Welcome to The Perks, a neighborhood coffee shop.
Chapter 3
The Perks, a popular hot spot with the locals, was near the bus stop most of the corporate types used to get from the north side of downtown. Since taking over The Rainbow Mirage, Ren pushed open that glass door each morning to grab her a piping hot New Orleans style coffee and a bagel. There weren’t many shops that brewed a dark roast over chicory root, something she missed from her days in Louisiana. She also loved that the baristas remembered her standard order, which was often ready when she got to the counter.
At the helm, Paisley greeted Ren with her usual cheerful boost of energy. “Morning! Salvador is on a break, so it’s just me at the moment. As soon as it’s ready, I’ll give you a holler.”
“Thanks.” She placed her ten-dollar bill on the counter and stepped aside.
When she turned around to find a place to sit, she noticed the young woman who walked into her gallery searching for an internship. Avery. The young woman’s name and face continued to be in her thoughts since their meeting. In fact, she spent a good portion of her evening glancing over her portfolio. Young Avery was not only attractive, but a promising talent. Her ability to capture the natural beauty of her subjects was impressive.
Ren motioned toward her with the side of her mouth quirked up. “Hi! Avery, right?”
Her head popped up from the application with a delicate blush dusting her cheeks, as if embarrassed to be caught applying for another job. Her hand tucked the paper close to her chest. “Oh, hi. Yes. Avery. Avery Gray. Nice to see you again.”
“Mind if I sit for a few while I wait?” When Avery nodded toward the empty chair, Ren felt an apologetic for casting the woman off. “So, you’re applying for a job here?”
“I still need to find a placement for those internship hours needed for my program. Plus, the extra cash wouldn’t hurt.”
Nico’s insistence, along with the talent demonstrated in Avery’s work, she was already going to call Avery for an interview. It was fortuitous that they had just been in the same place and. “I had a look at your portfolio. You’re good, you know.”
“Thanks. I want to push my art further.”
“An excellent artist always wants to push the boundaries. What are you striving for in your work, if I may ask?”
Avery’s eyes brightened, eager to discuss art. Ren knew that expression because Teagan had one similar when they met during a lecture. “I want to do nudes accentuating light and shadow, unique angles, and imaginative composition ideas.”
There was a common ground. “Tasteful yet provocative. Edgy, but not pornographic.”
“For sure!”
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