“Thanks.” Kristin painted a big smile on her face. “On another note, I’m very happy to inform you that when your trial period ends later this week, I would like to make you an official employee. If you’re interested in becoming a permanent member of the Pink Bean team, that is.”

Kristin had invited Mia to dinner to celebrate her trial period being over. Mia had been up to the flat before, but she’d never been afforded the opportunity to take such a long, satisfying glimpse into her employers’ private lives.

“Champagne or no champagne?” Sheryl asked.

“Champagne, of course. This is a celebration,” Kristin said. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Sparkling water for me.” Sheryl grinned at Mia, her eyes lingering a little longer than Mia thought perhaps necessary. “I prefer to be upfront about this to erase the speculation from people’s minds: yes, I’m a recovering alcoholic. No, I don’t mind you drinking in my company.”

Mia nodded. “Got it.”

Kristin returned with the champagne, popped the cork, and poured Mia a glass.

“To Mia Miller,” she said.

“Thank you very much.” After taking a quick, polite sip, Mia said, “I must say this is the first time an employer has cracked open the champagne for an occasion like this.”

“We’re lucky to have you,” Kristin said.

“I’m just glad she likes you,” Sheryl said. “Kristin is just as much a recovering workaholic as I am a plain old alcoholic. She needs someone like you working at the Pink Bean.”

Mia noticed Kristin shooting Sheryl a look she couldn’t quite decipher.

“And I hear you have big plans,” Sheryl said.

“Nothing bigger than is expected of me.”

They spoke about the prospect of the Pink Bean merging with Annie’s Bookshop for a while and forged a plan for Sheryl and Kristin to stop by over the weekend, without Annie being informed of their potential interest. Simply to look at the place with a different mindset, to walk in and imagine if it was possible.

“I take it you’re enjoying working at the Pink Bean?” Sheryl, the more overtly inquisitive of the couple, asked. She had a very different way of asking questions than Kristin. More direct and, somehow, more probing. More demanding of a direct answer.

“I love it.” Mia would say that, of course, but she genuinely had fallen for the Pink Bean. “It has a great vibe, amazing owners, and a wonderful bunch of customers. And I get along with Jo really well. I won’t claim I jump out of bed in spritely fashion when my alarm goes off at five, because I’m so not a morning person, but once my day gets going, and I’m surrounded by the delicious smells of coffee, I feel very fortunate.”