Katie's Cafe

3

I barely slept at all that night, so I dragged myself out of bed the next morning and decided to head to the cafe early. Hannah sees me standing behind the counter getting ready to open up when she arrives for work as well.

"I wondered why you weren't in bed this morning when I came in to wake you up. How did you manage to get here anyway? You must've been up early".

"Maybe it was magic? Or quite possibly a taxi," I joke knowing it will only annoy her more due to her naturally competitive nature.

"Well at least you weren't late again today. I wonder if that good looking bloke will come back in later?" she teases playfully.

"I'm sure I don't know who you're talking about?"

I'll never admit it to her but I was actually just thinking that exact same thing. Honestly, it was a bit distracting, but not necessarily a bad thing.

"He looks a lot older than you, but even I'd jump his bones given half the chance".

"Oh my God Hannah, that's disgusting!" I throw a dishcloth at her that she catches effortlessly.

"Just stating facts, Sara. Don't pretend you wouldn't be tempted by someone that good looking either".

"Whether he's good looking or not isn't even an issue because I'm not interested. I doubt he's going to want to come back in here again anyway when he thinks there's some clumsy arse waitress that's going to spill coffee all over him again".

"Maybe he was kind of into it? Pain is a kink, right?"

"I swear to god I'll come over there right now and spank you, young lady!"

"Don't you threaten me with a good time, bitch," she skips childishly into the back room to get changed.

I hated admitting to myself that she's an adult now. Nineteen years old with a bright future ahead of her that she's definitely earned and deserves more than most.

I know she'll do her best to keep in touch as much as she can once she goes off to university, but that won't stop me from missing her any less.

"Earth to Sara!" she says loudly.

"What?"

"Customers? Outside? Unlock door?"

"Whose the boss here exactly?"

"You are, but that doesn't mean you can't unlock a door and make yourself useful occasionally".

"You're such a mean young woman, Hannah".

"That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me," she says pretending to get emotional.

The cafe soon gets pretty busy like it does most mornings with the usual customers calling in for their breakfast or a coffee on their way to work.

"Hello again," I hear a voice that makes me to look up from the register.

"Hi Tom, what can I get you today?" I reply to the same gorgeous man who was in here yesterday.

Dammit. He was unfortunately still as good looking as I remembered.

"Just a black coffee again please, two sugars," he has the most genuine smile I've ever seen.

"You know we do a pretty decent cooked breakfast here if you ever fancied something different for a change?"

"I can't stop long today, I'm running a bit late".

"So how was the first day at your new job by the way?"

"It honestly felt like the first day at a new school," he sighs.

"Was it was really bad?"

"Maybe I can tell you all about it tomorrow morning when I come in for one of your famous cooked breakfasts?"

"I'll look forward to seeing you then".

When I hand over his coffee he looks me in the eyes and I can't help but blush. Hannah was right, he's almost too handsome, like a sexy professor or something.

"I didn't manage to catch your name yesterday," he says.

"Maybe because I never threw it?"

Seriously, I have to fight the strong urge to keep flirting with him. It would be a lot easier for me to do that if he wasn't so naturally charming and swoon worthy.

"See you tomorrow".

Of course Hannah comes rushing over to the counter the second he leaves to catch up on all the gossip. It's probably the only thing about her that gives away how young she is.

"So, did he ask you out yet?"

"Are you mental? He's literally been in here twice".

"He's definitely going to though, I can tell. You could've cut the sexual tension between you two with a knife just now".

"Remind me again why I gave you a job here in the first place?"

"Because you love me and I'm adorable?"

"Sometimes I want to kiss you and other days I really want nothing more than to kick you off a roof".

"A high one?"

"Maybe a bungalow today. I'm not quite sure yet".

"I'll take it".

Yes she can be an annoying little shit most days, but she's my annoying little shit, and I do love our banter. She definitely makes work a bit more interesting.

"Is it alright if I invite Megan and Stacy over after work?"

"As long as you lot keep the noise down this time, and it's only those two. I don't want another letter from the landlord saying the neighbours have been complaining about the noise again".

"It wasn't even my fault!"

"Right. So you didn't throw a massive party without my permission while I was out?"

"I wouldn't put it that way. I just didn't realise that people were going to invite other people. Plus I kicked them out and cleaned up before you got back anyway".

"Yet the used condom I found on my bedroom floor after I got home that night says otherwise".

"I already said I was sorry about that".

Honestly, I'll never let her live that down. She genuinely thought she'd gotten away with the perfect crime and that I'd never find out about the party until I found that.

It wouldn't have mattered anyway because I got the letter two days later telling me that multiple neighbours had complained, so she would've been caught out either way.