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Sasha two years later
There was a sort of nostalgia to the coffee shop. It wasn’t the same as the one on campus I used to go to. There were no couches to sit on for hours. People watching felt so much different, but I’d learned the language.
The owner, Marta, and I were on good terms, mostly because her daughter and I shared nursing university. I only had a week before my break ended and classes picked back up. In a way, I was relieved this was the last semester, but I’d made so many friends that it pained me as that finish line drew nearer.
The light tap of a cup on the table pulled me from the thoughts that were both joyous and a little saddening. She took the half-empty cup of warm coffee. As my phone buzzed, I gave her a questioning glance, but said, “Thank you, Marta.”
Armon’s text popped open.Good morning, Sweet One.
If only he could see the scowl I cast toward the text before I lay the phone down on the table.
Another buzz and text popped up.Still angry?Considering the means by which he left, I was furious.
I jerked it up and texted my response.Still!
I’d managed to busy myself and ignore the fact that he’d chosen to take a job instead of staying with me. He may have claimed he didn’t want to distract me, but he could have chosen a different week to leave.
Another text.I got you a present.
Yours is waiting on the table. Not that he would be home to see it anytime soon.
At the same time Marta returned and placed a pink envelope by the cup, my phone buzzed again.
So is yours.
I yanked it up and turned it over. Armon’s writing was scribbled on it with the words,Happy Anniversary, Sweet. Katya must have told Armon where I would be, so he had a card waiting for me. Then again, it seemed odd he’d dropped it off before he left since Katya wouldn’t have easily been able to deliver it here.
Open it. After a few seconds, another popped up.I love my new pistol. Had he actually let Katya open the present to tell him what I had gotten him? Now my scowl grew.
Marta returned with a tall bouquet of daisies and left them so close in front of me I could smell them. A tall figure came into view behind them and sat, large cup of coffee in hand.
Now the scowl melted completely, replaced by anger for this cruel trick. If only words could escape my clenched jaw, I’d have plenty to say.
“Am I so atrocious you scowl on sight?” he mused.
I rolled my eyes as I muttered, “No.” I could never stay angry at his villainous, pearly smile, or his humor, so joy replaced my soured expression. Not to mention, using a similar pickup line as the man who melted my heart on our first meeting.
“Good,” he lowered his coffee before extending his hand around the daisies to steal the envelope I still hadn’t opened.
If he thought I’d let him take it, he was wrong. I swatted the reaching hand away and pulled the envelope closer to my chest.
“How about…” he feigned pondering. Even now, the choices he enjoyed thinking up were absurd.
“No choices. I’m opening it,” I replied, pulling the flap open. I’d expected a pretty card, but found several strips of paper.Tickets. I pondered on where he planned to take me as I pulled out the four passes. “A flight?”
“We need a nurse on crew in case anything happens.” What he was saying was to make sure the mark didn’t die before getting the punishment he deserved. So, he was still taking the job, but he would be bringing me along.
I looked closer to see what day we would be going. At the sight of today’s date and hour of departure, my voice went a bit shrill. “In two hours?”
“Katya already packed your bags and is waiting at the airport with Cade.” He took a sip of his coffee.
“Who’s watching—”
“Our sitter is already watching the girls. Now then—” He nodded Marta’s direction, who was quick to bring over two coffees in disposable cups as he spoke. “Clock is ticking, Sweet,” he said, extending a hand to me as he stood.
This was the mesmerizing man I decided to stay with at the coffee shop.
