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“I need you to make me the best cup of coffee you’ve ever made.”
Well that was different Carly thought before glancing up. Usually she got mundane, routine orders. The same people ordering the same things day in and day out. Mostly ER docs rushing through or harried nurses trying to grab some caffeine before their shift. This guy’s words definitely caught her attention and she glanced, up sensing there was something more to this order and then stopped when she had to keep looking up to reach the oh so pretty hazel eyes of the very tall guy in front of her.
Oh, he was just too yummy, Carly thought her eyes roving over his tall frame. He was built, she noted as her eyes moved over his chest, but not too muscly like he spent hours working out. No, this guy actually used those muscles for something and wouldn’t she like to find out what.
“And just who would I be making this coffee for?” she asked with a smile that was just this side of hungry. The guy blinked and pulled back just a bit.
“Um, Sam, my names Sam,” he said and Carly liked him, liked the hesitation in his voice, the fact that even though he knew she was very obviously flirting with him that he seemed unsure if he should respond. No way was this guy not used to being noticed. You didn’t look like that and not get used to it. But he didn’t assume, didn’t seem to think it was normal. So not full of himself, Carly noted. Bonus points for that.
Carly gave him her best smile, the one that had won her a title in the yearbook. “Hi Sam. I’m Carly.” She stuck her hand out and after half a second’s hesitation Sam reached out and shook it, his large hand all but swallowing her own. As he let her hand go Carly reached for her largest cup and got her pen at the ready to mark down his order. Even though she was fairly sure she knew the answer she couldn’t help but ask, “So Sam am I making this coffee for you?”
“Uh, no, not me.” Oh God, he was blushing. Kill me now, Carly thought. He was just too adorable.
“Didn’t think so,” Carly muttered. She glanced up into those hazel eyes again and grinned. She couldn’t imagine a guy asking for the best coffee ever made for himself. Nope, a guy asking for that had a plan, a motive and most likely it involved a girl. Or another guy. Whatever. She didn’t judge. “So what exactly does this best cup of coffee ever involve?”
Obviously more comfortable with this question Sam smiled, full dimples showing and Carly had to stop herself from swooning. She loved dimples, had since the third grade when Jimmy Banks had moved to town and smiled at her. One look at those dimples and she was a goner. Sam gave her a pretty clear idea of what he wanted - lots of cinnamon, super sweet and Carly nodded, jotting it down. She knew exactly what to make.
“So who’s it for?” she asked as she got the roaster going. Sure she could have used beans she already had ground but Sam here had asked for the best cup of coffee ever and she planned on delivering.
“Uh,” Sam ran a nervous hand through his hair – pretty, bouncy, shiny hair that no man should have Carly thought. “My girlfriend.” He hesitated a second then said, “Well I guess technically she’s not my girlfriend right now since we’re broke up but I’m hoping to change that.”
Carly smiled. He was a talker. She liked that. This job could be boring as hell and the customers who wanted to talk were usually the ones she wished wouldn’t – The grandmothers who wanted to fix her up with their skeezy grandsons, the pre-teen boys who were convinced they could get her number, or worst of all the patients who wanted to tell her all about their medical procedure. Ugh, no thanks. So getting a customer who wanted to talk who was cute and actually interesting? Yes, please. Her day was made.
“And coffee is the way to do that?” Carly teased giving him a flirtatious smile which Sam returned, maybe not so high on the flirtatious meter, more on the I’m a nice guy side. But he was hot enough that she’d take it.
“I’m hoping it’s a start.”
Carly raised an eyebrow at that as she pulled the espresso shot. “She a big fan of coffee?”
“Yeah, she uh, she likes cinnamon a lot. And cinnamon coffee, she’s obsessed with it.” Sam met her eyes for a second those pretty eyes of his holding hers and for just a moment Carly could see the longing there. Whoever this girl was he wanted her back desperately. And God it must be nice to have someone want you like that.
Her mind flashed back to when he’d come into the lobby today. She noticed most people who came in and he’d been with another tall guy and a redhead. She’d seen him here before she realized with a whole different group of people – another redhead, an older guy and a few times with a tall dark-haired girl. Was that her, the girlfriend/not a girlfriend he was buying the coffee for Carly wondered eyeing Sam curiously now. She’d seen them together a few times and they’d definitely been the type of couple people noticed, both disgustingly attractive and tall with something a little dangerous about them both. She and her co-worker Ben had a whole story made up for the group - who they were coming to see, what had happened to put them there. Like she said, boring job. And the two guys in the group were hot so that gave them both plenty to discuss.
Carly smiled at him now. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a guy try and get a girl back using one of my drinks. It’s kind of flattering actually.”
Sam smiled and there was a touch of nervousness there now. Whatever this plan of his was he wasn’t one hundred percent sure it would work. He wanted it to but he wasn’t totally convinced it would. Carly wondered if that was due to him or the girl? What had happened exactly? She couldn’t help but wonder – she was naturally curious and anyway a guy like this, Carly let her eyes trace over his arms while she poured the milk and felt herself give a little shiver. Well he was the type of guy that would make any girl curious.
“Her sister suggested it, well I mean not the coffee exactly but the idea. The coffee just fits because I know just how she likes hers and we would always make it for each other…” Sam broke off maybe realizing just how much he was sharing with a virtual stranger.
“And the idea would be?” Carly asked as she added the cinnamon syrup, extra heavy and Sam blushed again. Hey, if this plan didn’t work on this girl Carly would be more than happy to step in. Dimples, a body like that and as sweet as Sam seemed to be sounded like the whole package to her.
Sam sighed. “She said I should take every chance to remind her of what she misses about me, to make her miss me.” Sam shrugged.
Carly’s eyes lit up. “Oh, like the song!” Sam gave her a blank look. “You know,” Carly cleared her throat then sang softly, “I ain't gonna be that easy to leave…Girl, I'm gonna make you miss me, Make you wish that you were sleeping in my shirt, Lie about my jacket and tell everyone it's yours, When your phone rings after midnight and you're thinking maybe it's me, I'm gonna make you miss me.” She stopped and glanced up at Sam. “That one, you know it?” Sam shook his head an amused smile on his lips at her impromptu concert and it was Carly’s turn to blush now. “Well you should listen to it. It’s a good one.” She added sugar to the coffee making it extra sweet like Sam had requested. “And good advice too.”
“Yeah?” Sam asked obviously hoping for some reassurance that this was in fact a good plan.
“Oh yeah,” Carly said enthusiastically. “I mean it would totally work on me.” She flashed Sam a smile and laughed softly as he blushed again. This was the most fun she’d had at work in a week. She topped the coffee with whipped cream and finished it off with some ground cinnamon sprinkled on top.
“That’s good to hear,” Sam said and Carly finished up his order, took his money and handed over the coffee.
“Well that was a lot of pressure, I mean the fate of your very relationship resting on my coffee making skills but I feel confident that’s the best damn cup of coffee I’ve ever made,” Carly said with a smile which Sam returned brightly.
“Thanks, Carly,” he said, reading the name on her nametag finally. “I appreciate it.” He put a nice tip in the tip jar and Carly’s smile grew. If this girl didn’t take Sam back she was an idiot.
“You know words help too,” she offered helpfully. “I mean I know hearing what someone liked about me, what they missed that would definitely earn some points with me.” Sam smiled in thanks and Carly felt her stomach give a little flip.
“Hey Sam?” she called as he turned to walk away. He turned back with a questioning look and she let herself soak in the attractive picture he made. “If your plan doesn’t work? She’s not the only girl in the world.” Carly smiled at him in a way that got her message across loud and clear. “You wouldn’t even have to buy me a cup of coffee.”
She laughed softly to herself as Sam once again blushed and with one more half embarrassed/half pleased smile made his way into the elevator. And with a sigh Carly got back to her normal day of boring customers. But bright side – Ben came on in just a little over an hour and what a story she had to tell him!