Always and Forever

29

The coffee house was opened early and she was thankful for it. She had woken up early intending to go for a run but as soon as she stepped outside her door, she gave up that idea. There was no way she was going to run with the cold wind hitting her face, she would rather go to work early and prepare for the day ahead. So Hailey Rodgers had prepared herself and walked out. When she was closer to the café, she peeked in to see if the barista was there and was glad to see him laboring away. He was such a handsome man that she could just stop everything and stare at him for his looks were aesthetically pleasing. His face was beautifully shaped, especially the full lips that he licked every once in a while and his nose, it was crooked as if he was a fighter in his past life and that gave him that rough look she liked. It was also an added advantage that his eyes were deep set and black, that one could stare at them and be transported to another world. He had a four leaf clover tattoo on his left wrist and she took that to mean that he was going to be her good luck charm. The barista was lean just the way she liked it, he was her type through and through and she smiled as she watched him work.

Hailey eventually walked in and when he saw her, he genuinely lit up. The smile on his face made him even more handsome and she had to remind herself to stop smiling. There were about three people in line before her and she fished her phone to catch up on the outside world as she waited for her turn. The news that she saw made her do a double take for it seemed so out of the world. Hailey Rodgers did not notice the line move until the guy who was behind her nudged her, rather rudely, forward. She turned and walked out of the café and walked aimlessly down the street. It had to be fake news, it had to be. She felt somebody grab her arm gently and she voluntarily stopped, she had to process the news she had read anyway.

"Is anything the matter? I saw you rush out before getting your coffee and I reasoned something was wrong, so I just came to make sure you were okay." The barista said as he first shrugged before he gave her that enchanting smile that she readily welcomed.

It was such a nice gesture, that he had ran after her to make sure she was okay. This was the first time in a long time that a guy actually cared for her and no matter how hard she tried, she could not just stop smiling. She could feel her face burning up and she knew without a doubt that she was blushing, so she changed her gaze and stared at the floor as she waited for her body to calm the hell down.

"I just saw some disturbing news that made me concerned, it is probably fake anyway." She said as she looked at the guy and smiled bashfully.

"I had already prepared your coffee." He said as he handed her the coffee cup. "I added an extra shot of espresso since I saw you like your coffee bitter." He said as he scratched his head in order to combat his nervousness. He looked cute and she could not help but smile again.

"Thanks so much......." She paused and he ended up doing exactly what she had anticipated him to do.

"Henry."

"Henry, such an aristocratic name." she said as she tried to joke with him.

"I am the king of my world so you are not entirely wrong." He said as he winked at her.

She laughed despite herself, she wanted so badly to remain calm and composed but she simply could not. Hailey could feel herself burning up and she quickly sipped the drink she had been offered forgetting that it was hot. It scalded her tongue and she spit it out and stuck her tongue out.

"I forgot the drink was hot." She said wishing the ground could swallow her up for she was dying of embarrassment. She saw Henry move close and gently rub her back and despite her situation she broke down in laughter. She had burned her tongue, not her back but the gesture was not lost on her.