The Best is Yet to Come

Fourteen

Emma was counting her breaths as she walked toward the coffee shop. Breathe in... two... three... four... breathe out.... two... three... four...

This is fine. I'm fine, she assured herself.

Of course she was nervous, she didn't know what to expect when she saw Noah. It was very unlike her to just ask a guy out like that but she was pretty sure that if she hadn't just spit it out the way she did, it would have never happened. It was just like ripping off a bandaid.

Everything is fine.

The coffee shop slowly came into view when she turned the corner onto Main St. She picked this coffee shop on purpose: just in case anything goes wrong, it should only take her five minutes to run home and out of site. If things got really bad, she knew a shortcut that passed through the side of the book store, where she could make her getaway undetected.

She checked her watch: 7:25am. She was a little early, a habit she was thankful for.

She opened the door to the shop, thinking of the coffee she couldn't wait to drink and nearly had a heart attack when she realized Noah was sitting at a table by himself in the back of the room. She didn't expect him to be early.

He was looking at the cup of coffee in his hands but his head snapped up as soon as she walked into the room. She saw his eyes widen a bit, but he quickly regained composure. She heard the scrape of his chair legs on the floor as he stood up, watching her as she approached.

He looked utterly adorable, his brown hair an organized mess on top of his head, and a smile complete with two dimpled cheeks. She could see his brown eyes from where she stood and was pleased to see he was looking at her with the same intensity as he did that first day in the book store.

She takes off her hat and sunglasses, matching his smile as she walks towards his table.

.................................

Noah didn't realize he was twenty minutes early until after he had walked into the coffee shop. No matter. He could use this time to prepare himself.

He picked the table in the far right of the store, hoping it would be far away enough from the registers to avoid the noise and commotion of the morning rush.

He was starting on his second cup of coffee when he heard the familiar ring from the bell on the door, alerting him that someone had entered the store.

Noah swore he saw an angel walk into the coffee shop that morning.

She was wearing big sunglasses and a floppy sun hat, her curled hair cascaded around her shoulders and down her back. She wore a yellow floral dress that hugged all the right places until the fabric met her hips and flowed around her bare legs. He silently thanked the universe for this moment and stood up from the table, trying his hardest to look patient as she made her way over to his table. She took off her sunglasses and hat, shaking out her hair as she approached and looked directly at him, blue eyes blazing.

Good lord. Where have you been hiding all this time?

"Hey!" Noah smiled at her, pulling her chair out for her as she sat down. He quickly took the seat across from her. "How are you?" He couldn't think of how to start. He couldn't remember ever being this nervous for a date.

She returned his smile, "I'm great, thank you." She laughs nervously and adds, "and you?"

"Incredible." Noah gave her a smile he knew for sure could make a girl blush and felt a surge of satisfaction when her cheeks turned pink in response. He could do this.

They sat there for a moment, quiet. They did nothing but look at each other. It was obvious she was very shy because she kept dropping her eyes down to the table in uncertainty. And yet, it was obvious that she was curious because she always glanced back up to meet his gaze again.

"Do you want a coffee?" Noah suggests, realizing he was the only one with a cup. She agrees and he walks to the line with her. He watches as she orders, mesmerized, and pays for the drink before she could object.

When they get back to the table he asks her, "How long have you worked at Glory's? I've never seen you around town before."

"I've been there for about three years now...and I don't get out much." She adds with a laugh and shrugs her shoulders. Noah tries not to stare at her lips when she takes a sip of her coffee.

A girl who looks like that has been working here for three years and he hadn't noticed???

Emma's voice pulls him from his trance. "I hear you're something of a celebrity in this town." She adds, looking up at him through her lashes.

Noah snorts and gives her an embarrassed smile, "Yeah, something like that. My family has lived here for generations. My ancestors practically built the town." His explanation is short, hoping it was enough detail to satisfy her. He honestly liked the fact that she didn't know who he was.

Her eyes are bright when she says, "That's really cool. It must be comforting to always be surrounded by your family's history."

"You would think so..." Noah mumbles in response, quickly trying to think of a way to change the conversation. "Do you live in town?" He asks, hoping that didn't sound creepy.

"Right around the corner actually. My commute to work isn't too bad." She jokes. "What about you? What do you do for work?" She adds and Noah tries to hide his disappointment. Why were they talking about him again?

"I'm kind of between jobs right now. I'm trying to figure out what I want to do with my life," Noah looks away. That was only half of the truth. He didn't want her to know how long he'd been lying on his ass with Chris.

"I completely understand," She nods her head in agreement. "I'm preparing for my upcoming quarter life crisis. Try having a religious studies degree," she jokes and takes another sip of her coffee.

"Do you like ducks?" Noah asks her suddenly, his eyes dancing as he looks into hers. Emma's brows dart up in surprise but she smiles again, brightly this time.

"Is it weird if I say yes?" She asks.

"Is it weird that I asked?"

"Kind of." Emma answers with a giggle and Noah rises from his seat at the table and offers her his hand palm up. She looks at it with uncertainty. Noah urges her with a smile and she takes his hand, letting him lead her out the store and into the sunshine outside.