~Joan~
I stared at the cup of latte sitting in front of me. Luckily, I’d woken up earlier than usual and decided to grab a coffee before heading to work.
There was an espresso machine in the office, but the coffee tasted awful. I had to deal with it because I didn’t have any at home yet-not that I didn’t want to, but somehow I never got around to buying a machine.
“Joan?” A masculine voice broke into my thoughts. I blinked, dragging my eyes away from the latte to meet a pair of familiar brown eyes.
I furrowed my brows as he grinned, tucking his hands into his pockets. Recognition hit me, and I smiled. “Brown Eyes?” I said, and he nodded, chuckling softly before pulling out the chair across from me.
“Can I sit with you?” he asked, and I nodded. He settled in, amusement swirling in his eyes.
“Since you’re calling me Brown Eyes, I’m guessing you’ve forgotten my name,” he teased, taking a sip of his drink.
I huffed, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Of course I haven’t. It’s Denzel, right?” I replied, and his smile widened, dimples carving into his cheeks. He was handsome, the kind of guy Rhoda would swoon over even though she already had a boyfriend.
I dropped my gaze, my smile faltering slightly.
“Yeah, you got it,” he said, his voice light, but his eyes scanned the cafe, lingering before landing back on me. “So, what brings you here this early?”
I shrugged and lifted my cup of latte. “It’s a cafe,” I said matter-of-factly. He chuckled, and I couldn’t help but smile a little.
“Fair. But I still wonder why a damsel like you is out and about so early,” he said, his eyes meeting mine. I pursed my lips.
“Let me guess, you’re a regular here,” I countered, and he nodded. “Too bad we’ve never run into each other before,” I added.
He raised a brow. “Wait, this isn’t your first time here?”
I chuckled softly. “What do you think? I live just a couple of blocks-” I stopped abruptly, my chest tightening.
What was I doing, rattling off personal information to someone I barely knew? Even a seemingly nice guy could be dangerous. I’d learned that the hard way.
“I get it. You live nearby,” he said, his tone casual, like he didn’t notice the tension that had suddenly crept in. It helped me relax a little.
He glanced at his watch, his eyes widening slightly.
“I’m going to be late. Are you coming to the office today? Aaron’s been crankier than usual. Let’s not even talk about the employees he fired two days ago.” Denzel pressed a hand to his chest, feigning despair.
“I swear, the company’s going to collapse if he keeps going like this. I’m next on the chopping block if I’m late,” he said, his expression turning dramatic, but I barely registered it. My gaze drifted to the cold latte in my hands.
“Oh,” he muttered, catching my distant expression. It almost made me laugh.
“Yeah,” I said, a small chuckle escaping me. He cleared his throat, straightening in his seat. I tried to ignore the small flicker of satisfaction in knowing I wasn’t the only one dealing with a wreck of a life.
It was almost comforting to know Aaron was struggling too. After seeing him two days ago, I’d done everything I could to get over him. He’d saved me, sure, but the pity in his eyes still haunted me. I hated him for it. I never wanted anyone’s pity.
“Look, I’m sorry,” Denzel said, his voice softer now. “I didn’t mean to bring up anything that might upset you. It was a lapse of judgment on my part.”
I nodded, taking a large gulp of my cold coffee and immediately regretting it. I scrunched up my nose. Note to self: stick to coffee when it’s still hot.
“It’s fine. Not your fault,” I said, placing the cup on the table and standing up. I slung my bag over my shoulder as he stood too, his expression tinged with guilt.
“I should get going. Can’t risk getting fired either,” I joked, and thankfully, it worked. His lips curved into a small smile.
“Do you think we could grab a coffee together sometime?” he asked. My smile faltered slightly, and I hesitated.
As much as I wanted to move on from Aaron, I didn’t want to use someone else as a rebound. That would only make things more complicated.
Denzel must have noticed my hesitation because he laughed lightly. “No, no. I don’t mean it like that. Just as friends. Or better yet, friends-to-be. Nothing serious.”
Relief washed over me, and I nodded. “Yeah, of course. That sounds good.”
He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Can I get your number? I’ll text you.”
I waved him off. “I already have your number. Got it that day, but I haven’t had a chance to text you. Life’s been… a lot,” I said, and he smiled softly.
“You got my number to spite Aaron, didn’t you?” he asked, his tone teasing. I laughed, nodding.
“Yeah. But I forgot, and he never even knew. Let’s just say your job’s still safe,” I teased back, and he flashed a lopsided grin.
“So, we’ll catch up soon?” he asked, and I nodded. We walked out of the cafe together, parting ways outside.
As I climbed into a cab, a small part of me felt hopeful.
Maybe, just maybe, I’d found someone who could be a friend. Someone who wouldn’t see me as less than. Someone who wouldn’t shatter my heart into a million pieces.
Just maybe.