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Then I remembered the tin buckets I’d ht they were just placed here and there as part of the random collections Nope Rain catchers Of course there was a leaky roof

Sighing, I pulled my blankets off to the side, replaced the buckets where I could find the drips, and curled back into a ball I mentally added another task to my to-do list I fell back into a troubled sleep while listening to:

Drip

Drip

Drippity drip

The next ure out how to make the Eisenhower-era coffeepot work, before I remembered that Jessica had said she opened her shop at 6 a to take so to), I was in my car and into town almost as soon as I could throw on soht before had scrubbed clean the already fresh air, and by the time I’d hit the front door of Cliffside Coffee, the cobere mostly swept from my brain

A bell tinkled overheard as I opened the door, and I saw that lots of people started their day here It was a cross between old-fashioned dive diner and cozy coffee shop, and heads turned to check out my arrival But all in a pleasant Hi how are you? kind of way I spied Jessica behind the counter, and she wavedCoffee?"

"Bless you"

"Black, right?"

"As ratefully accepting a rin, then topped off several other custoht That pizza was like a gift froods"

"I told you! No one knows meat like my boyfriend Eyes on your own breakfast there, Mr Martin I know exactly what I just said," she warned, thuuessed rinned at her but did indeed go back to his own breakfast "Hoas your first night?"

"Shitty, actually Leaky roof"

"Ugh The worst" She nodded sympathetically, then looked down at the menu "You knohat you want?"

I was fa on ry Man breakfast"

"Nice," she said "I’ll go put the order in" Shecare of her other custos There was an interestingThere seemed to be an artistic bent to this coranola/free spirit vibe along with a side of coastal chic I saw a few guys dressed in coveralls, and it ht et some work done on the house, roof, porch, et cetera, any recommendations on who to hire?"

"Sure, plenty Want me to put the word out?"

"Yeah, I’m not a hundred percent sure what I’ll need yet, but there’s definitely so awhile," she observed, looking atsing intoa bottle of hot sauce in front of roup that had just coo, and thanked Jessica in advance for putting the word out to get some help I headed back to the housewhere there was a coaiting for me