Coffee Scoop Read Free Page A

to deserve it until recently.
    But then that’s why he kept his briefcase around. All it took was one look at the reminder of his former life and thankfulness overwhelmed him. To think he’d once believed that happiness could be found in faster cars, fuller bank accounts, and expensive toys.
    Funny how much he had now that he’d given almost everything away. Maybe he would save that story for another day – should the Lord decide they were to meet again, that is.
    She asked him something about California, something he barely heard for the memories. Pressing them back into the corner of his mind where they belonged, Ryan focused on Carrie.  
    “I’ve been lost in thought,” he said. “Something about this place, I guess. Please forgive me.”
    “Nothing to forgive,” she said with a shrug. “I believe you were asking me about California.” When she nodded, he continued. “Actually my business was up in Seattle. My direct flight to Austin got redirected and the rest is history.”
    Carrie seemed to mull the statement over a moment. “So you got bumped too.”
    “Yes, I guess so. Why?”
    Again she seemed to be thinking. “Interesting,” she said as her phone rang. Probably Millie. She’d called twice since the plane landed, each time leaving a detailed message regarding the speed in which Carrie should return the call.
    Checking the caller ID, she frowned. “I’m sorry, Ryan, but I have to get this one. It’s my boss.”
    “Of course,” he said as she rose. “Go ahead. I should probably call my office and let them know I arrived okay.”
    He watched her sprint toward the exit then picked up his own phone and dialed the main number of Heavenly Beans to leave a message for Alvaro on the voice mail. A second call, this to his home produced the same result – the answering machine. Tempted to call the house mother at Casa de Dios, Ryan scolded himself as a worry wart instead.
    Someone will call you back. It’s nothing.
    But it felt like something. With all the live bodies in the vicinity of those three phones, the odds of getting even a single voice mail were high. Multiplied times three gave him pause for concern.
    Still, there was nothing he could do sitting here in Austin. He left the business in the capable hands of Alvarado and the orphanage in the capable hands of Mama Zadora. Someone would call him back.
    He checked his watch. A quarter to eight. He’d call again in an hour.
    Ryan looked up as his companion wound her way through the maze of tables to rejoin him. They had moved from the formal to the informal in the span of half an hour, and he now thought of her as Carrie.  
    As he watched her sidestep a crawling baby, he imagined her back in Costa Rica doing the same thing. When she stopped to lift the cooing baby into her arms then return him to his mother, Ryan’s heart melted.
    She was a natural with children, this city girl. He sent a quick prayer skyward that the Lord would someday bless her with babies of her own.
    “I’m sorry,” she said as she allowed him to help her settle into her seat. “I’ve been away from the office for less than a week but you would think I’d been gone a month.”
    “I understand,” he said. And he did.  
    “What an interesting place.” Carrie pushed aside the half-eaten plate of flan to meet his gaze. “You seem to know the owner. Is he from Costa Rico?”
    “Javier?” Ryan shook his head. “No, he’s from Monterrey, I believe.”
    “Ah.” She sipped at her water then gently swirled the ice with a twist of her wrist. Her gaze held steady but several emotions seemed to cross her face. Finally she met his inquiring look. “I was wondering if . . .” She paused. “What I mean is . . .”
    “Carrie?” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. “Is there something wrong?”
    “Wrong? No, nothing. . .actually, yes.” She took a hasty sip of water then set the glass down a bit too hard. “Look, I’ve made no secret of the fact