“To tell you the truth, I’ve had several offers for management and I think I am a little aware of the buzz, but I have so much going on right now, I don’t even know where my head is most days. I probably shouldn’t say this, but my mornings here are by far the most relaxing hours of my day. I can do this on autopilot and have a chat with the regulars, but the second I walk out of that door at lunch time, it’s mayhem.” She sent Mia an apologetic smile. “I think what I need most of all is a life coach. Or an assistant. Neither of which I have the money to pay for.”

“Jo,” Kristin said with a raised voice from behind the counter. “Amber and co are arriving. I’m going to need a hand.”

“We’ll talk more later,” Mia said. “But if you ever need me to cover for you here, just ask.”

“Thanks, Mia.” Josephine got up and reached for their empty coffee cups.

Mia held up her hand. “I’ve got these.” She gathered the cups from the table and stacked them in the dishwasher.

She watched Kristin and Josephine work in perfect tandem. A group of three very attractive women had just placed an order of their usual and was making its way to a table by the window.

“Mia, come meet some people you will see in here every day,” Kristin said. “They’re part of the furniture, really.” She handed Mia a mug of green tea and carried two cups of coffee over to the table, gesturing for Mia to follow her.

“Ladies, please meet the brand new Pink Bean manager, Mia Miller. Mia, this is Amber, who will be having the tea.” Kristin nodded at the woman with the ginger curls tied into a high ponytail. Mia set the tea down in front of her and put on her widest smile. “She runs the yoga studio down the street along with her best friend Micky, whose favorite drink is a cappuccino.” Kristin set down the cappuccino in front of the dark-haired woman. “And a short black for Louise,” Kristin said and winked at the youngest woman of the bunch and, to Mia’s tastes, the most interesting looking. Dark, piercing eyes. Straight black hair that fell to her shoulders. And that skin. Not quite dark and not quite pale. Christ, maybe she should take up yoga lessons.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ladies.” Mia tried to imprint their names into her brain. She wouldn’t have any trouble remembering Louise’s.

“Micky used to work here, until she decided that yoga was more her thing than coffee,” Kristin said with a grin on her face. “And Amber stole her from me.”

“If I remember correctly, dear Kristin, I was the one who gave her to you in the first place,” Amber said.