Tom hefted the black bags of rubbish over his shoulders and headed outside, taking advantage of the lack of customers this late in the day. The bit of cold breeze as he exited the building made him regret not stopping to grab his jacket, but thankfully he’d only be outside in the chilly winter late afternoon for a minute or two—just enough time to dump the garbage and run back inside.
He pulled the bags higher as he trudged across the rear of the property, skirting around a puddle, finally dumping his haul at the base of the industrial garbage bin. The stench of rotten food assaulted his nostrils when he lifted the lid, so he held his breath and made quick work of throwing in the bags and closing the top.
Tom stepped away from the bin, taking a moment to admire the darkening sky. This time of year the days were shorter; dusk was already closing in and it wasn’t even 5:00 p.m. yet. He made a mental note to change the timer on the back floodlights, setting them an hour earlier.
When he turned to head back into the cafe, he noticed Bailey’s van parked in the driveway down the side of the building. It’s a bit early for Bailey to be here. But Tom couldn’t help the smile as warmth filled his chest and he changed direction in anticipation of seeing Bailey.
Bailey was sitting in the driver seat of the van and not looking in Tom’s direction. Instead he was focused on the person in the passenger seat. As Tom neared he could see it was a girl who had Bailey’s attention. Emma?
The glass was cold beneath his knuckles, and when Bailey jumped Tom momentarily felt bad for scaring him. But when Bailey’s open mouth closed and his lips curled into a smile, all regret left him.
Bailey wound down the window, his smile wide. “Hey.”
“Hi you,” Tom said, wishing he could kiss Bailey. Instead he gave him a quick wink, then leaned down and looked across Bailey to speak to Emma. He lifted a hand in greeting. “Hi Emma.”
“Hello.”
He turned his attention back to Bailey when Emma’s focus returned to the book in her lap, the conversation obviously over. “What are you doing out here? It’s a bit early isn’t it?”
Bailey’s eyebrows drew together. “I hope it’s okay. I didn’t even think to ask you if I could park here earlier. Do you need the driveway?”
“Nah. It’s fine, Bailey.”
Tom stepped back as Bailey opened the door and stepped from the vehicle. “Are you sure? I should have called.”
“Don’t be silly. Honestly, most of my deliveries come in the morning and they usually stop in the loading zone on the street. And I’ve told you, I’m stuck here all day so I’m never coming or going. You can park here as long as you like.” And if he was honest, he liked knowing Bailey was here. “But why are you early?”
Bailey gave Emma a quick glance, seemingly pleased to see she was engrossed in the book. He quickly put up the window and closed the van door before giving Tom a much-too-quick kiss.
“Emma wants to learn to manage her dyslexia but she’s embarrassed in front of her friends so she’s doing it when they’re not around.”
“And you’re helping?”
Bailey shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Where I can. I’m not an expert, just googled some ideas and gave the info to Emma.”
“Still, a lot of people wouldn’t have even taken it upon themselves to do that much.”
“Yeah, well those people are arseholes.” Bailey had fire in his voice. “But like I said, I haven’t done much and she’s the one who has to do all the hard work.”
“With your support and encouragement.” God, he was so proud of Bailey’s efforts and his passion for doing right by people. “You’re doing an amazing job.”
“Thanks.” Bailey grinned despite his obvious discomfort at the praise. “How’s your day been?”
“Not too bad. Things are picking up so I’ve been kept on my feet pretty much all day, but I can’t complain. Busy means business.” A gust of wind blew down the driveway, bringing with it a flurry of dried leaves. Tom crossed his arms across his chest, putting his frozen hands in his armpits. “Jesus, it’s cold.”
Bailey eyed him up and down. “You’re not exactly dressed for the outdoors.”
“Well I was only popping out to dump the garbage. I didn’t think I’d run into you. Not that I’m complaining. I’d put up with a lot more than a little cold to see you.”
“Aww. You sweet talker.” Bailey shivered as another gust of wind swirled around them.
“Hey. Why don’t you come inside for a bit? Get out of the cold?”
Bailey glanced toward the van. “As much as I’d love to, I really should get back to Emma.”
“Why not bring her inside too?”
“Um….”
“You can do whatever you’re doing inside, Bails. You and Emma can make yourselves comfortable in a quiet corner. I won’t get in the way.”
“But you’re closing soon.”
“I don’t mind. If you haven’t finished by closing time, I’ve got some stuff to do that’ll keep me busy for a while.”
Bailey hugged himself, shivering against the cold, and Tom could sense him wavering. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m very sure.”
“I’ll see if Emma agrees—she’s still a bit shy. But if she does we’ll come in. Thanks.”
“Great. I’ll get back inside. If it’s past closing time when you’re ready, come in the back door. I’ll leave it unlocked. Don’t be long.”
“Yes, sir.” Bailey gave a mock salute.
Tom grinned as he jogged back up the driveway, happy to think that Bailey would be inside soon. And when Bailey and Emma were eventually settled on the sofa, hunched over a book, Bailey totally engrossed in listening to Emma, Tom’s chest tightened. The emotions that filled him as he watched Bailey were feelings he hadn’t expected, at least not so soon. But as he made them mugs of hot chocolate, he couldn’t deny that his feelings for Bailey were growing by the day.
* * *
Things settled in to a new routine and Tom found himself smiling more and more each day. Now instead of coming downstairs each morning bleary-eyed from long days on his feet and equally long evenings baking or doing paperwork, he was full of energy. Tom wasn’t sure where the energy came from given he wasn’t getting any more sleep each night, and could only put it down to his positive mindset. Business was picking up, and more importantly, he now had Bailey’s company to look forward to most afternoons. They’d been on a few dates—nothing formal, just a few meals and a movie—and hung out in Tom’s apartment, but Tom got just as much pleasure from watching Bailey sitting with Emma, whose head was usually bent over a book as it was right now. They’d been in a couple of times this week.
“Sorry to interrupt, but I thought you might need sustenance.”
Emma looked up, her eyes widening as Tom placed the plate of Portuguese tarts on the table. “Wow. They look awesome.”
Tom gestured to the plate. “Help yourself, Emma. You too, Bailey.”
Tom could see the hesitation in Bailey. He had no doubt that Bailey was weighing up the cost of the sweet custard tarts, because over the weeks he’d noticed Bailey didn’t appear to have a lot of cash to spare. He seemed to consider what he was purchasing when buying his lunch at Take Two, and often went for the daily specials. He most certainly didn’t treat himself to the items from Tom’s cake display cabinet. Or maybe he just doesn’t like sweet things? Nah, Tom knew that wasn’t right because he’d seen Bailey’s reaction to chocolate muffins—chocolate anything, really. Thank goodness, because he loved to tempt Bailey with treats.
There was no such hesitation in Emma. She grabbed a tart and it disappeared into her mouth within seconds. Tom couldn’t help smiling. She’d come out of her shell so much, even in the short time Tom had been observing her, something he was sure Bailey had a lot to do with.
“On the house.” Tom shoved the plate closer to Bailey before perching himself on the arm of the sofa. He glanced around the cafe to make certain all his customers were happy before addressing Emma. “So how’s it going? Having fun?”
Emma shrugged. “It’s okay, I guess. Bailey says I’m doing okay—”
“That’s because you are doing really well,” Bailey interrupted.
“I’m sooo slow.” Emma’s eyes were downcast, but she brightened when she looked back up. “But Bailey says he doesn’t mind and I need to keep practicing. I like reading out loud. When I do it in my head I lose patience and want to stop reading, but Bailey won’t let me give up. He makes me finish the chapter.”
Bailey chuckled. “Of course I won’t let you give up. I need to know what happens in the end.”
Emma rolled her eyes, but Tom could see she appreciated that Bailey didn’t make the reading all about her, expressing an interest in the stories too.
“What are you reading?” Tom asked, genuinely keen to know what the two of them were so engrossed in. The book was open on Emma’s lap, clearly a large print book, the text oversized and the words clear on the page.
“It’s called The Book Thief. Have you heard of it? It’s the story of a girl in Germany back in the war. She steals books and shares them with other people so they have something to read.”
“I haven’t heard of it but it sounds interesting.”
“You can borrow it after we’ve finished if you want?” Emma offered with a smile. She flicked her gaze to Bailey. “I mean… umm… it’s really Bailey’s book.”
“It’s okay. You can keep it or lend it or give it away. I bought the book for you, Emma. It’s yours to do anything you want with. And when you finish this one, we can get another.”
She looked at Bailey, the hero worship evident in her eyes. It was great to see them interacting—the encouragement from Bailey, his obvious happiness at helping out, and the amazement from Emma at everything Bailey was doing. Tom gave in to the urge, bending to place a kiss on the top of Bailey’s head. “You’re amazing,” he murmured against the soft strands of his hair, taking a moment to discreetly inhale Bailey’s scent.
Bailey tilted his head up and their eyes met. “Erm….” Bailey squirmed.
God, he’s hopeless at taking a compliment. Tom made it easy for him and changed the subject. “When you’ve finished here, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“How about now? Emma, you’re okay to continue on your own for a bit?” Bailey said.
“Sure.” She gave a thumbs up and immediately bent her head to the book.
Bailey followed Tom to the back of the cafe, helping him clear a table on their way past. They put the dishes on the counter next to the sink.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said, about offering a job to one of your kids.”
Bailey laughed. “They’re not my kids.”
Tom elbowed him and chuckled. “You know what I mean. Besides, they may as well be your kids, with how much you worry about them.”
Bailey’s face grew serious, his brows tightening. “Someone has to. Everyone needs someone to worry about them, someone to rely on. There are some parents that just shouldn’t have kids.”
“Agreed. Thank goodness for friends, huh?” Tom glanced to where Emma sat, still engrossed in her book. “Anyway, business has been picking up and I’ve got a few hours I’m looking to fill each day—waiting tables, making coffee, washing dishes.”
“I’m so glad you’re open to one of the kids.” Bailey reached out, giving Tom’s arm a squeeze through the fabric of his shirt.
“To be honest, it wasn’t my first option. I did contact Bobby yesterday. He’s the guy who used to work here in the mornings before I had to let him go. I wanted to give him first dibs. But it turns out he’s happy at his new job and they can offer him more hours than I can at the moment. But your suggestion made a great plan B.”
Bailey gave his arm another squeeze. “I’m glad you gave Bobby a call. I know you felt bad when you had to tell him there wasn’t enough work. But I hope it’s okay that a little part of me is glad he turned you down.”
Tom chuckled. “Not at all. I’m glad I can help out. Now tell me more about Cassie. She’s the one you thought would be a good fit?”
Bailey nodded. “Either her or Jude.” He launched into the story of Cassie’s background—not all the personal details but enough about her work experience to reassure Tom that she’d waited tables before and knew her way around a till.
“Will you pass on my details to her?” he asked.
“You bet. I’ll do it tonight so she can catch up with you tomorrow. Unless that’s too early?”
“It’s perfect. The sooner the better. You think she’ll be interested?”
“I know she will.” Bailey’s lips tilted in a smile. “I’m so glad things are looking up for you. And looking up for Cassie.”
“Me too.”
And Tom meant that from the bottom of his heart. He hadn’t felt so positive and hopeful about his future for a very long time, and he was happy he wasn’t the only one who had good things happening in his life.
* * *
By the beginning of September, business was picking up, so much so that having both Lauren and Cassie on board was now essential. Without the two casual workers, Tom had no doubt he’d be losing business due to his inability to keep up and serve customers in a timely manner—office workers didn’t want to wait around for takeaway coffee or waste their lunch break waiting for food. But he had other concerns too, things that were essential to get done to ensure he kept making forward progress.
He looked to Bailey as they walked down the aisle of the hardware store and stopped at a shelving display. “You see, the new office buildings also bring new cafes and I can’t afford to be left behind. There’s a risk I won’t attract new customers or I’ll even lose my existing customer base to the new businesses. Even if they aren’t attracted by the new and shiny, those cafes are bound to have opening specials and promotions designed to attract new customers.”
Bailey took a bottle from the shelf and passed it to Tom. “So you have to have something to keep your customers and to entice the workers in those new buildings to venture out and discover Take Two?”
“Exactly.” Tom took the sugar soap and scanned its label. “This makes up to forty litres and it’s only a couple of bucks. Good choice.” He dropped it in the trolley, along with the sandpaper, scraper, and other painting preparation supplies. “Everyone keeps telling me they love the atmosphere at Take Two—”
“That’s because it’s fabulous. Comfortable and cosy. Plus you make great coffee.”
Tom smiled at Bailey’s enthusiasm and was chuffed that Bailey was obviously his number-one fan. “Thanks. I agree it’s got a nice feel about the place, but there’s a difference between old world charm and plain decrepit. There are lots of areas in that building that are starting to get too close to old and worn rather than just showing character. I need to spruce things up a bit, give the interior a bit of a makeover without going over the top. Clean and fresh, not modern and cold.”
Bailey walked at his side as he pushed the trolley into the next aisle. “So a bit of painting? What else do you have planned?”
“Eventually I’d like to do the kitchen area. New appliances, new countertop, better storage, that type of thing. But for now I’m going to stick to the dining area and front counter because those are the areas the customers see. Fresh paint on the walls, sand the floors, and I’ll see if I can stretch to new fabric on the lounges. I’m not so good with interior design but I have a few ideas for decorating the space plus I’ve budgeted for some new crockery. Later I’ll do the fireplace and update the lighting.”
“It’s a long list.”
“Yep. Lucky I’ve got time.”
“And you’ve got friends who can help. You’re really lucky. I know the guys can give you a hand with expert advice, especially Phil when it comes to the kitchen stuff, and he no doubt knows heaps about construction and decorating.”
Tom felt the usual niggle at the thought of not doing everything by himself, but Bailey was right, he had people who were willing and able to give him a hand and he’d be biting off his nose to spite his face if he turned down the offers of assistance any longer. “Yeah. They’ve been hassling me to accept their advice and whatever else they can help with.”
“So why haven’t you? It seems like a no-brainer.”
Tom shrugged. The more he thought about it, the harder it was to put into words. Had he been stupid holding out so long? Once it had seemed so important to make a go of it by himself, to struggle for what he wanted, to build a business based on his own sweat and tears, but now he wasn’t so sure. “I guess in a way I’ve been trying to atone for mistakes of the past. It’s as though I felt I needed to struggle a bit to make it on my own. Does that make sense?”
Bailey frowned. “Not really. I think I’m missing something here. What mistakes?”
Tom manoeuvred the shopping trolley to the side so they weren’t blocking the aisle. He’d being seeing Bailey long enough now to want to tell him the truth about his earlier career and how things had gone so wrong. In fact, the way he felt about Bailey, he knew it was essential to do so if they were to have a future together, because a future should be based on truth and honesty, not secrets. “This wasn’t the sort of conversation I expected to have in Bunnings.” Tom swallowed a nervous chuckle. “I want to tell you about it but this isn’t really the place. Can we take a rain check?” He placed a hand on Bailey’s arm. “Please?”
Bailey looked him over for a moment, mouth opening before closing again. Finally he nodded. “Sure. But I can’t imagine it could have been that bad.”
Tom squeeze Bailey’s arm in thanks. “We’ll talk later. Promise.”
They completed the shopping, ticking the items off Tom’s list as they went, and it wasn’t long before the van was loaded and they were on their way back to the cafe.