It was around midnight when I went back to the coffee shop and saw Brendon was there.
This is ridiculous.
I went inside and heard the bell causing Brendon to look up from his phone.
"What are you doing here?" He asked and I walked over to him.
"Came to keep you company. You seem..." I looked around the place not seeing anyone inside. "Lonely."
"Thanks." He said and didn't tell me to leave so I took that as a welcoming. I dragged a chair and sat in front of him keeping a distance.
"Why do you stay here so late?" I asked and he bit his lip.
"My grandma wants this place open."
"Then why isn't she the one that's here?"
"She's in a wheelchair." He said and I pursed my lips. "She thinks it's still the same. This coffee shop was big when she was young. People came in and out all day and she wouldn't close until the last customer was satisfied, she didn't kick anyone out no matter how late it was. But it's been years since, the people who used to come here are probably as old as she is or dead. The new locals don't know this place exists, especially since they opened up that club across the street. Why come to a boring worn out coffee shop when there's a way better place close by, right?" He chuckled but he held sadness in his tone.
"Have you tried telling her it's not the same?"
"Tried? I told her for three months every day, but just gave up because she's still so stubborn."
"You're wasting your time here, why hasn't she hired anyone else?"
"She wants this to be a family business. The cooks are my cousins. No one else wants to work here and since I used to love this place..." he trailed off and sighed. "She thinks I still do."
"I mean," I got up and looked around. "It's a nice place. There's room for more stuff, even tables." I said and he nodded.
"We removed some tables since not many people were coming anymore."
"Wait," I said and imagined this place in my head. "There, a boom box or a stage, karaoke night!" I said and he chuckled.
"I wouldn't appose to that but not many young people come in here."
"Karaoke is for all ages."
"That sounds great, but we don't have the money for it."
"I can buy it."
"What?"
"I can buy the stuff, we can go together." I said and he chuckled but I kept a straight face.
"Wait, you're serious."
"Yeah."
"But why would you pay for it?" He questioned tilting his head, more like a cute puppy.
"Because the food here is great, you just need to attract locals. When I saw this place it looked abandoned but it was the only one that was opened. I bet if we painted the walls and fixed a few stuff it'll be perfect."
"It all sounds amazing but my grandma would never approve of painting the walls."
"We can convince her."
"We don't have the money and I can't let you waste your own on a karaoke machine. Lots of elders come here, they won't appreciate loud music." He explained and I shrugged.
"Sorry for the sad truth but they'll be gone in a year or two. This place needs to modern itself up. All these elders order is coffee. There's tons of coffee places, the food here is good but they're missing out because they don't have teeth. The teenagers willing to waste money will come here and eat that food. Brendon, I'm trying to make some sense here. You do understand, right?"
"I do understand, Gordon Ramsay, but how will we attract locals?" He asked and I hummed.
"If they won't come here, we'll take the food to them. We can set up a few blocks away and give out free samples. Let them know to come here."
"You watch a lot of TV." He chuckled and I nodded.
"Yeah, I also know business."
"Really?"
"I majored in it and own a building locals stay in, also some houses and stuff." I shrugged as if it were nothing.
"How did you manage all of that?"
"It was hard but it doesn't matter, will you let me help you?" I asked and he narrowed his eyes.
"Again, why do you want to help?"
"It's what I do."
"You give money to people who are pitiful?" He said and I shook my head.
"No, that's not what I'm doing. I like this place, I want to help fix it." I said and he sighed looking around at the coffee shop.
"On one condition."
"Which is?"
"I will pay you back and you will accept the money no matter how long it takes me."
No.
"Sure." I nodded.
"Alright."
"Good, we can start tomorrow." I said and he shook his head.
"No, I'm busy."
"Cancel that. Get one of your cousins to work, I need you on board 100% to be able to do this." I said and he pursed his lips.
"My girlfriend will kill me if I cancel this."
"Do you want to do this or not?" I asked. I need him to cancel. His girlfriend shouldn't be in the picture.
"I'll see what I can do." He said and I nodded.
"Good, let me know. Also, the name, this isn't a coffee shop, make it a diner. Urie's Diner." I said before leaving the place. I got in my car and grinned. I don't mind paying to fix this place. I got money falling out of my pockets anyway. If I do this for him, he'll fall for me. I just know it. But I need to get rid of the girlfriend first and him cancelling on her will help for starters. I hope it does.
—
I stopped by 7am at the coffee shop since I know that's when he opens. He did text me at 5am saying he was in. Good. That means he cancelled whatever he had planned with his girlfriend. I saw him waiting inside on his phone and I let myself known by opening the door and hearing the bells.
"These bells need to go."
"They can't, they've been there for years. My grandma put them up herself."
"Fine, they can stay." I said and he chuckled getting up. We got in my car and I drove.
"Where are we going first?"
"I ordered the karaoke machine online so we're going to Home Depot to buy some paint. I hired some people to come paint. If we're remodeling, you'll need to close the place for a few days."
"That's a lot."
"It is." I nodded and he took a deep breath.
"My grandma is going to kill me."
"Seems like everyone's going to kill you when all you're really doing is helping this place." I said and he nodded.
"It's a lot of change, I don't know how I'll handle it. It's been the same for so long."
"It'll be good, change is always good. You'll see." I said and he nodded probably convincing himself that this is a good idea.
"I still don't understand why you want to help." He said and I chuckled.
"I told you, I like the place."
"You mean you like me?" He said and I blinked.
"What?"
"I see it, Ryan. I'm very flattered but I have a girlfriend. So if you don't want to help anymore, I understand." He said and I stopped at a red light.
"I admit I do find you attractive and I wanted to get with you and I respect that you have a girlfriend, it's good to know now. But I said I was going to help you so I will." I said and he smiled.
"Okay, thank you." He said and I drove again on the green light.
He didn't say if he swings both ways. I can still try until he lets me know he's not interested in males. It would be much easier if he just told me so I don't come off as a creep. Just hope it's sooner than later.
—
We arrived at Home Depot and went to the paint section and saw tons of colors. "Woah, this one would look great." He said and it was a dark green.
"No, try something colorful. That's a bit depressing. It screams old people. I say this one." I said pointing at a light red.
"That one could work." He nodded and we looked at more.
"Or we can mix the colors. A different one in every wall." I said and he smiled.
"That would look so sick, let's do that."
"Pastel colors are always great on walls." I said and looked at the colors.
"We can have purple, blue, pink, and red." I said and he nodded.
"Yeah, that'll look nice."
"Alright, I'll set this up while you go look for a grill."
"A grill?"
"To cook in to lure in customers." I said and he shook his head.
"We don't need a grill?"
"Yeah, they need to know you're the one making the food so we'll need one of your cousins to come with us while we hand out samples." I explained and he tilted his head.
"It makes sense but –"
"Money doesn't matter to me, just go look for one." I said and turned around to talk to a guy about the paint. I turned again and didn't see Brendon, he was gone looking for a grill.
—
Some guys will be taking the grill to the coffee shop by tomorrow morning. I made sure Brendon knew that and that some people will be stopping by today at 12 to paint the place so he'll need to close. He let his cousins know and they were confused to why I was helping, I was going to explain myself but they didn't care as long as I helped. I shook their hands before they went home probably full of joy inside from not having to work for a few days.
"Let's go eat." I said and he nodded.
"I'm paying." He said and I nodded.
"Sure." I'm paying.
"We can set up the grill as soon as they bring it. It gets full downtown in the morning."
"I can't in the morning." He said.
"You can't be working, the paint will be drying."
"I know, I have church tomorrow."
"You go to church?" I asked with a chuckle and he narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, I go to church."
"I didn't mean it like that."
"Then how?"
"Nothing, I just don't believe in any of that."
"God you mean?"
"Yeah, God." I said and he blinked before nodding.
"Okay, I can respect that but just know I strongly believe in God."
"Alright, sure, that can't come between us anyway. It's simple beliefs." I said and he nodded.
"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow. Again, thank you for doing this, you're amazing." He said and smiled.
"Yeah, no problem."
—
"You're doing all that for this guy? I know he's worth it since he's cute but to do all that? Are you okay, Ryan? You might have a fever." Spencer said and checked my forehead.
"I'm fine, I told him I'll do it. I can't back down now.
"You've watched Kitchen Nightmares, right?"
"What?" I asked and Spencer chuckled.
"Gordon Ramsay has this show where he helps out restaurants and gets them new menus and stuff." He explained and I chuckled.
"No wonder he called me Gordon Ramsay but I just didn't understand the joke."
"You should ask if he's into dudes."
"No, I can't do that because then he'll think I'm doing it to get to him."
"Are you not?" He asked and I bit my lip.
"Maybe a little but I do want to help."
"Well, good luck with that. You seem very interested in this guy. Do you just want to get in his pants or you actually want him?"
"I don't know, I guess both." I said and shrugged.
"Really? You want him?"
"Yes."
"Even if he's in love with God?"
"Religion never mattered to me."
"But what if it does to him?" I sighed and shrugged.
"I don't know, we'll see how it goes."
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alright, I'm aware brendon is far from religious but it's an alternate universe and I'm experimenting.
this chapter was a bit boring but it gets better?? maybe?? for me at least ??