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Phil’s head snaps up as soon as he hears the doorbell ding, and smiles as soon as he sees a customer walk in through the door, the first customer he’s had in twenty minutes so he’s ready to serve. “Hi there! Welcome to The Bean Counter , how may I help you today? Would you like to try our new holiday drink?”
The man lifts his head up, a frown on his face. “You’re… new?”
Phil blinks, and he slowly nods. “Yes. I just started two days ago,” he says. “So, I guess I am new.”
“What happened to the one girl? Uh… Louise?” The brown-haired man asks. “She knows my order.”
“Afraid she’s not in today. She’s actually out of town for the weekend,” Phil explains to the customer. “But, I’m sure I'll still be able to help you. What can I get for you today? I strongly recommend-”
“I don’t want to try one of your annoying holiday drinks. I just want my coffee,”
Phil huffs, feeling himself slightly annoyed by the customer, but the quicker he makes this coffee, the quicker this customer can leave. He’s not going to let this Grinch ruin his perfectly good day. “Okay. Then what kind of coffee would you like me to make?”
“I would like an Americano,” the man grumbles, and he starts pulling out his wallet.
“That will be-”
“I know how much it is,” the man says, handing Phil a five dollar bill.
Phil stares at him for a moment, before taking the bill from him, and starts to pull out the change. “So, are you always this rude to people who make your coffee?”
“Excuse me? I’m not being rude. I just don’t have time to bother with your holiday drinks, and it is way too early in the morning to be so… chipper ,” the man takes the change from Phil.
“We have a holiday drink designed after the Grinch. You should try it,” Phil says. “Name?”
“Daniel,” the man grumbles, and he crosses his arms against his chest.
Phil writes the name Daniel on the cup with a sharpie, before turning around so he can finally start making the Americano. How boring , Phil can’t help but think as he makes the drink.
Phil finally gets the coffee made, and he turns around so he can hand it to the customer. “Thank you, have a wonderful evening,”
“Unlikely,” the customer mutters before turning, and walking out of the coffee shop.
“Grinch,” Phil mutters under his breath, and he shakes his head.
“I see you’ve met the ever-so kind Dan,”
Phil looks over and sees the manager, PJ, who’s just walked out from the back. “He’s a regular?”
“Comes in every morning. He orders the same thing, and as long as I’ve known him, he’s never gotten anything but his usual.. I know I’m not supposed to tell you this, but I would recommend not recommending our holiday drinks to him. He’s never bothered to try any of them and gets grumpy when you try to recommend them to him,” PJ informs Phil.
“But, I mean, how could you not love the holiday drinks? They are the best part of the holiday season!” Phil exclaims. “And I’m saying this as a customer, not as someone who works here now.”
PJ chuckles, and he nods in agreement. “I agree. Unfortunately, not everyone agrees,”
Phil huffs once more. “I’ll get him to try one of our drinks,”
“If he comes back,” PJ says, and he shakes his head. “Anyways. Are you ready for your first break?”
“Yeah, I could use a break. Thanks PJ,” Phil says, and starts untying his apron. He gives PJ a smile before turning, and heading towards the back. He walks back to the break room, and plops down on the couch. Phil frowns as he sits there for a moment, staring at nothing, pondering over the interaction he had early with the customer, Dan, his name was. “Who hates holiday drinks?” He shakes his head.
Phil goes about his day, and eventually forgets about the Grinch who hates holiday drinks. He doesn’t think about it again until the next day, when Dan comes in at the same time.
Phil looks up, and freezes slightly when he sees the familiar brown headed man come into the shop.
Dan looks up, and seems just as disappointed to see Phil as Phil is to see him. “Oh. You again?”
“I work here. Still feeling just as Grinch as you were yesterday?” Phil asks in a calm tone, and starts getting Dan’s order up, because he made sure to remember what Dan’s coffee order was previously. Americano . It’s pretty simple to remember, and pretty easy for Phil to make. “You’ll get the Americano?”
Dan blinks as he stares at Phil. “Yes?”
“Excellent, and since you already know how much it is, you can just hand me your payment,” Phil says, unable to stop himself from smirking as he sees the surprised look on Dan’s face.
Dan stares at Phil as he hands him the money, and takes the change back from Phil. “Really? You’re not going to try and force your holiday drinks on me today?”
“Well, uh… do you want me to?” Phil asks. “Because, I can recommend some to you if you’d like me to. My favorite holiday drink is currently the peppermint mocha.”
Dan makes a disgusted face. “That sounds horrific. Peppermint mocha ?”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds, y’know?” Phil says, and he turns around to start making the drink.
Dan stands there, quietly, watching as Phil easily makes his coffee drink. He’s impressed, because this is going a lot different than it was yesterday, and Phil’s not as unbearably chipper either.
Once finished, Phil turns around, and he writes the name Dan on the cup, before handing it to him. “Hope you enjoy it. I’m sure I’ll see you tomorrow morning,”
“Uh yeah. Thanks,” Dan mumbles before turning and exiting the coffee shop.
Phil grins, feeling proud of himself. No, Dan didn’t try one of their holiday drinks today, but he didn’t get all completely grumpy when Phil mentioned their Peppermint Mocha, and he was only mildly disgusted. But, Phil’s still determined to get Dan’s heart to grow three times bigger.
The next time Phil sees Dan, it’s not actually at the coffee shop. Phil’s in the local mall doing some Christmas shopping. There’s only a few weeks until Christmas and Phil needs to find his family the perfect Christmas presents for when he sees them on Christmas day.
Phil’s just gotten some hot chocolate and is about to turn to exit the bakery shop he’s in, when he bumps into someone. Luckily, he doesn’t spill his hot chocolate, because that would have been more of a disaster, and Phil would have felt extremely bad if he spilled fresh hot chocolate on a stranger.
“Oh my gosh. I’m sorry!” Phil exclaims, his eyes widening in panic.
“No worries, mate,”
Phil looks over at the man he ran into, and stops when he recognizes that it’s actually Dan. “Dan?”
The man’s head instantly snaps up, and it is indeed Dan. “Oh. I didn’t expect to see you here,” he says.
Phil lets out a soft laugh. “Yeah, I can say the same to you. Doing some Christmas shopping?”
“Yeah, kind of. My brother needed to go Christmas shopping and asked if I wanted to tag along, and I’m just grabbing things for my family if I see anything I like, so-” Dan shrugs his shoulders, and then he notices the cup in Phil’s hand. “You got hot chocolate and not your lame holiday drinks?” Dan smirks.
Phil rolls his eyes. “They are not lame. They’re delicious. Have you ever even tried one?”
“Nope, and I don’t plan to,”
“Dan! There you are!”
Dan looks over, and a younger boy runs up to him. “Adrian, I told you I was coming to the bakery,”
“Yes, but I got lost so it took me a couple extra minutes to find you,” the boy, Adrian, pouts. Dan’s brother looks over when he notices Phil standing there. “Do you know him?”
“Kind of. He works at the coffee shop I go to regularly. I told you about him,”
“Ah yes. I remember you mentioning him before, and how he dared recommend a holiday drink to you,” Adrian says, rolling his eyes, which makes Phil chuckle. “Honestly, you’re so dramatic, Dan.”
“I’m not dramatic!” Dan exclaims, and he glares at his younger brother, before looking at Phil. “Anyways. We need to get something to eat. I’ll uh, see you tomorrow morning?”
“I’m actually off tomorrow. But, I’ll be there the next day,” Phil tells him.
“Cool,” Dan says, and he clears his throat. “I’ll see you. Adrian, come on. The line is getting long.” He tugs on Adrian’s jacket, pulling him towards the line.
“So, that’s the coffee guy you have a crush on?” Phil hears Adrian say to Dan.
“Adrian!” Dan exclaims as his eyes widen in terror.
Phil can’t help but smile to himself, and quickly exits the bakery shop. He continues his Christmas shopping, but all he can think about is how Dan thinks he’s cute? He told his brother he thinks he’s cute? Of course, Phil thinks Dan is quite attractive. He can admit that, even when he thinks Dan’s a Grinch. But, Phil would have never dreamed that someone like Dan would think he’s cute.
When Phil is at work next, he can’t help but tell Louise about running into Dan.
“His brother was there, and apparently Dan thinks I’m cute!” Phil exclaims. “His brother said it.”
“You sound like a little schoolgirl who has a crush,” Louise laughs.
“Do you know how long it’s been since a boy has shown any interest in me whatsoever?” Phil asks, pouting. “Plus, a person like Dan never likes me. We’re total opposites.”
“Well, are you going to do anything about?” Louise asks, raising her eyebrows.
“I… I don’t know. Do you think I should?” Phil asks, biting his lip nervously.
“I think you should if you think you have a chance with him,” Louise says. “I mean, it would work, Phil. You would see Dan every day. I mean, as long as you don’t let a relationship get in your way of work.”
“Of course not,” Phil says, shaking his head. They both turn their heads when they hear their door bell go off, alerting them of a customer. Phil can’t help but smile as soon as he sees that it’s Dan.
“Speak of the devil. There’s your loverboy,” Louise whispers to Phil, smirking when Phil glares at him. “Have fun.” She giggles, and then she walks away.
Phil takes a deep breath, and walks over to the cash register. “So, we meet again,”
Dan looks up. “Hi,” he says.
“Come back for your usual?” Phil asks, getting ready to put Dan’s Americano into the register.
“Actually,” Dan begins, holding his hand out, stopping Phil. “I’d like to try something new today.”
Phil lifts his head up, surprised to hear this. He’s only known Dan a few days, but he knows from what PJ and Louise have told him that Dan never wants to try anything new. “Oh?”
“How about that Peppermint Mocha you were telling me about?” Dan asks.
Phil grins. “I think that would be perfect,” he says, and rings up a Peppermint Mocha for Dan. “Great. That will be five dollars and seventy five cents.”
“I’m sorry. That much for a drink?” Dan scoffs, but he gets out his money anyways. Ah, there’s the Dan that Phil knows. “Sounds a bit ridiculous if you ask me. The things I do for cute boys.”
Phil’s cheeks instantly turn bright pink, because he knows Dan is talking about him, at least he thinks, and then he takes the six dollars from Dan, and quickly hands him back his change. He looks up at Dan again. “I’ll have your drink ready in a few,” he says. He turns around and starts working on Dan’s drink.
Phil makes Dan’s drink silently, and then he turns around and hands him his drink. “Peppermint Mocha, I really hope you enjoy your drink,” he says.
Dan’s grip tightens around the drink as he stares at Phil. “Yeah. I guess we’ll see,” he mutters, before turning and starting to head out the coffee shop without saying another word.
“Phil,” someone hisses. Phil looks over and blinks when he sees Louise standing by the employees door, looking unamused. “What on Earth are you doing? Go ask that boy on a date!”
Phil’s eyes widen, and he looks over at Dan, who’s about to exit the shop. He quickly hurries around the counter. “Hey Dan!” He shouts, before running over to him.
Dan blinks and he looks up at Phil. “Yeah?”
“Are you doing anything this Saturday?”
“Uhm,” Dan begins, and a smile on his face. “I don’t have any plans at the moment.”
Phil smiles back at him. “Well, how about we go see a movie together? I’ll buy dinner after,”
“Well, how can I say no to an offer like that?” Dan asks, and he laughs softly. “I’ll see you Saturday then?”
“Saturday it is. Here,” Phil says, and he pulls out a notepad, and he writes down his phone number, and hands it to Dan. “Text me later with your details. We’ll work something out.”
Dan raises his eyebrows as he takes the paper from Phil. “Of course you have a notepad in your apron,”
Phil huffs. “Don’t judge me. It comes in handy!”
Dan laughs, and he shakes his head fondly. “Whatever you say, nerd. I have to get to work before my boss yells at me for being late again. Thanks for the drink. I’ll let you know if I hate it,” he says, and winks at Phil, before finally walking out of the coffee shop.
Phil stands there staring at nothing, stunned, for a moment, because he has an actual date. With an actual boy. For the first time in who knows how long. “Holy shit,” he whispers, and then his eyes widen. “What am I going to wear?” He turns around and looks at Louise with terrified eyes.
Louise cheers, clapping for Phil. “Don’t worry, Philip. Louise is here to help,”
Phil can’t help but sigh in relief, because thank God for Louise.
Just a couple hours later, Phil gets a text from an unknown number ‘ I didn’t hate the drink x ’
Maybe Dan isn’t so much of a Grinch as Phil thought he was.