“Miss, could I get a cup of coffee made with the beans Yvonne roasted? I don’t mind paying extra,” Anthony said to the cafe manager at the counter.
The manager glanced over. There was still a small batch left that hadn’t been packaged.
“What would you like?” she asked.
“Iced long black.”
A little while later, Anthony left the cafe with the drink in hand and drove his sports car straight to Ford Corporation.
When Anthony arrived at Ford Corporation, Jared wasn’t in his office.
“Mr. Locke, do you need Mr. Ford for something? He’s in a meeting and won’t be back for a while.”
“Oh, it’s nothing urgent. I just bought him a coffee.”
This was Anthony’s graceful way of letting go and helping the couple.
Moments later, Shirley returned, carrying multiple cups of store–bought coffee.
“Ms. Ember, this one’s from Mr. Locke. He dropped it off just now for Mr. Ford.”
“Okay, thanks.” Shirley picked up the cup and gave it a glance.
To be honest, she didn’t understand. She’d never even heard of the cafe. How could it possibly be better than the premium blends she’d bought?
And why would Anthony personally deliver it?
Just then, Jared came back from his meeting. As soon as he stepped into the office, he caught the rich, bold coffee flicked open.
“Mr. Ford, I went to several different places just to find the perfect cup for you.”
His eyes
Shirley had gone the extra mile, pouring the delivery coffee into porcelain mugs and adding a plate of cookies on the side.
Jared lazily leaned against the couch and took a sip. It was still disappointing.
Shirley moved to place the rest of the coffee on the table. She nudged a stack of files, which tipped and knocked over one of the cups.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Ford! I’ll clean it up right away.”
Suddenly, amid the rich mix of coffee aromas, Jared caught a faint scent of coffee laced with a subtle hint of tea.
“Wait.” He stopped Shirley from wiping it up, picked up the emptied cup, and brought it close for a sniff.
That scent…
Whenever he’d been exhausted at work, Yvonne would bring him a cup of black coffee. There was no milk or sugar in the coffee, but behind the slight bitterness came a surprisingly smooth and rich aftertaste.
“This is it. This is the coffee.”
Jared lit up like he’d found something he’d been longing for.
Just one cup of coffee from Yvonne, and it already had him this nostalgic.
But the coffee had spilled. Not even a single sip was left. All he had was the lingering aroma.
Chapter 84
“Shirley, which cafe was this from? I need another cup!”
Shirley froze slightly. “I ordered from several different places. I’m not sure which one that was.”
Seeing how much Jared liked it, she quickly added, “Mr. Ford, I’m the one wh
I’ll find that exact cup again.”
“Alright. Make it quick.”
+25 BONUS
picked up all the coffee. Just give me a bit of time.
For the first time in a while, Jared felt a flicker of hope. If something he thought was lost could be found again, maybe the things he’d broken could still be mended.
Shirley walked out of the office and noticed that the trash in the break room had already been cleared. The takeout cups were nowhere to be found.
And she couldn’t remember the name of the cafe Anthony had gotten the coffee from.
“That coffee Mr. Ford liked had to be one of mine. It can’t be the one Mr. Locke brought.”
Back in the office, the scent still lingered faintly. Jared grew increasingly restless.
Just then, Frederick came in after a knock. “Mr. Ford, you’ve received a call from Mr. Hover’s assistant. Mr. Hover would like you and Mr. Feland to meet at Hover Group to discuss a bidding project.”
Jared composed himself and drove to Hover Group.
Meanwhile, Yvonne had just left Jean’s house.
As she got into her car, she noticed the roasted coffee beans sitting in the passenger seat. On a whim, she texted Samuel.
“Mr. Hover, are you at the office? I have a little gift I’d like to drop off.”
“I am. Looking forward to the gift, Ms. Jamison.”
With his reply, Yvonne turned the key and drove off toward Hover Group.
