A Good Man Is Hard To Find

Chapter 2

“Ah just the Angel I was looking for” Tom’s blue eyes twinkled at her as he slapped her bum as he walked past. She swatted at him playfully, Tom somehow elevated all the tension Ange had been holding in since her excursion with Conrad.

“So what kind of time do you call this?” He asked doing up his matching red apron.

“Party time?” was her sarcastic reply.

“Well obviously, cuz I’m here, I mean 10 minutes late,” he paused, “remember our little bet?” He was grinning at her face of realisation.

“Why of course I do my liege lord,” she replied bowing low, looking up last minute to stick out her tongue, “how could I ever forget?” He hazel eyes wide and looking as innocent as a tabby kitten.

“Too right” he said smugly “off to work then Angle-poo” She almost visibly winced at the nickname but didn’t protest remembering the details of the bet they had made last Thursday. If she was late she was Toms ‘minion’ and he could use Angels full name or whatever derivation of it he wanted. If she was on time it was flipped. Alas Angel almost had some sort of inability to be on time. To anything.

“Whatever you say m’lord” Tom smiled his lopsided one-side quirked smile that looked evil but was infectious, she grinned back and they linked arms and waltzed into front of shop. Conversing in and extremely posh voices. Stella their manager didn’t even look at them as made their entrance. She merely continued preparing the coffee she was making.

“Get on with it then you two.” Where her instructions

“Righto!”

“We’re onto it ma’am.” She simply rolled her eyes. Thinking about what an odd pair they made. Tom was average height, muscled, with perfectly mussed up blond hair and dimples to win any girl over he was a ‘regulation hottie’. Angel looked dwarfed beside him and (decidedly regular) her dark brown hair normally just tied back in a ponytail that often had off bits and pieces in it. She had nice skin which was pale and delicate but she was sort of lost to sea of faces. There was her fashion sense and definite attitude that made her special ( and gave her a sort of morish person). Stella dismissed these thoughts as she watched them work and play together the casual banter accompanied by light laughter and spontaneous dancing.

                                                                                                ***

As the afternoon progressed into evening and the small café filled and drained but was a constant buzz of energy keeping the November chills out. Once the clocks went back everything seemed later when it got dark – though really it was earlier. The usual weariness that accompanied Angel settled back down on her shoulders. It wasn’t the same as the first few hours, though Tom still brought a smile to her face with his silliness.

“Oh ma darhlin’ Angel, won’t you come to me?” He sang at her.

“As you wish.” She replied softly, smiling to herself. Best movie, she thought, as she went over to Tom.

“Take these to Table 4 will you darling?” His sugary words came out as he pointed vaguely in the direction of a tray whilst trying to coax a coffee out of the machine.

“As you wish” she smirked at his failure and swooped up the tray and weaved her way to the best table in the café.

Table 4 was indisputably the best table in the house. It was a corner and window but still felt private and cozy, you could see every one’s goings on but did get the rush of cold every time someone opened the door. What really made it spectacular though was the seat itself. A perfectly aged soft, brown leather sofa. Soft and welcoming as a hug, but also tatty so no one cared if you put your feet on it. Thinking about it even the table was the perfect height so you didn’t break your back every time you went for a sip of your chosen beverage. The guy sitting on the corner of the sofa was curled up like a cat, on his feet gazing out the window. Angel put the tray down and took the drinks off. The sound pulled him out of reverie – he turned his eyes toward Angel. They were an electric blue-green mixture, they went straight through Angel, and put her off for a moment.