“Not now, Paige shouts!” She really wanted to say more choice words! It was freezing out, typical November weather for Piedmont. She gets out to look; just as she suspected, the tire was flat. Great, it was dark and icy. A perfect murder slasher film in the making, she thought. She pulls out her phone to call AAA. Thank God she didn’t forget to pay that bill. She had a habit of doing that!
“Twenty minutes, she scoffs!” She really was just glad anyone was coming. Luckily, she had enough gas to run the car while she waited. She flicked through the radio stations. Paige didn’t care about the fancier apps for music. Trash, trash, “Total Eclipse of the Heart!” She was a sucker for the oldies. Old soul and all. She wasn’t old enough for her taste in music.
She sees the tow truck pull up. A sigh of relief, she worked all day; she was exhausted. “Well, Miss Pritt, I have some bad news, the tow truck driver says. I cannot get that tire for quite a few hours. I had to get it sent over from Frost, Kyle exclaims. She is pissed, but it is better than being stuck out there.
“I can take you over to Pete’s, Kyle murmured. Get yourself a cup of coffee. Get warm, he suggests. Maybe they have WIFI, or a newspaper, she thinks to herself. “Sure, she says.” Hoping he’s not a serial killer, she thinks to herself!
Pete’s was no Starbucks. It was old, rustic, no vintage. I am not sure what the hipsters call things anymore. Plain floor tiles, booths that worked but could use an update. This whole place could, but it had Wi-Fi. The coffee was not the worst she had ever had.
She surfs Facebook, then Instagram. Nothing of real interest was going on in the world. Paige looks up. “More coffee, Miss?” Do you have any other flavors of creamer she asks. ” Yes. ” Shhh, don’t tell the other customers. What are you looking for, Graham stammers. A crème brûlée? I think we have cinnamon roll, he said. That will have to do, she replies.”
A little old to be a waiter, she thinks, but who is she to judge? Life is not always kind. Things happen out of our control.
“So, what brings you here tonight, Graham exclaims. A flat, Paige vented. Ahh, the dreaded flat, he teased.”
“It is pretty dead in here. Want to chat, he murmured.” She agrees. Not that she wanted to. She wanted to be polite, use her manners.
“How did you become a waiter?” she snarks. Then realized how rude that sounded. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…. No, I get that a lot, he sighs. I am not a waiter. Yes, I wait tables but I own Pete’s. It was my father’s he passed it on to me. I know it needs work. I know it doesn’t look like much. I am hoping to revamp it. Fix it up. My father left me some debts here, so I am trying to get some money piled together. I said too much, he replied!”
Paige suddenly realized nothing in life is chance!
“Graham, I think it is your lucky day! Do you know who I am? Paige? No, my job title, she remarked. I am a PR manager, Paige says proudly. As in Public Relations she chirped. I think I can turn this place around. It’ll be a Thanksgiving miracle. I think I can do it, Graham. If you will let me?
He knew better than to say no; her help couldn’t hurt, right?
“So, what do I need to do?, he asks. I am going to need some information. The menu, please, she quirks. Oh, no, this is not going to work, she says. We have to start by changing this menu. You want to charge more for coffee; we need to get with the times, she states. If I am here for the next few hours, let me work!”
She doesn’t know why she wants to help Graham. Was it because she was bored? Or because he was good-looking and she was a sucker for his green eyes.
Let me make a few phone calls, she mused.
“Okay, Graham, come here, she exhaled. I pulled some favors for you! Donations came pouring in when I shared your story tonight. You are the proud owner of new booths. I have a floor company coming in for free, just publicity to give you new floors. A local vendor donated some of their cherry and blueberry coffee for the grand opening.”
“Grand opening?” Graham did not know there was a grand opening!
“I appreciate everything you did, Paige, but this is very, extra!”
“Can’t accept help, Graham, she snickered. Your dad would tell you to take the help!”
She was right, and he knew it too!
“Fine, he said vehemently.”
“No, thank you, she sneers!”
“It is not that, he said. I just am not used to getting help!”
“Well, Graham, you deserve it. I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t see potential here. In the restaurant, I mean, she backpeddles.”
He had to admit Paige was smart, generous, and cute. Maybe the tire was just what he needed.
Her car was fixed, and she was on her way.
Two weeks later, she came back in.
“This place looks amazing, she exclaims!”
“I have to thank you, Paige; you saved my coffee shop!”
“I know, she said and smiled at him!”
“If you don’t stop looking so cute, he chimes!”
Oops, he didn’t mean to say that out loud.
“You think I’m cute, huh, Graham!”
“I mean, I would have to be blind to say no!”
“We are going to have this Thanksgiving opening!”
“Is the Thanksgiving menu ready?”
He holds up two cans of whipped cream.
Pumpkin pie?
“I will see you in three days, Mr., she chimed in.”
Pete’s was packed in a way no one could have imagined.
It was suddenly the new hot spot.
Paige cannot lie; she made sure she came later, towards closing.
She figured he would be busy.
She wanted there to be less people, more time.
Paige, he hugs her. Not extremely tight, just like a friend you know but not that well.
“Is that the best you can do, Paige jokes?”
He knew he could do better.
“I will prove it to you if you go out with me, he faltered.”
“On a date, Paige jokes?”
“Anywhere you want, babe!”
“That escalated quickly, she exclaimed!”
They both knew this was no mistake.
They married the next year.
Baby Grace was born two years later.
Pete’s became a brand. With Paige’s help, they had seven locations.
A family legacy,
They were living the dream. Pete could work more on the management end. With Paige’s help, of course. To think they would have never met. Had her car not broken down one November afternoon. Had his father not passed away. Or if he hadn’t been the closest coffee shop around. They needed each other, more than either would have admitted. One bad day turned into a great lifetime.
This was written by our contributing writer, Christy Granger.
Image Source: bugphai, Magnific
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