Sugar Baby Beautiful

We had a total of six customers. If six people was Manny’s definition of busy, I didn’t want to know what a slow day was like. Behind the counter, I put the fresh pies on display, trying to think of any other way to get off for the week. I didn’t like using Theo’s name like that. I couldn’t make any promises. Besides, seeing as how I had seen Manny’s demo tapes, under duress I must add, I was not heartless enough to put that in anyone’s face, let alone Theo’s.

“Goddamn thing!”

He was fighting with the espresso machine. He smacked the top of it and pulled the handle a few times. Rosemary went to help him, but I shook my head at her. She tilted her head at me in confusion. I held my finger up, waiting for it.

Three.

Two.

One.

He gave it one more smack before calling me. “Felicity! Fix this thing!”

“Actually, Manny, I was thinking of quitting.” I stacked the cups behind the counter.

“Felicity, no!?

?? Rosemary gasped in mock horror, grasping on to the end of the counter as if she were going to jump toward me. “Please don’t! You’re the only one who knows how to fix that thing, or how to get the distributor to give us the good coffee beans, not to mention you’re the one that sets all the timers for the morning. My job will be hell.”

Manny looked between us, annoyed, and I tried not to smile. “Don’t you have to quit with notice?”

I shrugged. “I could do a horrible job, and you could fire me.”

“Fine. A week, and not a day more—Ah!” He screamed, jumping back when hot steam sprayed out of the espresso machine. “That’s it! I’m getting a new one.”

“When will he learn it isn’t the machine, it’s him?” Rosemary whispered to me, grabbing two menus.

“Ha. God only knows. Thanks for the help. If you need anything—”

“Actually….” She leaned in.

I should have seen it coming. “I can’t help you with anything related to Darcy Entertainment,” I quickly added.

She shook her head. “I wouldn’t ask that. I wanted to ask if you happened to have Petty Officer Jackson’s number?”

For some reason, I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?” I asked, bending down to check under the register where I had stuck the movie receipt he had put his number on the back of.

“I shouldn’t call him, right?” She seemed to be speaking more to herself than to me.

“Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart,” I replied. “It’s my new life motto.”

“Who said that?”

“Erma Bombeck,” Manny answered before I could.

Finding the receipt, I put it on the counter in front of Rosemary.

“That’s right. How’d you know?”

He casually shrugged. “What I lack in height, I make up for in brains.”

She gave me a look, and I tried not to laugh. Manny had his moments. Rosemary waited until he was out of earshot before she whispered, “I saw your bag. Are you meeting him after your shift? What are you wearing?”

I didn’t answer. I just smiled to myself and took the menus and my notepad as two guests walked in.