She wasn't in a hurry anymore.
Instead, she sat comfortably at the counter, enjoying the music and the warm atmosphere around her. Sometimes she would close her eyes for a moment, letting the familiar flavor settle on her tongue before swallowing.
A small smile remained on her face the entire time.
By the time she reached the bottom of the glass, her mood had improved so much that she felt lighter than she had all day.
Setting the glass down carefully, she turned toward Timothy, who was wiping down the counter nearby.
"By the way, Timothy."
"Hm?"
Juliet straightened slightly.
"Can I buy a bottle of it?"
Timothy paused and looked up.
"A bottle?"
Juliet nodded immediately.
"Yes."
The smile on her face softened as her thoughts drifted toward Cassian.
Wrapping both hands around the stem of her glass, she looked down briefly before smiling to herself.
"I want to take one home for my boyfriend."
Just thinking about him made her expression gentler.
"I love it so much, and I think he'll love it too. I really want him to try it."
Timothy watched the way her entire face brightened when she mentioned her boyfriend and couldn't help chuckling.
"Let me go ask the owners first. Give me a minute."
Juliet's eyes widened hopefully.
Immediately clasping her hands together, she leaned forward excitedly.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Her enthusiasm made Timothy laugh again.
"Don't thank me yet."
Still chuckling, he disappeared toward the back of the bar.
Left alone, Juliet remained perched on her stool with a happy smile lingering on her lips.
She picked up her glass and took another small sip while waiting, humming softly along with the music playing overhead. Her fingers tapped lightly against the stem of the glass as she swayed gently to the beat.
The atmosphere was comfortable and relaxing.
For the first time all day, she wasn't thinking about anything stressful.
