Coffee Wars - Free Excerpt # 1

Coffee Wars - Blurb

16-year-old Christina works part-time at May’s Coffee Shop in the Orlando, Florida area.  It’s a cushy job for her because her older sister is the assistant manager, and the owner appreciates her work ethic.  Then Expresso Coffee and Tea Company moves in across the street.  What follows is a battle royale between a local mom and pop shop and a highly competitive national franchise, and Christina’s cushy job turns into a fight for survival.

Coffee Wars - Chapter One, Part One

Christina stood alone inside May’s Coffee Shop, staring out the front window, thinking her job as a barista probably wouldn’t last much longer. May’s, a central Florida establishment with a thirty-four-year history, began steadily losing business the minute Expresso Coffee and Tea Company opened its door in the strip mall across the street. That was three days ago.

Despite there being five other Expresso locations in the greater Orlando area, people flocked to this new shop. Customers waited in a slithery line that snaked onto the sidewalk and into the parking lot.

With a sigh, Christina turned and walked behind the counter. She made herself an iced chai latte and fed three dollars to the open cash register drawer. The rule at May's was that employees got a 50% discount.  But from what Christina had seen, she was the only one who ever actually paid.

As she sipped her drink, she pondered May’s future, as well as her own. Not that she had much of a future yet. She was only sixteen, and May’s was her first job, which she only got because her older sister April was the assistant manager. Considering the owner’s financial irresponsibility, she figured May’s doors would close for good within a month.

She took her drink and her laptop and set herself up at the two-seater table closest to the counter. It was job search time. Maybe Expresso was still hiring.

The front door opened, and she glanced up. “It’s a mad house across the street,” April said as she crossed to the counter.

“You sound surprised.”

April stuffed her purse under the counter. “I guess I figured the excitement would have died down by now.” Stepping next to me, she peered at my computer screen. “What are you doing?”

“Looking for a new job.”

“What for?”

“Because May’s isn’t going to be open much longer.”

She looked at Christina. “Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t you think you’re being a little dramatic?”

“No, I don’t.” Christina tapped the down arrow to a promising job post headline. “You should start looking for a new job, too.”

“I’m not going–” But April shut up when Buddy, May’s owner, walked in from the back patio.

“What’s going on?” Buddy asked.

Christina lifted her chin toward Expresso. “We were just talking about all the excitement across the street.”

“Oh, that.” Buddy flicked his hand at Christina and April. “I don’t even want to hear about it. Those guys are killing my business.”

He came closer, and Christina caught a whiff of the marijuana he’s been smoking behind the shop. With an owner who spent most of his time and money on weed, as well as a fierce rival taking up residency across the street, May’s was doomed.

“You should’ve sold out when you had the chance, Buddy,” Christina said.

April huffed. “Selling out is the worst thing he could do.”

Christina eyed her sister. “You’re just saying that because your competitive streak is a mile long.”

April straightened her back. “At least I have a competitive streak. It shows I care about something. Unlike you, who only cares about being a slacker.”

“I’m sixteen, I go to school, and I have a part-time job. You do the same thing, except you’re in college not high school. If I’m a slacker, so are you.”

“If you two are done bickering like children,” Buddy said, motioning toward April. “You’re on shift now?”

“Uh huh.”

“Then grab some fresh pastries from the storage room.”

“Sure.”

Christina scanned the pastry display case. It was still full, but she thought it was probably best to keep the observation to myself. Buddy is clearly in denial.

© 2024 Beth Pontorno