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Daniel wiped down the espresso machine for the third time that morning, even though it gleamed under the café lights. He was stalling, glancing at the clock every few seconds. It was almost 8:15 AM, which meant Max would be here any minute now. Max, with his shiny dirty blond hair, easy smile, and penchant for caramel macchiatos with an extra shot of espresso. Max, who had unknowingly become the highlight of Daniel’s day.
The bell over the door jingled, and Daniel’s heart did a little flip. There he was, wearing his usual white shirt and jeans, looking like he had just rolled out of bed but in the most charming way possible. Daniel quickly turned his attention back to the counter, hoping his cheeks weren’t as red as they felt.
“Morning, Daniel,” Max said, his voice warm and familiar. He walked up to the counter, a lazy grin on his face.
“Morning, Max. The usual?” Daniel asked, though he already knew the answer.
“You know it,” Max replied, already fishing his card out of his wallet, and paying for his drink.
As he turned to make the drink, he felt the flutter of nerves in his stomach. He always wrote something on Max’s cup. It had started as a little joke, a way to get Max to smile. But now it had become a daily ritual, one that Daniel looked forward to perhaps a little too much.
Today, he’d planned a message, one that maybe was a little too much. He took a deep breath, picked up a Sharpie, and started to write.
Are you a magician? Because whenever I look at you, everyone else disappears.
He cringed slightly at how cheesy it was, but it was too late now. He capped the pen and finished making the caramel macchiato, the smell of coffee and caramel filling the air.
“Here you go,” Daniel said, handing the cup to Max with a shy smile.
Max took the cup, his fingers brushing against Daniel’s for a brief second. He glanced at the message and laughed, a sound that sent a warm rush through Daniel’s chest.
“Nice one, Daniel. You’re getting better at these,” Max said, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
“Thanks,” Daniel mumbled, feeling his face heat up. “I, uh, try my best.” He won’t tell Max he spent an hour thinking about it last night.
Max lingered for a moment, looking like he wanted to say something else, but then a group of regulars walked in, and he stepped aside to let them order. Daniel watched him move to his usual seat by the window, where he pulled out his laptop and started typing away.
The rest of the morning passed in a blur of orders and chatter, but Daniel’s mind kept drifting back to Max. He wondered what Max thought about his silly messages. Did he see them as just harmless fun, or was there a chance he might feel the same way Daniel did? It was a long shot, but a guy could dream.
*
The next day, Daniel was ready. He had spent the evening brainstorming and had come up with a new line that was just the right blend of cute and cringe-worthy. When Max walked in at 8:15 sharp, Daniel’s heart did its usual flip.
“Morning, Daniel,” Max said, as usual.
“Morning, Max. The usual?”
“You know it.” He once again said.
Daniel set to work, his fingers moving automatically as he crafted the perfect caramel macchiato. He picked up the Sharpie and, with a little smirk, wrote his latest line.
Do you have a map? Because I keep getting lost in your eyes.
He handed the cup to Max, who read the line and chuckled.
“Another good one. You’re really on a roll, aren’t you?” Max said, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
“Just trying to make your day a little brighter,” Daniel replied, shocked by his own words.
“You definitely do that,” Max said softly, looking at Daniel in a way that made his heart skip a beat.
Maybe, just maybe there was hope after all.
*
Days turned into weeks, and Daniel’s collection of bad pickup lines grew. Each morning, he would scribble a new one on Max’s cup, and each morning, Max would laugh and thank him, sometimes lingering at the counter a little longer than necessary.
Is your name Google? Because you’ve got everything I’m searching for.
Do you have a Band-Aid? Because I just scraped my knee falling for you.
Daniel’s heart soared with every smile, every chuckle. He lived for those moments, the few precious minutes when it felt like the whole world narrowed down to just the two of them.
One Friday morning, after a particularly bad week, Daniel was feeling unusually nervous. He had a new line ready, but it was more daring than the others. He wasn’t sure if it was too much, but he had to try. He couldn’t keep hiding behind these jokes forever.
When Max walked in, looking as charming as ever, Daniel’s nerves spiked.
“Morning, Daniel,” Max said, his usual smile in place.
“Morning, Maxy. The usual?”
“You know it.”
Daniel made the drink with slightly shaky hands, then picked up the Sharpie. He took a deep breath and wrote.
You know what you would look really beautiful in? My arms.
He handed the cup to Max, who read the line and laughed.
“Wow, that’s a new level of cheesy, even for you,” Max said, but his smile was warm and cheeks red.
Daniel swallowed hard. “Yeah, I, uh, thought I’d go all out.”
Max looked at him, his expression thoughtful. “You know, I always look forward to these. They make my day.”
Daniel’s heart pounded. “I’m glad. I like doing them. For you.”
Max’s gaze softened, and for a moment, Daniel thought he might say something more, but then another customer walked in, and the moment passed.
*
The next morning, Daniel decided it was time to take a real chance. He had been working up his courage, and he had a plan. When Max walked in, Daniel felt a strange mix of excitement and fear. If he was reading the signs right, Max was into him. There was no way he wasn’t going to take his chance.
“Morning, Daniel,” Max said, his smile as bright as ever.
“Morning, Max. The usual?”
“You know it.”
Daniel made the drink, then picked up the Sharpie with hands that were shaking. He wrote his line, the writing messier than usual then added something extra before handing the cup to Max.
"Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again? P.S. Would you like to go out with me?"
Max read the message, his eyes widening. He looked up at Daniel, surprise in his expression.
“Are you serious?” Max asked, his voice quiet.
Daniel felt like his heart was about to explode. “Yeah, I am. I’ve, uh, I’ve liked you for a while now.”
Max’s face broke into a wide grin. “I’d love to go out with you, Daniel.”
The rest of the café seemed to fade away as Daniel and Max stood there, grinning at each other like fools. Finally, Max broke the silence.
“So, when are you free?” he asked.
Daniel laughed, the sound light and joyful. “How about tonight?”
“Tonight sounds perfect,” Max replied, his eyes shining.
*
That evening, Daniel and Max met at a small Italian restaurant a few blocks from the café. Daniel was nervous, but the moment he saw Max waiting outside, all his fears melted away. It was just Max after all, now in a white blouse instead of a simple shirt.
“Hey,” Max said, his smile warm and genuine.
“Hey,” Daniel replied, feeling a rush of happiness.
They went inside, the smell of garlic and fresh bread filling the air. They talked and laughed, the conversation flowing as easily as it does at the café. Daniel felt like he was floating, the reality of the situation almost too good to believe. He was finally on his date with Max. The one he’s been thinking about for weeks.
After dinner, they walked through the park, the night air cool and refreshing. Max reached out and took Daniel’s hand, and Daniel’s heart soared.
“I’m really glad you asked me out,” Max said, his voice soft.
“Me too,” Daniel replied, squeezing Max’s hand.
They walked in comfortable silence, the world around them quiet and still. For the first time in a long while, Daniel felt like everything was exactly as it should be.
When they finally said goodnight, Max leaned in and kissed Daniel, a soft, sweet kiss that left Daniel breathless.
“See you tomorrow?” Max asked, his eyes twinkling.
“Definitely,” Daniel replied, his heart full.
“You won’t stop with the cheesy lines, right?” Max questioned.
“Never,” Daniel promised before kissing Max once more.
As he walked home, Daniel couldn’t stop smiling. He knew that tomorrow, and every day after, would be even better. Because now, it wasn’t just about his stupid pickup lines and caramel macchiatos. It was about something much more special. Something real.