Irritation heightened Jason
Matthews’ edginess. “Will the dude ever come in and actually buy something?”
One by one, he placed the clean mugs on the shelf. “This is a Java joint, not a
freaking library.”
“You could ask him to leave.” Maggie
Storey gave him a pointed look. For someone who worked at his coffee shop less
than six months, she got away with spouting off in ways his veteran employees
wouldn’t dream of. She’d shocked him with her uninhibited banter that first day.
Now, he fought a grin forcing its way onto his normally scowling face.
He liked her spunk.
It didn’t hurt that she was a cute little thing, either - relatively
speaking, of course. She would be considered tall and full figured to most, but
for a man who had to duck and practically turn sideways to get through
doorways, she was tiny.
“You know I can’t do that. It might
make my real customers uncomfortable and leave.”
“As if your scowls and growls alone couldn’t do that,” she said with a
teasing lilt.
He huffed. “Tell me something, Miss Maggie. Why do you think the guy is
always here, but never buys anything?”
She continued checking the syrup
levels and wiping down the bottles, glancing at the mystery man from time to
time. Jason could see the thoughtful concentration on her round, rosy face and
wondered for the zillionth time if her skin was as petal soft as it looked.
Remembering her comment about being fat, he let his gaze slide over her
silhouette. She was no stick figure, for sure. Still, he didn’t think her overweight.
In fact, whatever extra pounds she imagined she carried gave her a soft,
appealing look. Visions of cuddling by a blazing fireplace filled his mind.
Deciding she wouldn’t appreciate his line of thought, he forced his gaze back
to her face and dissolved the images.
She shrugged. “Maybe he wants to
find a quiet place to work without interruption.”
Interesting.
“Why do you think that?”
“Well, he always brings his laptop.
He never has anyone with him. He turns his cell phone off when he arrives and
turns it on when he leaves. He has permanent stress creases in his brow and he
comes on schedule – same time, every week day, and always in a suit.”
“You know what else I think?”
He raised his eyebrows, waiting for
her to continue.
“I think you should offer him a
complimentary cup of coffee. Who knows? He might become your most loyal paying customer.”
“Can I get you a cup of Java? It’s on the house today.”
The man looked up and Jason watched
his face transform in seconds from disgruntled to bewilderment to relief. “That
would be great, actually. I don’t mind paying for it. I always intend to buy a
cup when I come, but I’m so swamped my time here flies and before I know it I’m
leaving without.
“What’s your pleasure today?”
“I’ll take a French Vanilla
Cappuccino, please. Here’s my card.”
The man looked at him in surprise
and thanked him. “You just won yourself a loyal customer.”
The sappy smile on Maggie’s face
tripped his heart and more than paid for the guy’s free java. Especially when
she tapped his chest, looked up at him with glowing eyes and said, “I knew
there was a heart of gold hidden under all that gruffness.”
Yes, sir! He wanted to drag her into the back room and taste those sweet,
rosy lips. Instead, he took her hand and gave a gentle squeeze before he winked
and turned to an approaching customer.
When Maggie’s shift ended, Jason
followed her to the back door to thank her. It wasn’t until the door closed
behind her and he tingled with awareness that he realized she had stood on
tiptoe, pulled his face to hers and given him a sweet, if brief, “you’re
welcome” kiss.
~ written by Linnette R Mullin
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