The Barista Whose Order Was Already Waiting

When Marcus Chen walked into a small coffee shop in Asheville, North Carolina, on his first day at a new job, the barista slid a cortado across the counter before he even opened his mouth. "Double shot, oat milk, no sugar," she said. Marcus stared. He had never set foot in this shop. He had moved to Asheville only the night before, knowing no one in town.…