A Year Without You

16 ~ Him

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Him

Day 205 – With Another

It was already midday when I arrived at the shop. I wasn't late due to sleeping in but because of the time allotted I spend with preparing for the expansion. But my trip to the shop was short. The visit was only intended because I had left something at my mini-office. Though I had already informed my manager, Ron, and Edith – who was the cashier, but I always include her in the small circle of command since she'd worked with me for the longest out of my entire employee. She had been there since I started to open this coffee shop.

"So how was the meeting with the realtor this morning?" Edith asked as I quickly passed her towards the back office.

I didn't stop my stride when I replied. "It went well than I hoped."

"Found the right place yet?"

"There are three possible places. And I finally got the bank's approval for a loan," I beamed and stated before disappearing completely.

"You could have said that first!" She called, her voice muffled as I closed the door behind me.

I hastily grabbed the file tucked underneath the desk cabinet and headed out after I get what I needed. When I resurfaced from view, Edith peered to me with a grin.

"Seems congratulations should be in order. Why didn't you say anything? When did they approve it?"

"Just this morning. I went there before meeting the realtor."

"Does this mean I'll finally get bumped up to a managerial position in the new branch?" she inquired cheekily, though I knew she was half-serious. Ron got the job because of his exemplary educational background. Though I didn't want to undermine Edith's, she had dropped out of college before getting a degree.

With a secretive smile, I didn't comment. Instead I debrief her and Ron, who had helped Melody clear out a few tables, about closing the shop for tonight. That brought another interrogating question from Edith, which wasn't entirely a surprise. Her nosy nature is part of her charm.

"Do you have a date or something? I thought you'd only have one more meeting to end the day."

"What are you my secretary? And maybe... I might have a date..."

That brought my entire employee to stare at me in astonishment. Melody finally butted in the conversation. "Oh my god, who is the girl? What is she like?"

"Oh! Now, this is rare news. I need to know who is this girl." Edith declared.

"Is she a ten boss?" Mike called up while he started to brew a new batch of coffee behind the counter.

"Okay. I think saying that it's a date is an overstating it. We're just having a casual dinner and drinks this evening." I cleared out the misconception.

"Oh, please. Don't try and skirt around the topic. It's obvious you're thinking of it as a date, even if you deny it. Was it her who denied it to be called a date or are you still...?"

"Okay. How about let's not discuss my love life so publicly?" I offered though it was mainly a rhetorical question. "Since that's that, I'll get going. I'll see you all tomorrow."

"Good luck with the date!" I tired to hide a smile from their enthusiasm.

Having a non-existent love life for the past months since Emilia, the news of me getting back in the dating pool would invigorate them from prying more about my past failed relationship. But I knew it was all still a front/a mask I put to get by everyday without being deem as sympathetic. Not after admitting to her publicly, with all of them as bystanders, that I love her and only to be shut down in an instant. I've never been rejected so publicly in my life. And with her doing it, the edge wouldn't just magically flew away.