Shy and successful Broadway singer, Carmen, is finally at the point in her career where she is auditioning for her dream role. After meeting Owen at the local coffee shop, it seems like everything is perfectly lining up for Carmen's future. When fac...
When Carmen finally rolled out of bed the next morning, it was nearly nine. She was usually up at the gym or vocal rehearsal by seven, but today there was some type of meeting for the hiring committee, so everyone had the morning off.
She took her time in the shower and prepared a large breakfast to eat on the couch with her favourite book. She savoured every moment of the food and the entertainment. Just after eleven, she cleaned up her dishes and spent way too long experimenting with her hair and make-up. Fortunately, in New York, it was not hard for her to find foundation to match her dark complexion.
When she was finally satisfied with her look, she left her apartment to start her afternoon. Bursting out the main door of her building in her short overcoat and tall boots, Carmen was hit by a few stray snowflakes falling from the sky. She smiled to herself, "It's definitely cocoa weather!"
She glanced down at her silver watch and decided there was time to quickly grab a cocoa before rehearsal, but only if she hurried. Carmen fit right in with the speed of the New York crowd as she picked up her pace and made her way toward the theater. If she got lucky with traffic, she would have plenty of time to duck into the coffee shop two blocks from work.
When she arrived at the cafe, the bell on the door announced her presence to the nearly empty shop.
"I'll be right with you," said a voice from below the counter as Carmen walked towards the display case advertising their delicious and world renowned pastries. Sometimes, living in New York was really cool. It was also really dangerous to the waistline, which in Carmen's line of work was a little concerning.
She was deciding between a blueberry pastry and a peach one when the man who must have belonged to the voice popped up from behind the counter.
"Sorry for the wait, Miss. What can I get for you?"
Carmen's eyes found his nametag. Owen.
"I will have a regular hot chocolate, please," Carmen looked at the pastries before continuing, "and whichever of these two you would recommend. I can't decide between the blueberry and the peach."
"I'd go with the blueberry," he smiled at her and she returned it. He seemed nice, though she could never tell if people in the service industry were being nice to her because they wanted to or because they were good at their job. She always tried to be kind, but she knew from experience how hard it was to always put on a happy face with some of the people who would come through that door.
She paid, and he handed her the order. They both smiled, and she thanked him before rushing out the door to rehearsal. Fortunately, it was just a blocking day, so Carmen would have ample opportunity to speak to Amy about the cute guy she had just seen at the coffee shop and then refused to speak to.
Carmen wasn't even in the door of the theater and she already knew Amy would not be impressed with her for her failure to ask Owen on a date.
"I can't believe you would rather have me set you up with someone random than ask the guy you actually thought might be nice to go out with," Amy whispered to avoid disrupting the others, "I mean, I know you can't tell if someone's going to be right for you after like twelve seconds, but you'll never find out if you don't ever ask anyone for their number!"
"I know, okay?" Carmen whisper-shouted back to her, "I know I have to give people a chance and I am kicking myself for not asking for his number but what can I do?"
"Did you check to make sure he didn't leave it for you on the cup like in one of those movies?" their friend Dana clearly didn't understand what whispering meant.
Both girls ignored Dana as Amy continued, "I mean, you can just go back and say something to him. It's not that hard."
Carmen stared her down, willing Amy to read her mind. You've been married for three years, when's the last time you had to ask anyone out?
Amy raised an eyebrow in confusion, so Carmen repeated herself using words.
"Fair," Amy shrugged and stood up, "but I still think you should go back after rehearsal and speak to him. The worst he can say is no. I just think you need to start asking for what you want, girl. You'll never get things if you keep not asking for them."
Carmen's nerves must have been visible to Amy, because she added, "I mean, there must be fifty coffee shops between here and your house. You'll never have to see him again if it all goes belly up."
Surprisingly, that did not make Carmen feel better.
Rehearsals for the whole cast were over quickly. And as much as Carmen wished she had to stay the rest of the day with the leads, she was among those who were allowed to leave.
The walk back to the cafe should have taken two minutes at most, but somehow Carmen made it last twelve. When she finally opened the door and went inside, she noticed the cafe was much busier than it had been at lunch.
Of course.
She stopped as she got inside and pretended to be reading the menu, noticing that the woman behind the counter was not the same Owen she had met before.
She was about to cut her losses and run when she heard a voice from behind her.
"Back so soon?"
Carmen turned to face the voice she knew to be Owen's, "Yeah, I just wanted to say thanks for the suggestion. The blueberry was really good with the cocoa."
"Well, I aim to please," he smiled as he gathered up some cups from a nearby table and put them onto his tray.
Carmen stood frozen, watching him work.
He looked up at her before asking, "Something wrong? Is there anything I can get for you?"
Carmen had planned the moment in her head about twenty times and had finally thought of the exact right way to say what she came to ask him.
"I wondered if you wanted to go out with me," she paused, "Tonight."
That was not exactly what she planned.
She waited eagerly for his response, simultaneously wanting to say something else and take it all back.
When he did speak, she was surprised to hear his response. "I'm going to see a band play at eight. You want to come? I'm sure I can get you in."
And just like that, Carmen had a date. Maybe Amy knew what she was talking about after all.
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