Smitten Over Coffee

Chapter One: Large Coffee, Cream, No Sugar

Aunt Josephine had perfect timing. The moment Flora stepped up to the counter to place her order, her phone started buzzing. She pulled it out of her pocket and rolled her eyes as her aunt's picture and name appeared on the screen. She swiped to answer.

"Aunt Josephine, I'm just about to get coffee, I'll call you back," she said hurriedly.

"But the—"

Flora hung up before Aunt Josephine could continue. She gave an apologetic smile to the barista. "Can I get a large hot coffee, cream, no sugar?"

"Of course. Will that be all?" the barista asked.

"That's it today, thank you."

After paying the barista and tossing her change into the tip jar, Flora turned to the pick-up counter. She didn't take more than two steps before her phone began to buzz again. Sighing, she answered it.

"Baby's breath!"

She pulled the phone away from her ear and glanced about to see if any of the other customers had heard Aunt Josephine's frantic exclamation. She moved farther away from the line before speaking.

"You don't need to shout, I can hear you just fine."

"We're out of baby's breath!"

"We just got a shipment in the other day. There's no way we're out."

"All I know is there's no baby's breath in sight. How can we make bouquets without baby's breath?"

"First of all, not every bouquet needs baby's breath."

"Blasphemy."

"Second, I know that there is baby's breath somewhere in the shop. It's not even seven-thirty, we have a good half-hour before we open. I doubt someone is going to barge in at eight on the dot and demand a bouquet of baby's breath. Listen, I'm getting my coffee now, I'll be there soon."

As Flora turned, she bumped into a tall, lanky fellow. He reached out his hand to steady her. "Sorry," he said.

She smiled. "My bad, sorry."

"Flora! Flora!"

She returned her attention to her aunt as the tall fellow moved to the other side of the pick-up counter. "Aunt Josephine, it's going to be all right. Don't work yourself into a frenzy again."

"I know you think I'm crazy, but you weren't here for the Valentine's Day fiasco. Not a single rose on the premises and hundreds of desperate boyfriends and husbands who had forgotten the date. It wasn't pretty!"

"Large cream-no-sugar and large four-sugars," called out a barista as she set two cups of coffee on the counter.

"I highly doubt it was hundreds," Flora said as she reached for her cup.

The tall fellow was reaching for his as well, and they bumped hands, nearly knocking the drinks over. Flora gave a slight gasp and tried to catch one of the cups, missing it completely. Luckily, the tall fellow managed to grab them both before they spilled all over the counter.

"I am so sorry," she said.

"No, no, it's fine, just bad timing," the tall fellow said.

"Flora? Flora, are you listening to me?"

The tall fellow handed her one of the cups as Flora gestured at her phone and mouthed work. He waved away her explanation and gave her a smile before sitting down at one of the small tables set up on the cafe floor. She made her way out the door, her aunt still shouting in her ear.

"I'm on my way, Auntie. The baby's breath will be found," she said as she stepped out into the chilly, autumn air and took a sip of her coffee. She grimaced. "Bleh."

"Excuse me?"

"Not you, the coffee. It's way too sweet."

"I told you, that Dorky Cafe probably pumps all kinds of chemicals into it. You should stick to organic tea."

"It's Doki Doki Cafe, Auntie. And I think it just got mixed up with another order. Maybe I should go back in—"

"No! The baby's breath, Flora!"

"Fine, fine, I'm on my way."

Flora hung up and braced herself before taking another sip of the sweetened coffee. She stuck out her tongue and gave a shiver. However, it was early and Aunt Josephine was already worked up. She needed the caffeine. Besides, wasting coffee was a sin. Steeling herself against the sweetness, she took another sip and headed towards the flower shop.