. She was actually the best employee Mario had ever had. Her work ethics and people skills were perfect for Gravity. She had the right look, and customers enjoyed her, especially the locals. They already knew Sarah. Hiring a stranger from out of town wouldn't be as well received as having an employee everybody already knew and liked. Mario had fired Brad and Sarah only because he’d been angry and hurt—Brad had betrayed his trust as a best friend, and Sarah had betrayed his love.
“Mario? You won’t be sorry if you hire me back. Let me prove myself to you. Look at it as lightening your workload. It will make your job a lot easier. Please say yes.”
Mario’s mind was going in a million directions. There were pros and cons to having Sarah this close. Logically, if she worked in the store again, they could get it back on track in a hurry. She knew how to draw people in with her hip look and friendly, outgoing personality. Billy knew and trusted Sarah’s work skills and reliability and would probably keep her on as a manager if he and Brian bought the store.
