TW: This story contains mentions of death.
Saturday morning was always your busiest time of the week. People were trying to pack as much fun as possible into their day and that meant caffinating. Your coffee shop was fairly popular due to the variety of coffee blends and pastries that were offered, and it had a cozy atmosphere that made your clients feel at ease. Traditional tables and chairs were set up along the walls, but you also had several plush couches and chairs available for those that wanted to relax as they enjoyed their drinks and sweet treats.
However, Saturday was special to you for a different reason. It was the day that you saw your favorite customers. Every Saturday for the past year at exactly ten on the dot, Bucky Barnes walked into your shop with his best friends, Steve and Sam, and his son Grant. Your friend and co-owner of the shop, Wanda, had been urging you to ask him out for months. You wanted to, but Bucky didn't seem interested. He didn't have a wedding band and Grant had never mentioned his mom, but that didn't mean there wasn't a woman in his life.
Regardless of how he felt, there was no harm in admiring your handsome patron. His thick, dark hair made his icy blue eyes even more striking. The sharp line of his jaw was usually covered with light stubble and you wondered what it would be like to run your fingers along it. It wasn't hard to see that he had an impressive physique hiding beneath the jeans and t-shirt that he liked to pair with a flannel. Everything about him screamed attractive, including the shy smile he always wore.
What you loved most, though, was the way he interacted with his son. You could tell that he was an amazing father just from the ten minutes that he spent in your shop every Saturday. Your second wave of customers had just died down when the bell over your door rang and you saw Bucky entering with Grant's hand held in his.
"Here comes your man, Y/n." Wanda whispered and nudged you with her elbow.
The corner of your mouth raised in a small smile as you and Wanda began making their usual order. Sam and Steve followed Bucky in, with Sam quickly cutting in front of the others and making a beeline for the counter.
"Good morning, gorgeous ladies. How's your Saturday going so far?" Sam asked with a broad smile.
"It's been great, but it's even better now that you're here." Wanda said and winked at Sam.
"And you, Y/n." Sam said with a chuckle.
"It's fine, Sam." You laughed and shifted your attention to Grant. "Got a new cookie for you to try out this morning, kiddo."
"What is it?" Grant asked, excitedly.
He looked like a mini version of Bucky with the same dark hair and clear blue eyes. Eyes that were currently shining up at you as he waited for your answer.
"Birthday cake." You said with a grin.
"Are there sprinkles and frosting?"
You handed Sam and Steve their cups and turned to look down at Grant.
"Do you think I'm a heathen?" You asked in mock offense. "Of course there are sprinkles and frosting."
"Yes!" Grant jumped up and down, clenching his little hands in victory.
"Hop on up and I'll grab you one, munchkin."
"Help me, daddy." Grant looked up at Bucky and raised his arms for his dad to place him on the counter.
Bucky reached down and plucked Grant off the ground, then sat him on the edge of the counter. You returned with Bucky's finished coffee, Grant's hot chocolate, and the cookie.
"Thanks, Y/n." Bucky said softly as you handed him his cup and he handed over cash for their order.
His fingers grazed yours lightly when he took his cup and you felt your pulse increase at the slight touch of his skin on yours. You could feel your cheeks flush, so you quickly nodded and turned your attention back to Grant.
"Careful with this, it's a little hot."
Grant just turned four a few months ago. You remembered because on that particular visit he told you about the superhero party Bucky was throwing for him later that day. You listened to him tell you about all the different superheroes he was going to have at his party while he ate the cookie you gave him every time he came in. He was the most adorable kid you had ever seen and you had grown to enjoy seeing him just as much as his dad. Grant was well behaved and smarter than any four year old you had ever met. It was evident that Bucky had done an amazing job raising him so far.
You helped Grant hold onto the cup while he took a sip of his hot chocolate and then slid his cookie over to him. He grabbed it with both hands and took a big bite. Frosting and sprinkles stuck to his upper lip, making you chuckle as he took another enthusiastic bite.
"Slow down, buddy. You're gonna get a tummy ache." Bucky said.
"It's good, daddy. Try it." Grant held the cookie up to Bucky.
Bucky smirked and then leaned down to take a bite. His eyes met yours as he swallowed.
"Holy shit. It's really good, Y/n. It actually tastes like a piece of birthday cake." He said, surprised. "How do you do that?"
"It's a secret." You winked at him and looked back at Grant, who was staring at Steve.
"He said a bad word, Uncle Steve."
"I know, pal. We'll make him put a dollar in the swear jar when we get home." Steve said with faux seriousness.
Frosting was smeared across Grant's cheeks now, making you bite back a laugh. Grabbing a fresh towel and wetting it at the sink, you wiped down his face until it was frosting free and then helped him take another sip of his drink.
"So, what do you boys have planned today?" You asked. "I know Wanda is free tonight, Sam. Maybe you two could have dinner."
Your love life may be boring, but there was no reason you couldn't play matchmaker between Wanda and Sam. The two flirted every time Sam came in with Bucky. In fact, he had even begun making solo trips to the shop throughout the week. Neither had the guts to ask the other out, so you decided to give them a push.
"I-uh." Sam cleared his throat and looked at Wanda. "I mean, I am free if you want to grab dinner."
You peeked over to see a blush creeping across Wanda's face and you hid the smirk forming on your face.
"I–yeah. I'd like that." She said quietly and grabbed a pen from her apron. Wanda scribbled down her number on a napkin and passed it to Sam then disappeared into the back, no doubt to have a mini freak out about her date.
"What about you boys?" You looked at Steve and Grant then let your gaze wander to Bucky.
"Uncle Steve has a date!" Grant said, excitedly.
"Oh, big night for dates apparently." You told Grant. "What about your daddy? Does he have a big date lined up?"
Grant shook his head and motioned for another sip of his hot chocolate. By now, the contents had cooled down enough for you to hand him his cup and let him hold it. He tipped the cup up and then looked at you with big eyes.
"Daddy doesn't date." He said innocently.
You glanced up at Bucky who looked uncomfortable with the current direction that the conversation had taken. He forced a smile as he looked at you and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Trying to make him feel less awkward, you redirected your attention to Grant and booped his nose.
"I don't date either, kiddo. Nothing wrong with that."
Grant's eyes lit up at your statement before making one of his own.
"You and daddy should date!" If you had liquid in your mouth, Grant would have been wearing it.
Your eyes went wide as you choked on your spit and you felt your face turn as red as a tomato.
"Grant!" Bucky scolded. "I'm so sorry, Y/n. Kids say the darndest things, ya know."
He chuckled uneasily and shrugged his shoulders.
"I think that's a great idea, Grant. Ask the woman on a date, Buck." Steve hit Bucky in the side with his elbow.
"Yeah, ask the woman." Sam chimed in.
"Yeah, daddy!" Grant bounced on the countertop and looked back at you. "Will you go out with my daddy?"
"Uh, that's not exactly how it works, Grant." You said gently.
"What do you mean?" His little brow furrowed in the cutest confused expression you had ever seen.
You smoothed his hair out of his eyes and rested your forearms on the counter so you could look him straight in the eyes.
"Well, both people have to agree to the date and it doesn't seem like your daddy is interested."
"But you are, right?" Grant questioned.
Your eyes cut to Bucky who was staring down at you intensely, almost as if he was intrigued by what your answer would be. You couldn't answer that question, though. Not with Bucky standing on the other side of the counter and knowing that, however you answered, it wouldn't change the fact that he simply wasn't interested in you.
"Tell ya what, munchkin. You stop being so curious and I'll give your dad another cookie to take home for you. Is it a deal?" You held your hand out to him and he immediately placed his tiny hand in yours.
"Deal!" He squealed.
"Let me go grab one. Wanda just frosted a fresh batch." You left Grant and Bucky standing at the counter as you retreated as fast as you could into the back of the shop.
~
Bucky watched you walk away as quickly as you could after Grant's line of intrusive questions. He cursed under his breath as soon as you were out of earshot. After hearing Grant ask you if you were interested in going on a date with him, Bucky couldn't help but want to know the answer. Since the first time Bucky entered your coffee shop, he had been intrigued by you. Within three months of meeting you, he wanted to ask you on a date.
You were beautiful, funny, sweet, and amazing with Grant. But he was having a hard time letting go of the guilt he felt every time he thought about you as anything other than a friend. Two years ago, Bucky's wife passed away in a car accident. Katie was the love of his life and he thought he would spend the rest of his life with her, but fate had other plans.
Grant was barely two when Bucky was thrust into the role of single father. If it hadn't been for Steve and Sam, Bucky wasn't sure how he would have managed everything. They were with him as he grieved the loss of his wife and helped him stay strong for his son.
They had been urging Bucky to enter the dating world again for the last year, but his hesitation was two fold. The biggest issue he had was that he felt like he was betraying Katie. He had been completely in love with her and he always would be. Bucky wasn't sure if he could let someone else into his heart. His second problem was his fear. If he were to start a relationship with you, Bucky was afraid that history would repeat itself and he would lose you the same way he lost Katie. Those two things alone were enough to keep him from asking you out.
"When are you going to bite the bullet and ask her to dinner?" Sam said, pulling Bucky from his thoughts.
"You know why I haven't asked her, Sam." Bucky sighed.
"Yeah, and I'm telling you that it's time for you to move forward with your life. Katie wouldn't want you sulking for the rest of your life."
"I don't sulk!"
"You kinda do, Buck." Steve said, agreeing with Sam.
"Regardless of that, I have Grant to take care of. I don't have time to date." Bucky said, deflecting Sam and Steve's argument.
"Y/n is great with Grant. And he seems to like her. That's not an issue and you know it." Sam continued to break down Bucky's reasoning. "Listen, do you want to spend the rest of your life miserable?"
"I'm not miserable." Bucky grumbled.
"Come on, Buck. We've seen the way you look at her. You always watch her when she isn't looking and you have a sparkle in your eyes whenever you see her laughing with Grant. You can't lie to us and say you don't like her." Steve argued.
Bucky sighed heavily and looked quickly towards the door you disappeared through and then back at Steve and Sam.
"Okay, I would like to ask her out." He said, voice dropping into a husky whisper. "But I-I can't bring myself to do it."
"Have no fear, Sam is here. I've got your back, Buck." Sam grinned and cleared his throat as he saw you walking back to the counter.
"Sam, no." Bucky croaked out with wide eyes.
"Alright, kiddo. I got your cookie all packed up. Have fun on your dates guys."
"Speaking of dates..." Sam said, gaining your attention, but then the door to your shop opened and Bucky spoke up.
"Oh, look at that. Y/n has a customer she needs to take care of. Guess that's our cue to go. Come on, Grant." Bucky picked his son up, sat him on the floor, and started leading him out of the shop.
"Bucky, wait!" You yelled after him.
"Y-Yeah?" He turned back to you with an unreadable expression on his face.
"Grant's cookie." You held up the box.
"O-Oh, yeah. Here you go?" Bucky came back to the counter and held out more cash.
"It's on the house." You handed Bucky the box and then smiled down at Grant. "Gotta take care of my favorite little guy."
Bucky felt his skin warm at the way you looked at his son. You cared about Grant, he could tell. You made him smile, listened to every story he told you with genuine interest, and looked at him as if he was the most important person in the world. At that moment, he couldn't think of a single good reason why he shouldn't ask you out. You seemed interested in him. When Grant asked if you wanted to go on a date with him, you seemed eager to change the subject when you could have simply said no. He heard his pulse pounding in his ears as his brain ceased to function properly and he blurted out the words he thought he would never say.
"Will you go to dinner with me?"
Your head shot up and you looked at him in shock. Maybe he was wrong to assume that you wanted him to ask you out. Maybe you just didn't want to hurt his feelings by avoiding Grant's question.
"I-I'm sorry. I-If you don't want to..." Bucky stammered.
"I'd love to." You finally answered. Following Wanda's example, you scribbled down your phone number on a napkin and passed it to Bucky. "Just let me know when and where."
"Oh, uh, okay then. I-I'll call you." Bucky nodded as he looked down at the napkin in his hand in shock.
"As much as I've enjoyed watching this awkward exchange, Y/n has customers waiting, Buck." Sam said, stepping forward to drop his arm around Bucky's shoulder and steer him towards the door.
"I'll see you boys later. Bye Grant." You waved at the little boy and then looked up at his father. "Bye Bucky."
"B-bye, Y/n." Bucky said softly.
Sam finally pushed him out of the coffee shop and onto the sidewalk. Out of all the times he had imagined that exact scenario, he never expected it to be so awkward. And then it hit him. He had actually asked you on a date. You were expecting him to call you so you could set up a time and place...and he wasn't sure if he could follow through with it. Guilt began to settle in his chest and he wasn't sure how to keep it from swallowing him whole.
What the fuck have I done?
A/N: I should have the next three parts posted soon!