Chapter Fifteen

“What happened?” I rushed to the front when I heard him curse, something very unusual for him. Snark yes, swearing, no. He said his dads always taught him that it was lazy to curse when there were so many other words that would do a better job. “Glen?”

“I’m so sorry, boss.” Glen was talking to me but staring at his phone. “He…I…I have to go.”

“Go where? Did you need to leave early?”

“I need to go home, to my family, my pack. My alpha dad was in an accident and he…” A sob shook his shoulders. “They don’t know if he’s going to make it.”

Glen’s family were lumberjacks, and an accident in that line of work could mean any number of horrors up to and including death. I wanted to ask more questions, but getting him home was much more important.

“We need to get you on the first flight out.”

“No, I can drive.”

“Of course you can, but the sooner you get there, the sooner you can help out.” He was, above all, a helpful guy, and I hoped that would make him do it my way. The idea of him driving over a thousand miles while waiting for updates that might not be good news terrified me. I had my phone out already. “If you leave now and run home to pack a bag, we can get you on a direct flight. An airport car will pick you up in forty-five minutes, so you’d better get going.”

“Wait, I haven’t paid for anything. Don’t you need my card, or can I pay at the airport?” He was too pale and I was glad I ordered the car. He only lived a few streets over, so no driving to get home.

“It’s all paid for, and the boarding pass and car info have been sent to your email. Now go.” I got his jacket from the hook in the back room and shoved it in his arms. “And let me know how things are going when you get there.”

“I’ll pay you when I get back. I’m so sorry to leave you in the lurch like this. It’s busy and—”

“You will not pay me back. This is a bonus for all your hard work. Come back when you can, and know that I will appreciate you all the more.” I gave him a little push toward the door. “Now, go, and if you need anything or if your dads do, you call me right away.”

“You’ve already done too much.”

“Promise me you’ll call and not do without something you or your family need.” They weren’t broke at all, but in emergencies, things came up.

“Okay. I promise. Be back soon as I can.” And he was out the door.

Two seconds later, Pike came in. “Hey, what’s wrong with Glen? Did you fire him?”

“No, he’s a great employee. But a family emergency came up. He’s going to be away for a while.”

“Nothing too serious, I hope.”

“His family is in the timber industry and there was an accident, one of his dads, and sounds pretty serious.” Human resources among shifters were different than humans. More a sharing is caring than a privacy situation, often.

“Oh no. Poor guy. Can I do anything to help? Drive him somewhere?”

“It’s all taken care of. He’ll be flying out in a few hours. But that is really nice of you to ask.”

“Wow. You never know when something like that is going to hit you. Makes a person appreciate when things are going well.”

“You’re right there. He’s a whiz as a barista and always willing to help with anything else that comes up. Also great with the customers and good company for me.”

“His coffee is delicious.” Pike shook his head slowly. “This must really be putting you in a bind. Do you have anyone else to take his place?”

“He’s it. I’ll put an ad in the local online newspaper, but it’s not going to be easy to get someone who knows what they’re doing. By the time they learn, I imagine Glen will be back.”

“Yeah, I can see that.”

“I’m not sure what else to do.” We had to stop talking long enough for me to make a couple of ices lattes for a pair of ladies who also wanted to know where Glen was. He had quite a fan club. I just told them he was away but would be back.

Once they left, three city workers stopped in for iced tea and some of our double-chocolate cookies to get them through the rest of the day, then an office worker who needed six different drinks for a meeting. They were one after another and while I could handle the orders, it would take up all my time and leave nothing for all the other tasks I had to do. My brain was running a mile a minute, trying to think of an alternative.

“Anyway, Pike, I… What are you doing?”

“Bussing.” He filled one of the dish bins and set it aside to wipe down the table and chairs. “What did it look like?”

“Like bussing. Thanks.”

“It’s okay. I was just standing here, and you were running your ursine socks off.”

I chuckled at the image of a bear in socks. “I’m going to have to get used to it and hope Glen’s father heals quickly and he can get back here before I need to darn them, those socks I mean.”

He laughed politely at my bad joke. “There has to be a better way.”

“Well, I need a barista. I don’t suppose you’ve ever done that?”

“I’ve done everything.”