Coffee and Books 1

Chapter 8

I turn in for the night, but I don't think I will fall asleep easily. My head is spinning with everything Loki has told me. And he kissed my hand, after he told me he thinks I'm sweet. Alright, he called me a fool at the same time, but apparently my heart is more than willing to overlook that part. I realise the God of Lies is making me feel weak in the knees and I don't know how to feel about that. I hardly even know him!

Turning to my side, I grab the book that's on my nightstand: the illustrated copy of Norse mythology. I flip the pages, looking for the stories about Loki. When I find the story about how Odin took baby Loki from the battlefield I toss the book aside, realising it states that those events took place over a thousand years ago.

When I wake up early the next morning, I can't remember my dreams. But they sure were vivid, my sheets are crumpled as if I tossed and turned a lot last night. A long shower helps me to wake up and a nice cup of tea does the rest. I'm ready to start the day again.

I put on jeans and the Coffee & Books polo shirt, and put my hair up in a loose ponytail. One morning shift to go, and then I'm off for a couple of days. I have worked almost every day the last couple of weeks, filling in for Thomas and picking up some shifts for Lisa too. I'm looking forward to some days off, even more because of the events of these past weeks. Meeting the Norse gods has left its marks, however subtle.

I walk downstairs to unlock the door of the coffee shop. We will open in fifteen minutes, I'm expecting Emilia to come in any minute. My aunt Yvonne is in the kitchen, already filling the air with the lovely smell of muffins. I walk over to the kitchen, to lean against the doorpost. "Good morning Yvonne. Sleep well?"

"I did, dear. And you?" She turns around to look at me, after putting another tray of muffins in the oven.

"Mm.. could be better. But a long shower took care of that."

"Was your little spat with Loki the cause? Lars told me things suddenly turned tense between you yesterday." My aunt looks at me with a slightly worried face. "I hope you're being careful, dear. No man should be the reason for a girl to buy waterproof mascara."

I laugh at her waterproof mascara remark, then realise what she means. "Loki... I... we are not... I..." I sputter. "He is just a customer. And it was nothing, really."

Now it's my aunts turn to laugh. "Are you sure, dear? It sure looks like he is more than just a customer. You do know he only comes in when you are working?"

"That proves nothing," I say defensively. "I've been working almost every day for the last couple of weeks."

"That's true my dear," Yvonne says, pulling me into a hug. "You sure earned your days off." She releases me to turn back to her work. "But I would be surprised to see the prince in the coffee shop when you are not around." She wiggles her eyebrows at me, causing me to laugh.

"Sure Yvonne, I guess we'll see about that soon enough."

When I enter the coffee shop, Emilia just comes in through the door. She turns the sign on the door to 'Open' and shortly after that the first customers start coming in. Mrs. Willow is one of them and she takes her usual seat at the counter. I pour her coffee and ask about her cat. She happily chats away about how she is trying a new brand of cat food, but Mr. Whiskers is not having it. When I'm busy serving other customers, she takes a People magazine out of her bag and starts reading it.

"Did you know prince Harry is engaged to Meghan Markle, that actress?" she asks, holding up the magazine to me when I am making coffee.

"I heard something about an engagement, yes. But I don't know who she is. What film is she in?" I ask, keeping my eyes at the mugs under the coffee machine.