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Since she’d started college in Boston, Robin’s chances to see Steve had seriously diminished.
Not that Steve was still in Indiana or anything, he’d moved with her, they just weren’t roommates like they were in Indy that one summer, and between her classes and his work schedule, they hardly saw each other.
However when they did manage to get together, it was always an event.
They were going to dinner and ice cream near Steve’s apartment, and were fully committed to a night of drinking and bitching about each other's love lives.
It was going to be a great night.
“I know I shouldn’t think about her, but you dated her didn’t you? How long did it take to get over her?”
“A while, Robs, but that’s why I’m telling you you need to let her go.”
“I’ve let her go, she’s gone, she hasn’t called me first in months, why should I care.”
Steve gave her an unimpressed stare, but before he could say anything, the waitress walked up to their table. Her name tag read Chrissy, which Robin thought was the perfect name for the bubbly blonde.
“Did you have enough time to look at the menu?” she asked.
“We did,” Steve answered. “I’ll have the BLT please.”
“Alright, and for you?”
“I’ll have the house burger, but can I get that without tomatoes?”
“Absolutely, no tomatoes, got it. Is ketchup still okay?”
“Yeah, ketchup is fine, I just don’t like the texture of tomatoes themselves.”
“I’m right there with you, hon, I have the same problem with cooked peppers.”
“Oh my god, that’s the worst, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine, we always find ways to deal, don’t we?” She winked at Robin, who smiled. “I’ll get that right in for you, and I’ll grab you another round of drinks if you’re ready.”
They both gave the affirmative, and she gave them another smile before she walked off.
“You have been using Nancy as a distraction all night, I desperately need to hear about your roommate that you’re not at all in love with,” Robin told Steve once the waitress was gone.
Steve stared at her for a beat before scoffing. “Sure, bring up the roommate, why don’t you? I’ve told you before, nothing can happen there. It look long enough to find a roommate, I can’t fuck this up.”
“Even if he’s hot as shit and acts interested in you?”
“And occasionally walks around in just a towel which leaves very little to the imagination,” Steve mumbled.
Robin shrieked and smacked him with a napkin. “Oh my god, you’re joking. Details, I need to know how this happened.”
“Jesus Christ, quiet down and I’ll tell you. My lord, people are staring, Robin.”
“Sorry, sorry, please continue.”
Half way through his story about the hot water going out when he’d had an irregular day off from work that somehow was way more involved than Robin had expected, the waitress brought their food.
“BLT for you, and a burger, no tomato for the lady,” their waitress said as she sat the plates down. “Let me know if you need anything else, alright?”
“For sure, thanks,” Robin responded, still mostly enthralled with Steve’s story.
Steve barely paused either, only doing so long enough to smile at the waitress and focus back on Robin before he continued.
Robin was putting money on Steve making out with his roommate within a week. Why are their mating rituals so intricate?
“It’s almost like he’s flirting with me, but I think he’s just being nice.”
“So I see we still haven’t unpacked your homoerotic friendship with that friend of yours from high school yet.”
“Leave Tommy out of this, jackass.”
The bickering continued until their food and drinks had all been finished, and the waitress dropped off their check.
Robin sighed. “Alright, who’s turn is it to pay while the other person argues about it like we haven’t been doing this since high school?”
“It’s mine,” Steve said, pulling out his wallet. “Want to pick up ice cream on the way home?”
“You read my mind,” she said, grabbing her jacket and bag. “Let me go wash my hands before we leave, and then head back to yours for movies, more drinks, and a hangover tomorrow morning.”
“Ugh, don’t even say the word, Robs. But yes, exactly that, let’s go.”
The waitress picked up his card while Robin was still there, and evidently dropped it back off while she was in the bathroom. Steve grabbed his copy of the receipt and they went back to his car.
The rest of the night went exactly as described. It was their tradition, and neither of them had to work in the morning.
Even if they did feel like shit the morning after.
Steve handed Robin a cup of coffee and a painkiller.
She grumbled her thanks and flopped down at his kitchen table. “I’m really glad Eddie is out of town, I love the guy, but I don’t know him well enough for him to see me like this.”
“He definitely wouldn’t care, but I get it. He’s a real sweetheart, I promise.”
“Jesus Christ, I can’t wait for this guy to fuck you.”
He smacked her lightheartedly, but seemed to brighten as if he realized something. “Speaking of getting fucked-”
“If this is about Nancy, I don’t want to hear it, I will throw up on you.”
“It’s not about Nancy, it’s about someone else who might be interested in you.”
“Literally who else do I know who likes women that I have a shot with?”
“Well, I mean, the waitress was flirting with you.”
“The waitress was what now?”
“Flirting. With you, Robin Kathrine Buckley.”
“The waitress from last night?”
“Yes, that waitress.”
“She was not flirting, Steve, what the hell. Why on earth would you even say that?”
“First of all, did you not notice she didn’t look my way the whole night? She looked at you every time she came to the table. Also, you talked to her about vegetables.”
“So?”
“Robin, platonic love of my life, that’s a conversation you only have with someone you’d be interested in having other conversations with.”
“I thought it was a normal conversation,” Robin muttered. “I still don’t believe you.”
“Fine.” Steve got up and walked towards the door, as if to leave.
“This is your apartment, Steve, you can’t just storm out.”
“That’s not what I’m doing.”
She heard some shuffling and a noise of triumph before he came back in and slammed something on the table in front of her.
“That’s our receipt from last night. I’m going to take a wild guess and say I wasn’t the one she left her number for.”
Sure enough, Robin was staring down at the set of numbers scrawled in the same neat, black pen their order had been, alongside another message.
‘If you need help with the hangover you’re planning, I know a great place for coffee. X, Chrissy’’
“What.”
“I’d take her up on that,” Steve said. “You look like shit but you can use my shower if you want.”
“I should call her?”
“Robin, if I have to dial the number for you, I will. Call her.”
She dialed the number and prayed to anyone listening that Steve was right.
“Hello?” a feminine voice answered.
“Um, hi, I’m sorry, Would your name happen to be Chrissy?”
“Yes,” the voice answered slowly.
“Okay, okay, sorry, hi, I’m Robin, I think you were our waitress last night, and you left your number on our receipt.”
“Tomato girl!”
“Yeah, that’s me, I’m tomato girl.”
Steve snorted from where he was clearly eavesdropping.
She ignored him. “Listen, I’d love to take you up on that cup of coffee if you’re still interested.”
“Definitely still interested. How soon can you be at The Brewery coffee house?”
“Give me 45 minutes.”
“Perfect, see you then, cutie.”
The line clicked, and Robin sat frozen in her seat.
“Are you okay over there?”
“She called me cutie.”
“You’re meeting her in 45 minutes, you need to snap out of it and get in the shower.”
“This is true. Go through my overnight bag and find something suitable for a coffee date and substitute whatever you have to with things I’m sure I’ve left here.”
“Got it,” Steve saluted and went off to find her bag while Robin made her way to the bathroom.
20 minutes later she felt loads better, and Steve had left a change of clothes on the counter for her.
“Is this your shirt?”
“Not sure, it’s one of ours though.”
“Cool.”
She changed and made a checklist of everything she needed before running out the door, promising Steve she’d text him updates and be back for her stuff later with a full debrief.
As she raced down the stairs, she almost knocked Eddie over as he came home.
“Eddie!”
“Robin, how are you?”
“Great, can’t stay and talk, but I’ll see you later. And actually,” she said, grabbing his wrist. “Ordinarily I wouldn’t do this and let you morons work things out at your own pace, but Steve did something nice for me this morning so this is me returning the favor.”
She took a deep breath, allowing Eddie’s concerned face to ground her. “You’re not delusional, the feeling is mutual. You should definitely kiss him when you walk in the door.”
“Okay?”
“Great, hope you two finally bang it out! Put a sock or something on the door though, I’m coming back later and would rather not see your bare naked ass.”
“Noted.”
“Bye Eddie!”
And with that, she flew down the staircase and put the door in the direction she knew the coffee shop was.