Aria had never hosted a community forum in her café before, but she was excited to see so many people turn up. The scent of coffee mixed with the chatter of people filled the air as she made her way around the room, greeting everyone and making sure they had a hot beverage in hand. Some of the townsfolk were voicing serious issues, while others brought up lighthearted topics.
She glanced over at Grace, who was engaging the elementary school principal about the need of the library reading program. Or maybe he was engaging her. Either way, the two were preaching to the choir about the necessity of getting the town’s children’s reading levels up.
Sarah was trying to get away from the butcher’s son, whose gaze kept slipping to her chest instead of her face as he talked. Sarah’s lips didn’t move at all, while her unwanted suitor’s lips kept flapping. But she couldn’t get away. Not when her mother blocked her on one end and her aunt blocked her on the other. They were determined to see her happily married before the end of the year, whether she liked it or not.
“I’m telling you, the trash situation is out of control,” said Mr. Johnson, a retired fisherman. “Every day I’m out on the water, and I see more and more debris floating by. We need to do something about it.”
“I agree,” said Mrs. Wilson, the owner of one of the two inns in town. “And what about the potholes on Main Street? They’re getting worse every year.”
“And what about the lack of affordable housing?” chimed in a young couple who had just moved to town. “We can barely afford to pay rent on our apartment, let alone think about buying a house.”
Typically, problems like this were addressed at the monthly town halls. But Aria had noted during the beach cleanup that a constant topic of conversation was the need for improvements in their small town.
She kept hearing these sentiments in the days following the cleanup as people came in to snag the free beverage she’d promised anyone who worked on the event that day. So she decided to hold an open forum. The forum also helped her to recoup the costs of her impromptu free round of drinks. With everyone on their first or second paid cup of Joe, Aria was back in the black. The only person who hadn’t come into get their free drink was the one she’d initially made the offering to.
She had to face facts; she’d scared Jace away. First with her bossy attitude, then with her mixed signals.
The sound of the chime over the door signaled the arrival of a latecomer. The door to the café swung open, and Aria’s eyes were drawn to the figure standing in the doorway. It was Jace. Aria’s heart skipped a beat as she took in his rugged appearance, but she quickly composed herself and walked over to him.
“Jace, what brings you here?” she asked, trying to sound casual.
Unlike the butcher’s son, Jace’s eyes stayed locked on Aria’s. She almost wished they’d slip down inappropriately to her chest. It would be the only way to break the spell.
But he did not let her go. In fact, he stepped closer to her until he filled her vision and her nostrils. He’d brought the smell of the beach with him.
“You promised me a cup of tea.”
His deep voice pressed in on Aria, making her want to curl up into his strong chest.
“I’ve come to collect.”
She knew her head was nodding. But she couldn’t get her feet to work. What was it about this man that made her want to step closer to him?
He was a soldier. That should have been warning enough to steer clear. Her experience with her husband had truly left its mark on her.
But still, Aria knew not all soldiers dealt with their issues the way her ex-husband had. Jace hadn’t given a single indicator that he might lose his temper. He gave every indication that he was self-possessed and level-headed. Which was more than she could say for Troy before he had gone into the military.
“I didn’t realize you were… busy.” Jace looked around at the group and then back at Aria.
“You’re more than welcome to be here. We’re just discussing some community issues.”
Aria rounded the counter, placing some distance between herself and the magnetic pull to Jace. He followed, settling himself on a stool as she worked. The counter was little match for the attraction between them.
“What issue is the community facing other than trash on the beach?” he asked.
“Normal things you might face in a small town.” Aria packed the herbs in the infuser before settling the device in the tea mug. “What do you think about the proposal to add more bike lanes in town?”
“I think it’s a great idea. It’ll promote a healthier lifestyle and reduce traffic on the roads while also reducing carbon emissions. However, it’s important to make sure that the bike lanes are implemented safely and thoughtfully. Sometimes lanes can take up parking spots and hurt businesses.”
Aria wasn’t sure what she’d expected from his response. The level of thoughtfulness stunned her so much that she let the water in his teacup spill over. She wasn’t the only one intrigued by Jace’s opinions. Many of the townsfolk gathered turned to him. A few came up to him and asked his opinion on other matters.
Just like his well-rounded response to the bike matter, Jace discussed the pros and cons of the reading program with Grace, the pothole conundrum with Mrs. Wilson, and even managed to lure the butcher’s son away from Sarah to discuss the latest sports game from the weekend.
Jace did all of this from his seat at the counter. His shoulders had been erect when he’d turned sideways to come into the café. As he sipped his tea, he relaxed more and more.
Aria had been walking around the café tending to her customers. But like the magnet he was to her, she stayed by his side. Finding a clean spot to run a rag over. Topping off his mug with more water.
One by one, her customers began to file out. Grace and Sarah were two of the last to leave, each of her friends casting covert glances and Sarah making goo-goo eyes and kissy faces behind Jace’s back.
And then finally, they were alone. Jace’s mug was empty. He covered the top with his hand when Aria lifted the teapot.
“I’m glad you came,” Aria said, breaking the silence. “You have some really good advice. You’ll be a benefit to the town.”
“Thank you for saying so. I’m finding it hard to fit back into civilian life.”
“Yeah? How so?”
“Just… restless. Except when I’m near you.”
Aria tried to fight it, tried to resist the pull she felt toward him. But every time their eyes met, every time he smiled at her, she found herself falling a little more.
“But I suppose that’s because you keep plying me with calming teas.” He pushed the mug toward her and then locked gazes with her once more. “The truth is that I’m interested in being near you, Aria.”
Aria hadn’t let another man get near her. The memories of her failed marriage were still too fresh, the wounds still raw. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to take that risk again.
“Aria, would you like to go out with me sometime?”
