“Hello.” Annie smiled. She felt self-conscious and a bit giggly. Her eyes kept wandering from his eyes to his mouth. She was suddenly very warm despite the fearful draft coming in from the open window.

“You handled her very well,” said John.

“Her type are all pomp and tiny minds.”

“How’s your head today?”

“Fine,” said Annie brightly. “After twelve coffees, it’s absolutely fine.”

John laughed. “I feel I should apologize,” he said.

“Oh? Why, what have you done?”

“I can’t seem to stop kissing you.”

Annie felt a flush race up from her toes and burst into her cheeks, which felt like they were pulsating red alert. She tried to gather her wits.

“I mean, I didn’t like to say anything . . .” said Annie.

“It must be a terrible inconvenience for you.”

“One doesn’t like to complain,” said Annie, smiling.

John smiled back at her, an easy smile that lit his whole face and made Annie want to pull him in through the hatch and ravish him beneath the coffee machine.

“You look busy,” he said, tilting his head to look around her at the full café within. “I might go around and see if Alfred needs a hand.”

Oh, be still my beating heart!

“I’ll be taking him round a coffee in a minute. Would you like one?”

And maybe a sex-starved forty-four-year-old woman on the side?

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Annie smiled as though her thighs weren’t on fire, and John unfolded himself back up to his full height.

The café remained steady. Billy barely had time to clear down the tables between one set of customers leaving and the next set eagerly scouring the tiny café for a space. There were too many orders for Annie to leave the coffee machine, so she sent Billy out with warm scones and hot coffees for John and Alfred.

Annie took Emily out a hazelnut latte—she had discovered that these were her favorites. Emily leaned her placard up against the wall and took the cup gratefully, holding it between her mittened hands.

“Hypothetically, and strictly off the record,” said Annie, “if a person were to buy Saltwater Nook to live in and keep the café open. What would be the historical society’s stance on such an occurrence?” Annie met Emily’s intense gaze squarely and raised her eyebrows.

Emily narrowed her eyes and then nodded slowly. “In that instance, the historical society would cease and desist all picketing and welcome that person with open arms. It’s never been about ownership; we only want to see Saltwater Nook preserved.”

“Then I can assure you, in strictest confidence, that we are singing from the same hymn sheet.”

Emily’s face broke into the widest smile.

“Any chance of a piece of tiffin?” she asked.

Chapter 71