Excerpt from Cara Mia Delgatto and the Thanksgiving Gift

“Another
beautiful fall day here in southeast Florida,” said MJ Austin, my friend
and full-time employee. She poured herself a fresh cup of coffee, the fragrances
of vanilla and cinnamon mingled in the air. When I gestured with my empty cup, she
poured me a warm-up.

While
she had the pot in her hand, MJ cocked her head at Skye’s cup. “Want
some?”

“No,
thanks. I’m drinking Yerba Mate,” Skye said.

“Sorry
I asked,” said MJ. “That stuff is just plain nasty.”

They
are such a study in contrasts. While Skye’s curls tumble down around her
shoulders, MJ wears her hair pulled off of her face. They are both gorgeous
women, both blonde, and very different from each other. I’ve been blessed to
welcome them into my life. Doubly-blessed that they’re my co-workers at the
store.

“Granted,
Yerba Mate isn’t as tasty as coffee, but I like it,” said Skye. “It gives
me extra energy. I need it when I’m working an extra shift over at
Pumpernickel’s Deli.”

“I
hope you aren’t racing over to the deli right away,” I said. “We need
to discuss the upcoming holiday. Specifically, how we can leverage Thanksgiving
as a way to boost our sales.”

The
Treasure Chest is a d