So You're Trapped in an Alternate Universe?

Richpez - Coffee Shop AU

"Would you like to add a blueberry scone for an extra dollar? They're gluten free!"

The short brunette across the counter asked me a little too excitedly for someone who has probably been working since six in the morning. I'm not really a fan of scones, but for some reason I felt myself nod my head yes and watch as the total went up another dollar and six cents. Before stepping to the side I tried to look for a nametag of the girl who had taken my order, but it seemed as if she didn't have one on, or I had moved away too quickly to see it.

Biscuits and Brew seemed to pop up out of nowhere one day, It was never very busy since it was still pretty new, but one drink of their coffee and I was hooked. I go every morning before work, and get the same thing, a large coffee with two tablespoons of honey. I'd never seen the short brunette before, so I assumed she either always worked on my days off, or she was new. I assume it's that she worked on my days off because she really seemed to know what she was doing.

I watched as she finished putting the honey in my coffee, and walked over to the display case to grab my scone.

"One coffee with two tablespoons of honey," she said reaching across the service counter to hand me my drink, "and one gluten free blueberry scone. Thank you, have a great day!"

I thanked her and walked out trying to push the butterflies in my stomach away from where our fingers had brushed when she handed me the stupid scone.

I finished my coffee on my walk to work and wondered what I was going to do with this stupid fucking scone. Maybe I could give it to Brian and hope that he'll realize that there are better coffee places than Starbucks.

"Here, asshole." I said throwing the scone down on Brians desk.

"What the hell is this?"

"It's a scone from the best coffee place ever, now shut up and eat it."

"Okay, I know you didn't get this for me, and you once said "Scones were invented by dentists to break your teeth and get more business." So what's the deal? Was the barista just too pretty to say no to?"

I didn't answer which must have given Brian his answer because he cheered and started making jokes about how I've already got it bad for someone whose name I didn't know.

"In all reality, if their scones from this place were that good, everything else has to be too. Next time we're off work, I'm making you take me. Brian said winking at me at the end of the work day.

Twelve more days of work, and Twelve more days of buying the dollar scone, I learned her name was Lauren. She had to be at the shop to open at 6 AM and got off around 1 PM. She didn't tell me any of this, but she finally started wearing a nametag, and she had a pretty loud voice so it wasn't my fault that I heard some of her conversations with her co-workers. It may have taken me twelve days to learn her name, but around day five, we started making small talk and she learned my name. Day seven I started ordering more elaborate coffees so I could talk to her longer. Day ten I asked her to just surprise me, because obviously someone with her expertise would give me something good. She made me something that took longer than my other orders, and I hoped it was because she wanted to talk to me too.

"Her name is Lauren." I say sitting Brians scone down in front of him.

"Who? The new receptionist? I thought her name was Janet."

I gave Brian a weird look, because why the hell would I be talking about the new receptionist.

"Oh shit! Coffee shop girl? That makes more sense." Brian said taking the last bite of his scone and throwing the bag it came in at me.