Book Two in The Coffee Stop series

Dedication

To my wonderful Liz Graham. I’m so very proud of the extraordinary human being you are. You bring me constant joy.

Acknowledgments

I couldn’t have written Danny Brenner’s character without the help of Cathleen Breed, who shared her own journey through sobriety, as well as her expertise on AA. I have much love and pride for my extraordinary youngest sister.

Much appreciation to my beautiful Lindsey Graham, for being a constant support and cheering me on through the creation of this series. 

Many thanks to Stephanie Bond, Rita Heron, Jennifer St. Giles and Susan Goggins (aka Raven Hart), who shared tips and industry news and held me accountable for my weekly writing goals on our Monday night Zoom meetings.

I’d also like to thank the creators of Writing with Color for providing insightful information on writing diverse characters. I hope I have implemented their suggestions in an appropriate and respectful manner.

Content Warning

This story includes references to alcoholism, suicide, cancer and death of a loved one. Please read at your discretion.

Dear Reader

While I was updating Espresso in the Morning after receiving my rights back from Harlequin, I decided I wanted to further explore the world I created around The Coffee Stop. Thus, was born The Coffee Stop series.

In Americano Afternoons, I tell Louisa and Danny’s story. Louisa must come to terms with her twin brother’s suicide and find direction in her life, while Danny deals with his mother’s recurring cancer and learns to cope with his alcoholism.

This book was my first venture into using AI assistance with my writing. After I developed the characters and hero’s journey for my story, I uploaded them into Claude Sonnet and asked for Claude’s input. I used around eighty percent of Claude’s suggestions, though I implemented them in my own way, with my own words. I found the process to be fun and rewarding and feel the story was improved after this process.

I hope you enjoy this second book in The Coffee Stop series. Please check out Espresso in the Morning and Late Night Lattes, if you haven’t read those.

I’m always happy to hear your feedback. Please feel free to reach out to me via dorenegraham.com.

Wishing you joy, love and abundance.

Take care,

Dorene Graham

Chapter One

“Please understand it isn’t personal, Louisa.” Dust motes floated through the late afternoon sunlight shining through the window behind Louisa Platt’s manager, Barbara Denton, as she faced Louisa from the other side of her desk.

Louisa forced herself to focus on Barbara and not the swirling dust, or her own porcelain fingers sporting new pink polish.

Barbara sighed. “I know the past few years have been tough on you. It’s just that cuts are coming and, though I’ll do everything I can, you should prepare yourself.”

Louisa opened her mouth, but Barbara continued, “Not that I think you’re in immediate danger. I don’t think anything will happen for the next few months, but who knows what could happen after that?”

Immediate Danger. A few months sounded pretty immediate. Frustration filled Louisa as the memory of yesterday’s meeting with Beth’s Bicycles swept through her mind. Louisa had found the potential client and when Beth herself frowned through Barbara’s presentation, thanked them and gathered her belongings to leave, Louisa had blurted that Barbara had saved the best for last, a time-sensitive, exclusive offer utilizing social media.

Beth perked up and Barbara had nervously encouraged Louisa to continue. She’d pulled the entire campaign out of the air, but they’d won the contract.

And this was the thanks she got for it?

“I know you haven’t been happy.” Barbara’s words tugged her back to the present. Her face brightened. “Maybe there’s something else you’d rather be doing?”

“Well—” Louisa began as Barbara’s cell phone rang and she held up a finger for her to wait.

“Yes, Frank…I see…” She mouthed to Louisa, “I’m sorry, I have to take this.”

Louisa nodded. She stood and stared at the dust motes swirling around Barbara’s head, finding them so much more interesting than the meeting review and trip scheduling notes awaiting her at her desk. Barbara gave her a sideways glance. Louisa again nodded then left.

As she walked back to her cubicle, she frowned. Why was her life such a disaster? She was in danger of losing a job she didn’t care about, but a job she desperately needed in order to eat and pay her bills.

Damn Toby for not being here when she needed him. When her twin brother had been alive, never a worry had crossed her mind. For so long he’d been by her side, making even the worst crisis manageable.

When she had lost her lunch in elementary school, he’d shared his. When she had trouble learning to ride a bike, he’d hauled her around on his until he finally taught her to ride in middle school. When they had turned sixteen and took their first bike packing trip and her tire blew, he’d not only steadied her bike so she hadn’t gotten hurt, but they’d figured out together how to do a temporary repair with a spare tube and heavy duct tape. 

Then when Tim Banks stood her up for the senior prom, Toby had produced Danny Brenner to take his place. Danny had long been friends with her brother, but prom had been the first time Louisa had spent any one-on-one time with him. Though she’d been attracted to him from the start, he came from a completely different world. A romance was out of the question, so they’d become fast friends instead.

At least, she still thought of them in that sense. Danny had admitted he wanted to be more than friends, but his confession had come while she was distracted with the issues her brother faced when he’d returned from his last deployment with the army rangers. Things had been so bad then that Louisa couldn’t concentrate on anything else.

And then they’d lost Toby.

She’d only survived the past two and a half years since Toby’s death thanks to Danny’s unwavering support.  Her world had gotten pretty dark since then, but she’d spared Danny the worst of it. A vision of his warm brown eyes contrasting with his ivory skin floated through her mind, invoking comfort. He’d understood pretty quickly that Louisa had difficulty dealing with his country club life. It was foreign to her humble roots, and he’d always accommodated her by meeting her outside his normal world.

Dating him would be a different story, though. She’d have to interact with him—and his parents—in their world of charity work, Lamborghinis and mansions. Would she ever fit in with that lifestyle? Though she still wasn’t sure if she was ready to move forward in any romantic sense, she couldn’t imagine her life without him.

As she dropped into her desk chair, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the text from Danny.

Having a tough day. Want to grab nachos after work?

She sighed. Talking to Danny was never going to be the same as talking to Toby had been, but it beat going home, scrounging in her depleted pantry, and then starting a job search. Besides, he knew she’d never say no to nachos, her favorite comfort food.

Sure. Whoever has had the worst day gets treated to nachos.

You’re on!

“Louisa?”

The soft female voice had her glancing up from her phone. Samantha Martin and another young brunette, whose name Louisa had trouble remembering, stood at the entrance to her cube. They were both administrative assistants Louisa had helped to train.

“Hi Samantha.” Louisa nodded to the other woman and set down her phone. “What can I do for you?”

“Are you free for lunch? I was hoping you could join us. We’re celebrating.” Samantha’s eyes shone.

Her coworker’s enthusiasm had Louisa smiling, in spite of her meeting with Barbara. Samantha had been expecting a marriage proposal from her boyfriend she’d been dating for the past year since she’d started at the company. Louisa glanced at Samantha’s ring finger.

“We got raises!” Samantha said.

Louisa stared in stunned silence. She’d been with this company for the past five years with no increase. As the silence dragged on Samantha and friend’s smiles slipped.

“Congratulations.” Louisa belatedly choked out. “Um, both of you got raises?”

“Yes, and we couldn’t have done it without you, Louisa. You’ve helped us learn the ropes and steered us right anytime either of us has had any question or issue. We’re going to Milton’s for a celebratory lunch. Please come with us.” Both nodded, again smiling.

Bitterness filled Louisa. Obviously, these two weren’t on the short list for cuts. She glanced at the bottom drawer of her filing cabinet, where she’d stashed the PBJ she’d brought for lunch. As their company senior, if she went with them, she was practically obligated to pay and if she did, would she be able to expense it? The truth was, though, she couldn’t afford to pay for herself, let alone the three of them, even if it was eventually reimbursed.

“I’d love to,” she said, “but I’m sorry to say I’m swamped today and can’t join you. You enjoy Milton’s, though, and again, congratulations.”

“Oh,” both women said in unison, their expressions crestfallen.

“Maybe another time,” Louisa said, hoping to soften the blow.

“I hope so.” Samantha touched her shoulder. “Don’t work too hard.”

“Me? Never.” Louisa forced a laugh that sounded fake to her own ears.

After they left, Louisa dug out her PBJ. While she ate, she’d might as well start summarizing this quarterly marketing report for Barbara before moving on to booking her next trip.

As Louisa pulled up the file, she silently cursed her windowless cube that deprived her of the distracting dust motes.

~ ~ ~

The tinkle of glasses mingled with the soft Mexican music floating through the taqueria as Danny Brenner checked his watch early that evening. Louisa was habitually late, but this was late, even for her. He unlocked his phone to message her, when she walked through the door, frowning, her light brown hair in slight disarray around her shoulders.

“Hello my beautiful friend.” He stood to greet her, giving her a quick hug. Her normally rosy glow was missing, making her porcelain skin paler than normal.

Even though she looked unhappy, he couldn’t hold back the smile that came every time he saw her. She rewarded him with a small smile in return, warming him. The woman’s appeal grew with each passing year.

With a heavy sigh, she plopped into the seat across from him. “You mean your soon to be unemployed friend.”

“No. Really? I think maybe I’m buying the nachos tonight, then.”

“Maybe, unless you had a worse day. You’re the one who texted me for nachos. What happened with you today?” Her hazel gaze softened as she touched his hand. “You said it was a tough day.”

He hung his head as his earlier worry reclaimed him. “I lost George, that Saint Bernard I told you about.”

“Oh, Danny, I’m so sorry.” She squeezed his hand. “I know you loved that dog. I’m sure you did your best and it wasn’t your fault he died.”

He lifted his gaze. “That’s not it. George is alive and well as far as I know.”

“So, you lost him, lost him, as in he ran away?”

This was coming out all wrong. “No, that isn’t what I meant. I lost him to another clinic. His owner moved to Marietta.”

Louisa’s shoulders dropped. “Well, that’s not so bad.”

“It is when he’s the third regular in as many weeks. I’m losing my clients, long standing ones.”

If his business continued to decline, how would he ensure a stable future for his employees? He refused to touch his family money.

“But you work all the time. Won’t this lighten your load? I haven’t seen you in weeks; you’ve been so busy. It seems you still have plenty of Georges left to tend to.”

“There is only one George and I don’t mind the long hours when the money is good. Besides, I have to include emergency care and after hours to even begin to compete with the animal hospitals in the area.”

“Are you actually worried about your business?” she asked. “I thought you were doing great. Didn’t you increase your staff recently?”

He frowned. Was he overreacting? “I hired Janet, my receptionist almost a year ago and she’s wonderful, but maybe I should have waited. Business has been slowing. I didn’t hit my projected profit goal this month. Last month was the same. That hasn’t happened since my early days. I am worried.”

Their server arrived with the two glasses of root beer he’d ordered shortly before she’d arrived. Louisa waited until the young man left, and then took a long sip from hers.

A twinge of guilt hit him. She’d never questioned him about his switch from the actual beer and other alcoholic drinks he’d indulged in for so long and he hadn’t been inclined to explain at the time that his drinking had become a problem. Toby’s loss had devastated her and Danny had refused to compound her distress.

He’d needed to be there for her. After the funeral he sobered up immediately, even though doing so had made him deathly ill. He’d been foolish to stop cold turkey and had been extremely fortunate not to experience life threatening complications from withdrawal.

Thankfully, he came through it, though he’d never recommend quitting without help to anyone else. Louisa had been embroiled in her grief and in seclusion with her family while he cleaned up and hadn’t noticed him missing from her life at the time.

She rolled along with him the first time he’d ordered soda instead of beer. He’d been grateful she hadn’t asked why, but at some point, he had to come clean.

He was an alcoholic. Shame filled him. He could admit it to himself, but had never told another soul. A wave of nausea rolled over him. Was his guilt manifesting in his gut?

Louisa set down the glass and dabbed her lips with her napkin. “I’d give anything to have the issues you have. I don’t think two months of lower profits is anything to panic about. Your clinic is still profitable, just not as profitable as you’d like it to be. That was your tough day.”

“I see your point, but it’s concerning to me. I don’t want this to be a trend. I need to stay on top of it.” A wave of frustration hit him.

His personal plan included buying a home this year and he was concerned about his business. He was determined to make his own way, without the financial support of his family. Right or wrong, the thought of using that money was tied to that time his drinking was out of control. It was the only time he’d ever tapped into his trust and he refused to revert to those dark days.

Still, Louisa had been dealing with so much over the past few years. Who was he to complain?

He leaned forward. “Enough about me and my problems. How was your day? Are you really worried about losing your job?”

“Kind of. I’m definitely in jeopardy with cut backs looming and Barbara calling me in to warn me, but I’m not sure I care if I lose this job. In some ways it’ll be a relief.”

“I know it isn’t what you see yourself doing in the long run.”

“No, being an executive assistant was never on my list of goals, not that I ever had a solid idea of what I want to do with my life. But this job pays well and I need to keep a roof over my head.”

He pressed his lips together before he offered to share his roof. The last thing he wanted was to scare her away. When he’d confessed his feelings shortly before Toby’s passing, she hadn’t accepted him, but she hadn’t rejected him either.

A dark feeling pressed over him. His timing was an indicator of how out of it he was in those days. Had he been sober, he would have noticed his friend’s struggles.

Regardless, he’d confessed his feelings at the most inopportune moment. They’d been in a sort of limbo ever since, and waiting for her to show an interest still seemed a long way coming. Timing was everything, though, especially with Louisa, and he was a patient man.

“Do you know what you’d like to do instead?” He peered closely at her. “Something involving your art?”

“There is no my art,” she said. “It was always my and Toby’s art. I’m not sure I can do anything on my own.”

“I don’t know, I feel like Toby was always following you on that front. He could never have come up with that mural in our high school gym on his own, let alone paint the entire thing.”

“I helped with the concept for whatever joint project we worked on and it was always a collaboration, but most of the good stuff was usually Toby’s. He was the one who brought everything to life.” A frown darkened her gaze as she took another long sip.  “We should order the nachos. I’m hungry.”

“The nachos are on the way.”

Her expression again softened, kicking up his pulse a notch. Those hazel eyes got to him every time. “I love how you’re always thinking ahead,” she said. “Thanks for ordering the food and drinks. I’m sorry I was late.”

“No worries.” As if summoned, the server arrived with the food. After he left, Danny took a bite, chewing slowly. “What about The Coffee Stop?”

“What about it?” She twirled a long string of cheese around a chip.

“Well, Toby invested in it and you benefit on his behalf as a silent partner.”

“Yes, and I pass those profits on to my parents, though when this job tanks I may talk with them about that.”

“Why not become an active partner? I can’t imagine Lucas would object. He’s training to be an EMT and isn’t at The Stop as much. And if you can positively influence the business’s profitability—which I know you can do— I’m sure he’d be happy to include a bonus with your salary. I’ll help you negotiate with him. You have a lot of marketing experience from your current job and I’m sure your art background would come in handy. He wants to rebrand, so you would definitely be an asset.”

She stared at him, eyes narrowed. “You want me to work for Lucas Williams, the guy who led Toby down that dark path that ended with him swallowing all those pills?”

He sighed, his stomach twisting the way it did anytime he thought about Toby. “I’m suggesting you talk to him about working with him, not for him. Besides, I thought you were embracing the whole forgiveness thing. Didn’t you see him a while back and work things out?”

“I told him I was working on forgiving him and I am, but I’m not all there yet.”

This time he took her hand. “I understand how you feel about Lucas, but he’s suffered greatly and struggles with his own guilt.”

As did Danny, though Louisa had no idea.

“I know and I’m trying, like I told him, but working with him is a huge step. I’m not ready to have that conversation.”

“But you think you may be ready at some point?”

She cupped her hands around her glass, staring at the dark liquid. “I don’t know what I want to do. That’s my biggest problem. I know I’ve been drifting and I hate it. I drifted into this job and it’s apparently a sinking ship, at least for me. I just don’t see another option but to stick with it until they throw me overboard.”

Click here FMI on THE COFFEE STOP series.

Click here to read an excerpt from LATE NIGHT LATTES, book three in THE COFFEE STOP series.

Click here to read an excerpt from, ESPRESSO IN THE MORNING, book one in THE COFFEE STOP series.

Click here to see more Dorene Graham books.