Joe

Try Not To Think Too Much

     I woke up on the couch the next morning, my shoes were resting neatly next to the couch and I could smell eggs coming from the kitchen. "Finally awake sleepy head?" Jason appeared in my line of sight and I sat up, pushing my hair back. He was standing in front of me in a pair of light Khaki pants and a grey button up. He had clipped his name badge to the pocket of the shirt. He smiled wide at me, kissing my forehead and heading for the front door. "I made an appointment for tomorrow morning with someone to help us look for a place. You're off at two tomorrow right?" he asked me, taking his keys out of his pocket. I stared at him, guilt rushing over me from last night. Nothing happened. But why did I feel so awful. "Yeah, and I work a small shift at the shop today, from three to seven." I smiled weakly at him and he nodded. "That's okay, you know I'm not home till eight. Love you babe. Have a good day." he said and disappeared into the world, leaving me with my thoughts.

     I was upstairs with a white bath towel wrapped around me, trying to find something to wear for work when I heard a soft knock on my door. "Come in." I said, wondering when Lana started knocking. She entered my room with her hair piled on the top of her head, a pink summer dress draping perfectly over her. "You stayed out late last night, I wanted to know what happened." she sat down on the end of my bed, her phone was in her hand but her attention was on me. "What do you mean? We went out, I stayed at the club." I shrugged at her, wondering where she was going with this. It was quiet for a long time as I pulled out a teal half sleeve blazer and a black body con mini skirt, laying them on the bed next to Lana. "I saw you dancing with Joe pretty much all night, I don't know I was just curious about that since you told me you didn't really know him." I could feel the spitefulness dripping from her lips. Was she jealous? Of me? No way. I stared at her.

     "I don't really know him. I pretty much only know that his name is Joe and he wears nice suits." I shrugged, turning back to my closet. I could feel my cheeks turning red at the sound of his name, the butterflies in my stomach awakening. "Right. You danced for a long time. He's a really nice dancer." Lana stood up now, slowly making her way to the door. "Just be careful, I mean Jason might get the wrong idea." she said, leaning against the door way. Was she threatening to tell Jason. I glared at her. "Jason doesn't even know, I mean not that he would really care. We were just dancing Lana, what's the problem?" I asked her, folding my arms in front of her. "Please Mia, I was just saying. I didn't mean to upset you. But I'm glad you feel that way because I'm going to ask Joe out. I mean obviously you can't have him, but I can." she smiled at me turning around to leave. "What's that supposed to mean?" Did she seriously think she was that much better than me? Because based on last night he couldn't give two shits about her. "Mia, you're taken remember?" she laughed a little, shaking her head as she left the room. What the fuck was wrong with me. I had to stop thinking about Joe. It was putting me on edge. I shook my head and chose a light pink tank top to wear under the blazer. 

     I arrived a few minutes early to my shift. I had decided to walk rather than bike today based on my outfit. I had tucked the tank top into the mini skirt, leaving the blazer open and relaxed. I had curled my red hair so it fell softly around my face. "Look at you!" Chris was there, the closing supervisor. He winked at me and I rolled my eyes at him. "Mia!" Katie was there too and she pulled me into the back, away from Chris and the customers. I laughed as she looked around to make sure no one was around. "What the hell happened last night? I came back from the bathroom and found you and Joe getting it on the dance floor!" she exclaimed quietly, my cheeks getting hot again. "Katie!" I rolled my eyes at her, tying my apron around my waist. "Don't Katie me! I watched first hand for at least ten minutes. He is so fucking into you. You lucky son of a bitch." Katie fanned herself, leaning against one of the shelves. "Knock it off. He is not. We were drunk, a little high, just dancing." I shrugged my shoulders at her. "Please Mia! He is so into you, and I know you're into him." she looked me in the eyes but I had to look away. I made too much out of last night. I built it too much up in my head, I doubt he was as into me as I thought. "Wait, high? Did you take Molly?" Katie screwed her face up at me. "He had some." I shrugged and pushed past her, heading back to the front. We had been in the back for at least fifteen minutes and I knew Chris would be looking for us soon. "Mia! You can't take drugs with someone, dance with someone like that, and look at someone like that and claim they're not into you!" Katie whisper yelled after me. "He's not, he's just a good guy. Shit, he probably felt sorry for me." I said as I pushed through the back doors. There standing in the middle of the lobby was Joe. "What was that again?" Katie smirked at me, seeing him too. I wasn't still tripping on Molly.

     "I was just about to find you Mia. This gentleman was asking for you." Chris smiled at me, his eyes wide. He mouthed Oh My God to me before heading into the office, leaving Katie and I at the front. Katie made her self scarce, going out to check on the few customers we had. "Mia." Joe said, approaching the counter. I forced myself to walk to the register. His eyes were hypnotizing. "Welcome to The Bean." I said, automatically feeling stupid. He smiled at me, leaning against the counter. He was dressed in another nice suit and watch to match. He looked completely different from last night but still sexy as hell. "You know if you dress like that you risk people like me staring." the words were so smooth coming from his mouth, my spine tingling. "I could say the same to you." I said a lot more confidently than I felt. He smiled at me, biting his lower lip. My knees were shaking. "I need a pick me up." he said, staring into my eyes. "I had somewhat of a wild night." a small smirk spread across his face and I smiled. "I need that Hazelnut drink you make so well." he said, digging in his back pocket for his wallet. I nodded and started making the drink. 

     When I was finished I sat the large cup on the counter, holding my palm up to his twenty dollar bill. "It's on the house." I smiled, finally finding my bearings a little. I could feel myself shaking under his gaze, it took every ounce of my being to try to act cool and even that wasn't working that well. His eyes moved from mine, down my neck, to my shoulders and chest. He smiled, sitting the twenty on the counter, "Keep the change baby." I watched him take the drink, grabbing a straw. "Are you busy tomorrow night?" he asked me before heading to the front door. I couldn't speak, why was he asking. "Come with me somewhere. I'll pick you up at eight." He said, starting to exit the shop. "Uh, actually pick me up here, okay?" I called after him and he turned his head a little to look at me. His eyes smoldering. "See you then friend." he said and left. I exhaled heavily. I stopped breathing when I was around him. "Oh my god Mia! See!" Katie was at my side, shaking my arm. I was still trying to recover from his gaze. My stomach was turning, full of guilt and excitement as Katie cheered around me. What the hell was I doing?