Requested by -peepbby 🖤
"Is it always this dead in here?" Came the deep voice from behind you. You turned from the computer where you were entering in the merchandise the store had gotten in over night into the system.
"Not always, but for the most part, yeah, it stays pretty quiet." You offered with a smile.
"That's not bad for business?" The man asked curiously as you sized him up.
"Not really. We do a ton of sales online."
Your answer seemed to satisfy him and he stepped away from you turning to venture down another row of bins stuffed with vintage albums. You took a moment away from your work to admire him. He was quite handsome. Tall and muscular with a head of thick black curls that looked so touchable. His face had a look that made it appear like he was always lost deep in thought, at least for the moments you observed him. He gave off cool-guy vibes in his flare pants, vintage band shirt and old skool vans. He was so intriguing and you found yourself forgetting my tasks in favor of watching his every move.
He sifted quietly through the records seemingly content to let the silence hang. You appreciated that, the peaceful calm one of your favorite things about working at the small music store. After a while he appeared by the register ready to make his purchases.
You struggled for something witty or cute to say to him but failed to find anything in the corners of your brain. He was so breathtakingly handsome you wanted to say something, anything to leave an impression.
"Do you want a coffee before you leave?"
He seemed to glance around at the place and failed to see any signs you had a drink selection.
"You guys serve coffee?"
"I mean we have a keurig." You said gesturing to the small table and sitting area behind him. "It's free and serve yourself. Help yourself to anything you'd like." He raised his eyebrows quickly and then brought his gaze back to me.
"I think I'm set for today, but maybe next time I'll bring some work and take you up on it."
You give a small nod trying not to let your disappointment of not being able to watch him for longer show. He tilted his head to offer a small smile before he turned and vanished out the door and away from her view. You sighed then, daydreaming of his perfect face and wishing you had at least asked for his name.
•
Calum was frustrated. He'd spent all day thinking about the interaction with you at the music store. He should've asked for your name, he should've accepted your offer of coffee, even if he'd already had three cups today and knew another would surely mean no sleep for him tonight, he should've stayed longer to speak with you. He wasn't entirely sure why, he just knew that ever since he'd left the small store this afternoon he'd had this overwhelming desire to go back.
So the next day when he'd finished up his rehearsals he said goodbye to his friends and did just that. The bells on the door jingled as he entered. He dug his fingernails into the skin of his palms trying to calm himself and gather the courage to say something more interesting than he'd offered you yesterday.
"Hey, you came back!" You said turning to face him. His heart jumped in his chest with the thought that maybe you had hoped to see him and much as he had hoped to see you.
"Yeah!" He chuckled. "I was in need of coffee and where better to get it from than a beautiful girl."
He loved the way your cheeks blushed at his compliment. He had always sucked at giving them but he hoped the effort to impress wasn't lost on you.
"I didn't get your name yesterday," you said your eyes rising to find his.
"I'm Calum." The man said extending his hand. You took it laughing lightly at the formality of shaking hands. Calum wouldn't say it aloud but the contact, though brief, left his emotions in a mess.
He filled his coffee and took a seat in a surprisingly comfy, yet incredibly ugly, green chair. You continued your work, sorting and labeling various music mediums and filling online orders. Calum sat for hours working away on his computer, on what you didn't know, but his company and light banter made the day pass swiftly and for once you weren't excited to see five o'clock.
"Will you come back tomorrow?" You asked hesitantly.
"As long as you'll be here." He replied with a smirk.
"I'm literally always here." He nodded and packed away his things disappearing out into the city. He kept his promise though, returning nearly everyday around two, keeping you company with his presence and conversation. He learned your name and you loved the way it fell from his lips, making you love a name you'd once despised.
You grew used to having him there. He became a regular, stopping by every day and filling the silence with his loud laugh and joyous spirit. He always had something to show you and you came to love his weird and widespread taste in music. You felt like you were getting closer, he'd revealed so many of his secrets to you and made it obvious it was hard for him to let people in. He was affectionate and each time his skin brushed across yours you felt yourself falling for him. So it damn near broke your heart when he suddenly stopped showing up. Everyday you watched the clock hoping for a change. Hoping for a mass of jet black curls, tan skin, and kind brown eyes to appear at the door. You began to worry that something had happened to him but his heard no reports of anything tragic though sometimes people slip away without any pomp and circumstance. That was your greatest fear, that he was gone for good.
It was two weeks before you turned to the jingling door and finally found the eyes you'd been waiting for.
"Where have you been?" You exclaimed as relief flooded your bloodstream and you had to grip the counter to steady yourself due to your racing heart. "I thought you'd died!" You couldn't help yourself you ran around the counter and pulled him into an embrace. You'd been scared it would be awkward but he relaxed into you and the smell of his cologne wafted through your nostrils working to calm you.
"I'm sorry. I got pulled away on a business trip. It was super last minute and I didn't have a way to contact you or time to come by. I thought about you though—the whole time I was gone."
"Yeah?" You asked, touched by his confession. He nodded to show he meant what he'd said.
"I thought about you too. Can't seem to stop thinking about you really." You admitted. He chuckled and revealed to you he'd thought he was the only one feeling that way and he was glad to hear you say that.
"I've lost two weeks, would you let me make it up to you?"
"How are you planning to do that?"
"Dinner, maybe?" He asked, hesitancy clear in his eyes and voice. Did he really think you were capable of saying no to him?
You'd never been a very brave person but something about him gave you courage. You took a step forward and reached your hand up to cup his cheek.
"I missed you." You leaned up and softly pressed your lips to his. The first kiss you two had shared igniting sparks across your skin. "I'd love to have dinner."
