Cupidity (Sequel to Cupid's Daughter)

Chapter 11~ I Am the Coffee Girl, At Your Service

I woke up the next morning to the sun streaming through the tiny open window and spilling onto the bed. I rolled over sleepily and checked my phone. There were texts from Sam and Ellie asking me how LA was treating me so far, but nothing from the person that I really wanted to talk to. With a sigh I forced myself out of the double bed and into the tiny shower. While for some people staying in a motel room was less than ideal, I however, enjoyed it immensely. Sure it was very small and smelt like a moth ball, but it had everything I needed and more. 

Besides, as much as I loved having Ellie as a roommate, it was kind of nice to have my own space again. Of course, this was only temporary; I couldn't live in a motel forever. But first I had to find a second job that would pay enough for rent and food, and then find an actual place to stay. 

I hung my blouse and skirt up in the bathroom so the steam would de-wrinkle them as I showered, brushing my teeth and throwing my hair into a braid afterwards. By seven fifteen I was ready to leave, though I didn't manage to catch the attention of a cab driver quite as easily. After ten or so failed attempts I was about to give up and take the subway when the man beside me held out his hand and a cab came speeding to his service. 

I shot him an incredulous look. That was so not fair! How had he-?!

The man, who seemed only to be in his early twenties or so, smiled warmly and opened the back door, flourishing his arm as a gesture for me to enter. 

I looked behind me to make sure he wasn't motioning for someone else, but there was no one around me paying us any attention. 

"Don't you need it?" I asked unsurely, and the man shrugged. 

"Not as much as you seem to." He glanced down at my feet, which were crammed into the most professional-looking, uncomfortable shoes I could find. 

I smiled in relief and walked towards the cab, pausing before I hopped inside. "Well perhaps we could share? I'm going to West 7th Street, where are you going?" 

The man smiled again. "I'm heading in that general direction." He closed my door and disappeared for a moment before reappearing on the left side of the cab and jumping in beside me. 

 I gave the driver the address for the magazine office and quickly checked my watch-- half an hour. Perfect. 

"Thanks for sharing the cab with me. I thought I was going to be late for my first day at work." I told the man beside me, smiling at him. His large hazel eyes were framed by thick dark lashes, and he had the kind of dimples and strong jaw that made you wonder if he knew how attractive he was. 

"Your first day? Where are you starting?" He asked politely. 

"The World Against Us magazine. I'm..." I trailed off, feeling a little embarrassed all of a sudden. "I'm an intern." I admitted, my cheeks searing with heat. The man didn't seem fazed by my inexperience, and simply nodded his head. 

"Oh, well, good luck. I'm sure you'll do fine." He gave me a reassuring look that made me relax instantly. There was something so calming and genuine about the way he spoke to me. 

"Thank you. I'm Isabelle, by the way." I introduced myself, reaching out my hand. He shook it firmly and then placed his hand back on his slacks. 

"Ethan. Pleasure." 

We sat the rest of the journey in silence, me staring out of the window and wondering how I'd managed to befriend a man in a cab on my second day in LA; little old introverted me who had never even wanted to call up the dentist to make an appointment. 

A short while later, the cab driver pulled over outside the glass building. I reached into my bag to pay him, but was stopped by a large hand on my arm. 

"I'll cover it." Ethan informed me. I opened my mouth to protest but was cut off when he leaned across to open my door. 

"It was nice to meet you, Isabelle." 

*** 

"This is where you'll spend most of your time doing filing, making photocopies and of course," Tina, a tall, stern willowy lady who was showing me the ropes of the office, smiled dryly, "ordering coffee for everyone." 

The tiny room was the size of a closet, with the desk and chair being in the centre. There was just enough room for me to squeeze past the desk to actually sit down and utilise it. 

"I will leave you a list everyday filled with tasks you must complete. Anything you don't complete you will have to do in your own time. Items highlighted are of the highest importance and must be the first to be completed." Tina handed me a notepad filled with things I had to get done today. "Understand?" 

I nodded and scanned over the piece of paper. Deliver the yellow envelope in my pigeon hole to the post office, make a hundred copies of documents also in my pigeon hole (staple all corresponding pages), call Stephen Pierce regarding the redesign of the web page and about fifty more similar tasks were lined up on the page. 

"Oh but before you start the list, could you make a coffee round? Thanks." Tina smiled and went back to  her office-- I had no idea what her position with the company even was-- and I took a huge deep breath to clear my head. 

Coffee, I could do that. Easy. 

Half an hour and fourteen coffee orders later, I realised that it wasn't going to be that easy. I called up Starbucks to place the order so that by the time I had walked there they would be ready, and made my way out into the city. Using my phone as a map I found Starbucks easily enough, but it was getting back to office that was difficult. Balancing fifteen drinks (I may have snuck a latte for myself...) in one hand and my phone in the other I teetered uneasily down to the office, barely able to see over the stack of coffee in my arms. Remembering which coffee belonged to who was even more difficult. 

I officially never wanted to be a waitress. 

I had given half of the employees their beverages when what I liked to call 'the Great Spill of '16' happened. Let's just say there was coffee everywhere; all over my shirt, the carpet and the couch, and I spent the next hour rubbing coffee from the furniture and walking back to Starbucks to reorder the coffees I'd destroyed. 

By the time I finally got to sit down for a five minute break, my own latte was cold and my shoes were killing me. I slumped into the kitchen-- I had been permitted to use it only during my breaks and in non-working hours-- and sighed. 

My mind wandered to Noah, and I wondered what he would be doing right now. Though it was 10am here, it was 1pm in Pennsylvania and Noah was no doubt in class or skipping class. Was he thinking about me? Our fight? He hadn't called me, so he was definitely still mad. I wanted to call him, I really did, but I didn't know what I'd say to him. Sorry I moved across the country without telling you? I love you, but I want a job more? 

Some things were just--

"Isabelle, what are you doing?" 

I looked up to the sound of Tina's strict voice, and I couldn't help but groan internally. "I'm on my break." I informed her, trying to be polite and cheerful. 

Tina crossed her arms and tsked. "Your break ended three minutes ago. Have you even completed any of the tasks on the list?" 

My cheeks flamed up in embarrassment and I didn't answer her question as I chucked my paper cup in the bin and shuffled back to my closet office. I checked the list briefly and sighed. Filing. 

Well at least I could do that sitting down. And take my shoes off. 

This was going to be a long first day.