Page 3 of A Tall Order (Shade Grown Coffee Boys #1)

I wake up in my adult headspace. The night before comes back to me in snippets, like one of those old timey films that go slide-by-slide.

Breaking down.

Driving home.

Putting on my giraffe onesie that I haven't worn in years.

Then the TV show and asking Remington to feed me. I shouldn’t have done that. That’s not casual Daddy stuff. That’s relationship stuff, isn’t it? He didn't hesitate to agree and the food really was delicious.

I don’t remember falling asleep, but I definitely remember settling down on the couch. Not in my bed. Did Remington carry me? I blush at that thought. I also hope I didn’t say anything in my sleep. Paul always said that I mumble in my sleep.

There’s a note on the dining room table and I stop to read it. I’m still in the onesie, but I’ve unzipped it and tied the arms around my waist. The note is simple. It’s written on a torn off sheet from the notepad that I keep on the counter beside the fridge. Each page has a simple flower design in the corners and small stars randomly placed around the page. It’s no larger than sticky notes, but it looked pretty in the store. The notepad originally had a magnet on the back to stick on the fridge, but it since peeled off and I just leave it on the counter.

Remington’s handwriting is legible enough. He slants his letters to the right, telling me he’s a leftie. Which, if I think back hard enough, I’m sure I already knew that fact.

Thank you for tonight, Austin. I'm more than happy to do this again. Call me any time. Sweet dreams.

The words leave me smiling alone in the house. Last night was definitely something I needed. I didn’t sink too far into Little space, but like Remington wrote, maybe we could keep doing this. At least every now and then. I went three years without much of anything, so a scene here and there would be better than nothing. I’m not entirely sure how similar in style Remington is from my Daddy as far as the Daddy-ing goes, but it’s worth a conversation at least. If he’s willing. I remember times he would join in my play, but hanging out and taking on the role of Daddy are two different things.

Looking away from the note and thinking about my Daddy, my fingertips trail the length of the tattoo on my body. It’s a solid black line, a quarter of an inch thick. It trails from the right side of my collarbone, down, and cuts across to my left hip. My smile widens as I remember everything that the tattoo represents. My Daddy was the best.

I move to the kitchen next and unlock my phone to text Remington. The coffee pot I have has a timer and he must have set it last night because there is a fresh pot waiting for me .

Austin

Thank you, Remi. And yes, maybe we can talk about it over dinner this weekend? If you’re not busy.

I don’t wait for a reply. If he’s sane, he’s still asleep. I pour my coffee in the thermos I use every single day— which Remington seems to have also cleaned from where I brought it in last night— and add a little sugar and way too much cream. I’m not a big coffee drinker, despite where I work, but the morning caffeine is necessary. Although I did sleep soundly for the first time in a while last night.

I might make myself a hot cocoa if the weather is chilly when I leave today.

It’s hitting seven when I finally walk out the door. We have to wear slip resistant shoes and black pants to work, but the shirt can be whatever we want. And today I’ve gone with a soft, blue t-shirt. The air is a bit windy so I have on my favorite black hoodie and green beanie. Does it all match? Not really. Do I care at seven AM? Also, not really.

By the time I get to the coffee shop a couple of miles into the heart of the city, the other guys are already there. The shop opens at eight and all I have to do for morning chores is open the registers.

“Smells heavenly in here,” I comment as I’m signing in the till at the coffee station. It’s Thursday, which means that there will be a group of at least twelve doctor-like people from the hospital two streets away coming in for their espressos and this-and-that's before a weekly meeting. I don’t know if they are doctor’s or not, but they seem… doctorly. If that makes sense to anyone but myself. Jason has all of their orders memorized by now.

“I’m trying out a new recipe I saw last night. It’s essentially a hot chocolate packet, the powder mix kind, but instead of milk, you mix it with a shot of espresso first. Then you add whatever else you want.”

“I don’t know if that sounds good or not,” I say. I finish double counting the money from last night. I wasn’t exactly in the best of mindsets after my breakdown last —

Oh shit.

I forgot the koala. What if the kid comes back? I don’t want him to think it was taken. I’d tell him the truth and promise to bring it back. But the mom would probably think that’s weird, wouldn’t she? That I took her kid’s stuffie home?

I pull my phone out without thinking, shooting off another text to Remington. We’ve sent a couple of texts back and forth this morning so far, just general stuff about plans for the day and agreeing that he would make dinner at my place Friday. I already told him where the spare key is since I’ll be home later than he gets off work.

Austin

I forgot the kid’s koala at home. What if he comes back for it today?

“Who are you texting this early in the morning?” Jason asks half-sarcastically. He has one of our mugs in both his hands and sips on the drink. “Oh, that’s actually good. We might have to add this to the Fall and Winter menus. Some cinnamon or something in it would be amazing.”

“Play around with it and I’ll bring it up to the owner in the next meeting,” I say with a smile. “As far as the text, it’s just a friend. And he has a meeting this morning so he was up early.”

I don’t know why I explain that much detail to Jason. Probably because I don’t usually have any life updates. I’ve really been going through day-by-day without much change in my schedule. Wake up, work, go home, watch some TV, read a book, shower, bed. My weekends, since the coffee chop is closed, are mostly cleaning the house, working in the yard, or visiting with my family. I used to go around to Paul's family but it became clear that I was fading into the background of their lives. After the last birthday party, where I sat at a table for the majority of the time listening to the others go on and on about different things, I realized that their lives had gone forward. I was still rehashing the same stories of Paul and myself. I stopped going to their get-togethers and they stopped inviting. It was mutual, I tell myself.

I decide to not make the moment awkward and continue talking, turning the conversation to the coffee shop. “I’m going to double check they have everything on the other side and then get some paperwork filed. If you need me for anything, just ring the bell okay?”

“Got it boss,” Jason says. He’s sipping on the Espresso Cocoa— that definitely has a ring to it for a menu item— as I turn to walk away. My phone buzzes in my pocket but I don’t pull it out until I’m alone in the office again .

Remington

I’ll run over and grab it and bring it to you. My meeting is a couple of blocks away from Shade Grown anyway. Is around nine-thirty okay?

I was not expecting him to go to my house and get that when I sent the text. I can’t stop the small smile that tilts my lips upward at the thought that he so easily offered. It doesn’t surprise me. He was best friends with my Daddy. They would both do anything for anyone.

Austin

You don’t have to do that, Remi. I’m sure it’ll be fine. I can just tell him he got dirty and is getting cleaned or something. Or I can get their address and mail it to them.

Remington

I know I don’t have to. But I want to. I realize now that I should have been there for you more over the last couple of years. I’m sorry for failing on that part. But it’s no trouble. I’ll get it and stop by. You can repay me by making the strongest drink you can legally give me because this meeting is going to be a doozie today.

I don’t know how to respond to that. Last night was much needed and I definitely want to do it again. The last three years have been hard, dealing with my grief over losing my partner and Daddy. Remington was there for me. In the beginning he would stop by the house. He stayed over a couple of nights. He’d bring take out and we’d either watch a movie or just sit in silence. As the months and years went on, I had to move and got busy with the new job and he was taking on new properties. We both started to make excuses. I knew, in the back of my mind, that he would randomly show up just to check in. I took that for granted. I never once reached out to him. He always came to me.

Austin

I should be the one apologizing. I didn’t make an effort to keep in touch. I’m sorry.

I don’t want a repeat of yesterday so I set my phone to the side, screen down, and focus on knocking out some of the reports before the end of the month. The last week of every month is the most stressful. I planned on staying late tomorrow before another lonely weekend, but now that I have something to do, I want to get it done today.

It’s close to an hour later that I hear the bell Jason has tingtingting and I stand up, stretching my back. I grab my phone, glancing at the text Remington sent half an hour ago.

Remington

You have nothing to be sorry for. We’ll talk more this weekend. I’ll see you shortly.

None other than Remington himself is standing by the coffee counter, koala proudly in hand. He’s wearing a pair of khakis with brown shoes and a matching belt. His go-to button down shirt is a faded green color today. His beard is the same as last night, clean and well maintained. It's several inches, the tip hitting his chest. He looks good. In a totally presentable way for a business meeting, I mean.

I offer him a genuine smile and hold out my hand for the stuffie. “Thank you for doing that. You really didn’t have to.”

“I told you I don't mind,” Remington says. He lowers his voice, even though we aren’t within ear shot of anyone. Jason is currently busy with a customer so I know he isn’t listening even if he could. “Although, I did have to go into your room to get it.” His eyebrows raise knowingly and it takes me a second to understand what he means by that.

“Oh, yeah. I was planning on cleaning Friday. But I’ll get it done today.” I never did put away the several different pajamas I tried on before settling with the giraffe one.

“Don’t worry about it tonight,” Remington says. His expression changes, softens. I can see the worry between his eyes and the way his lips are in a thin line. “I’ll be over tomorrow and we’ll do it then, okay? We’ll give the place a good dusting too.”

My face falls at the mention of dusting. If he wants to dust, that means I’ll have to move Paul's books. They haven’t moved since I moved into the house two years ago. Yeah, I would wipe the edges of the bookshelves off and stuff, but it was just me living there. It wasn’t that bad, was it?

“Hey, it’s okay.” Remington places a hand on my shoulder and squeezes gently. “He was my best friend and I still have memories of us around my place. We’ll make sure to take extra care of everything and put it back how it was, okay?”

I nod, not trusting my voice. He gives me a warm smile and his expression morphs once again into something happier. I know that he’s worried about me. I don’t like when people worry about me. I’m doing okay.

“Now, I think I was promised a hot drink.”

“Just tell Jason to put it on my employee tab and order whatever you want,” I say with a smile. “I have to finish up some paperwork, but thank you for this. I’ll see you later.”

“Text me later,” Remington says before stepping away to get behind a lady waiting for her coffee. I nod and turn back to head toward the office. Tyler is working on replenishing the croissants.

“Hey, Ty. If a mom and her kid come in looking for this little koala, let me know. It was left here yesterday but I’ll have it in the office.”

“Will do,” he says. “Oh, I needed to talk to you about some time off coming up as well. I have a few appointments coming up that I couldn’t schedule outside of work hours.”

“No problem,” I say. “I’ll show you how to put those into the system tomorrow, if that’s okay? I’m trying to finish the paperwork today.”

“Sounds good. They aren’t for another month so plenty of time.”

I make sure that Amir is doing good. He’s finishing up the back stock inventory for me today. Thursdays aren’t terribly busy, outside of the group that comes in in the morning. Tomorrow will be busy, though. Fridays always are. So I really want to focus on this work today.

The next four hours go by in a flash. I have music playing softly from my phone to keep me company. The numbers on the reports start floating together at one point and I stand to walk around and make sure everything is going well. I clean off the tables and restock a few items before heading back in to finish. I have maybe another hour left.

Just as I’m about to sit down, the bell chimes. I love the bell, but also don’t. I turn around and walk right back out to the main floor. Jason raises his hand and points out toward the tables.

“The kid is here,” Jason says just loud enough.

I smile, beyond grateful for Remington now. I snatch the koala off my desk and walk through the coffee shop to the tables. The little boy has three fingers in his mouth and is clearly crying, his other hand secured in his mother’s. She’s bent over, looking under a table.

“Excuse me,” I say, trying my best not to startle either of them. I have the koala in plain sight and the moment the little boy sees it he starts crying harder and reaches for it. Slobbery fingers brush against mine as I squat down to his level. He can’t be more than four. “I found him here last night. I cleaned him all up and made sure to keep him safe. I figured you were missing him.”

“What do you say, Seth?” The mom nudges his back lightly. Those fingers go back to his mouth and the koala is being squished against his chest.

“Thank you.” The words are mumbled and slurred around his fingers, but it is easy enough to hear the words.

“It’s no problem,” I say with a smile I hope is happy for him. The boy will never know how much that koala did for me in a short amount of time. The least I can do is repay him and his mom for the time I did get. “How about we go over here and get some hot chocolate? If it’s okay with Mommy?” I glance up and she’s smiling and nodding.

Seth takes his fingers out of his mouth. He still has big tears in his eyes but they aren’t falling anymore. “With mallows?”

“Of course with mallows,” I say happily. “That’s the only way to drink it.”

“You are a life saver,” the mom says as we walk toward the coffee bar. “Seriously, he barely slept a wink. That koala is his absolute favorite toy.”

“I get it,” I say. And I do. The three I have flash through my mind. I get the sentimental attachment to them. “It’s no problem. I was actually hoping you’d come back and claim him. He was going to become our mascot if not. I was going to let him sit in that window and have him wave to all the people walking by.” I get Seth’s attention and point to one of the three windows we have in the table area. The windows each have a little shelf at the bottom. Two of them have plants but the third is empty. “Do you want to go wait over there and I’ll bring your drink? Mom, what would you like?”

“Oh, no. It’s okay.”

“I insist, really.”

Jason is on break at the moment, since the afternoon rush for coffee isn’t as demanding. Amir knows how to make drinks, but Tyler hasn’t been trained yet. I set about making everything, losing myself to the movements. I’ve been here for two years as the manager and in that time, making drinks has become second nature.

I think about going to the store and buying my own koala stuffie since this one has officially been reclaimed. Pam-da, Berry, and Elle— a panda, bear, and elephant stuffie accordingly— could use a new friend. Especially if I’ll be getting more Little time. That thought alone has me smiling to myself as I slip on a glove and drop a few marshmallows into Seth’s drink .

“Order up,” I say after rounding the counter and bringing the drinks back out to them. “It’s still a little hot so be careful, okay?” I look to his mom. “I just used the hot water from the tap so it shouldn’t be too bad, but just in case.”

“Thank you so much,” she says in response. “Seriously, you have saved us from another sleepless night. Are you the manager here?”

“I am.” I take pride in that fact as well.

“Well, you have a great place here. Definitely a five star review.” I laugh at her joke and excuse myself to get back to my office. And my phone.

Austin

Koala was picked up today. Poor little guy cried when I brought him out so I made him hot chocolate. Thank you for bringing that this morning. Hope your meeting went well.