Pouring the coffee for a regular who came every morning at six, she looked up and smiled with a genuine expression of joy to see him. His eyes were dark with a look of flirtation, making her feel like a teen all over with a tingly feeling she couldn’t ignore and thoughts of many ways she could seduce him and have her way. Just from her guess, he looked to be about twenty seven, four years older then her.

Jenna had worked there for almost a year and knew his life story. Two older brothers, Jeff and Mike, grew up in LA with his mom and step dad. He liked fast cars and played basket ball, and that she could tell from his six foot frame. He worked at a bank just down the street with a degree in accounting he was trying to persue. To top it off, he was still very single and she felt they were destined to be soul mates. She felt at ease every time he came in as though he melted all her worries away.

“Usual?” she asked as he pulled out his phone, and the crowd seemed to be just a noise in the dark.

“Yes” he said “and one for my girl”

Jenna’s face turned white as the joy melted away. He never mentioned a girlfriend or wife and always talked as though he was flirting. Her heart sank in her chest like an anchor at sea as a coworker walked by, bumping her shoulder. Still taking in the words he just said, the coffe spilled over onto the counter and now she felt flustered and fallen apart. It couldn’t be true she thought to herself, cleaning up the mess as her cheeks turned red.

“Two it is” she said, trying to contain her composure, “but I must say, you seem very single” she finished, hoping it didn’t sound too forward. “I mean, you just look so untamed” she said as he chuckled and watched her finish cleaning up.

“It’s just been a week” he said, texting and waiting like the world was just a faint noise behind him. “We work together” he finished, like he needed to explain.

Finished cleaning her mess, Jenna grabbed another cup and started from scratch. This wasn’t going according to plan. She had so many ideas how to sweep him away and having a girlfriend was not in the picture. Thinking fast as she poured more coffee, she said a white lie “I figured you like being single” she said, watching his expression as he started to grin and repressed her concious wanting to take him under the sheets. She felt so gitty, but held her composure as he then replied.

“I do” he said, “but Lisa just strikes me with a flame I can’t explain” he finished, as Jeana said nothing while he then took a sip after she was done.

“This is great” he said, taking a sip, then reached into his wallet for cash to pay.

It was at that moment Jeana then said without thinking twice, “I know a girl whose been watching you” she said, catching his attention as he looked up and stopped. Jeana hadn’t thought about how it would play out, but she couldn’t let some other girl sweep him away.

“Really?” he said as he put down a twenty.

Jeana then blushed as she wiped her hands on her apron to then take his twenty and walked over to the register. With her back turned as she rang him up, she could feel him staring as though he knew. Her shoulders were tense as she pulled out his change. Twelve dollars and eighty cents she counted out like she’d done it for years.

When she turned around to walk back, Mark was smiling as though he knew, his dark eyes watching as she reached out her hand to give him his change.

“Do I know this girl?” he asked, leaning in as he put his change in his wallet and propped his elbow up on the counter. The lady behind him was getting impatient, but he didn’t care and wanted to know.

“Maybe” she said with a grin, then finished “I’ve known her twenty eight years and she is a great cook” she finished as he let out a chuckle and knew it was her.

“Can you do me a favor?” he asked as he grabbed a pen from the counter.

Jenna answered, not sure what to expect “Sure, anything” she said.

“Take my number and give me a call” he finished as he wrote it down on her hand, his hand warm and gentle as her body filled with excitement he caught on in a flash.

“I’m off at eight” she said as the lady behind coughed, hoping they would take it as a hint to be done. Jenna the finished “And I’m off tomorrow” winking one eye as he then straightened up and said “Dinner at eight tomorrow. I’ll pick you up” he said. “And by the way, I love a good cook”

He pulled his hand slowly away as Jenna looked down to read the number in black ink. “413-555-2168” she said in a whisper, as though she had a wish come true. A date with Shawn Mathew from upstate New York. She heard him talking one day with a client and discussed where they lived for a work project. Her heart was there and wanted to fly as he said with a grin “Single it is” and turned to leave.

Jenna knew then he would be her man to sweep her away and leave the past. Her mother had taught her there was only one man and soon she would find him like a drop from the sky. Today was that day she grinned a big grin and watched his frame go back through the crowd and out the door, into a world of chaos and hope.