Behind The Counter/ Chace Crawford

Brandon

Customers streamed in, each with their unique orders and requests. Tisch moved behind the counter with practiced efficiency, her movements smooth and precise. Her employees, Mike and Shane, worked alongside her, keeping the flow of orders moving steadily.

In the midst of the morning rush, a delivery truck pulled up outside. Tisch glanced up, spotting the familiar logo of their supply company. "The supplies are here," she called to Mike. "I'll go handle it."

Stepping outside, Tisch greeted the delivery driver and began the process of checking and unloading the boxes. It was a meticulous task that required her full attention, and she relished the momentary break from the constant stream of customer orders. She carefully checked each item off the delivery list, ensuring everything they had ordered was accounted for.

As she was working, she heard the café door open and glanced up briefly. Chace walked in, today, he was accompanied by a different blonde girl, his flavor of the week. Tisch sighed inwardly but quickly refocused on her task.

Back inside, Shane spotted Chace and rolled his eyes, nudging Mike with his elbow. "Looks like the guy with multiple names has a new companion," he whispered and took his order.

"Latte for Brandon!" Shane called out, using Chace's latest fake name. The regulars and the staff were all too familiar with Chace's habit of giving different names, a practice that had become a running joke among them.

Tisch chose not to be bothered by the sight of Chace with yet another girl. She had more important things to focus on—like the supplies that needed to be double-checked. She continued working through the delivery, ticking off items on her list and making sure everything was in order.

As she worked, she overheard snippets of conversation between Chace and the blonde girl. They were laughing and chatting, their voices blending into the background noise of the busy café. Tisch felt a pang of curiosity but quickly pushed it aside. She had long since learned to ignore the comings and goings of Chace's romantic interests.

"Everything alright out here?" Mike asked, stepping outside to check on her.

"Yeah, just making sure we got everything we ordered," Tisch replied, glancing up with a smile. "It's a big delivery today."

Mike nodded, casting a glance towards Chace and the blonde girl inside. "He's got another one, huh?"

Tisch shrugged. "Seems like it. But hey, not my problem. I've got enough to worry about with this delivery."

They finished unloading and carrying the supplies inside, working efficiently despite the occasional distraction from inside the café. Once everything was accounted for, Tisch signed off on the delivery and thanked the driver, who waved and drove off.

Re-entering the café, Tisch felt a wave of satisfaction. The supplies were in order, and the morning rush was beginning to slow down. She headed to the back to store everything properly, mentally organizing the tasks that still needed to be done.

As she worked, she overheard more of Chace's conversation. He was charming, as always, making the blonde girl laugh with some anecdote. Tisch couldn't help but wonder when he would ever settle down, but quickly dismissed the thought. It wasn't her business, after all. Her focus was on running the café, ensuring everything ran smoothly for her customers and her staff.

After storing the supplies, Tisch returned to the front of the café. Chace and the blonde girl were still there, sitting at a table, their heads close together as they talked. Tisch's eyes met Shane's, and he gave her a knowing look.

"Another one, huh?" he said quietly.

Tisch just nodded. "Another one. Let's just keep things moving, okay? We've got a lot to do."

With that, she turned her attention back to the task at hand, determined not to let Chace's romantic escapades distract her from her work. She had a café to run, and that was all that mattered.