AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Michael still wanted to keep us working with him so his company could have a successful launch. The negativity towards the company hadn’t disappeared completely, but as a team we were all happy with how public opinion had changed. And because of that we had finally stopped working such late hours. I couldn’t be happier with the work we had done, especially considering it was such a big case and it was our first one together.
And because the team had been working so well together, Charlie and I could fit in Laurel Nielson for a meeting. Even though she had returned from Spain just hours ago, she had been calling Charlie non-stop for the last two days asking for a plan. The truth was that we didn’t have one. Until I could actually talk to her face to face, I wouldn’t know how she would feel about any plans I made for her.
It also didn’t help that her situation was no longer a crisis moment by definition. The actual crisis had already passed over two months ago. The PR department in the company would’ve been the better choice for her, but because of her insistence on working with Charlie, here I was away from the office and stuck at a coffee shop on the Upper East Side.
The line I’d been waiting in finally moved an inch, and I watched as two people walked past me with their hands full of coffee cups and pastry bags.
I tried to ignore the heated conversation the couple in front of me were having about party hats and balloons, and checked my phone for new emails. Surprisingly there was nothing urgent that needed my attention. There was one email from Lindsey, my ex-wife, I was assuming about the house, but I chose to ignore it. I saw the time and realized there was still over half an hour before the meeting at Laurel’s Park Avenue townhouse. I’d considered sending Charlie a text to see if she wanted to meet up for coffee beforehand, but gave up on the idea since it was probably good to limit our interactions outside the office. The memory of walking home together had played on my mind for a good while and I didn’t think it was smart for me to spend too much time with her. She was dangerous to my peace of mind.
‘William?’
I frowned, thinking I’d conjured Charlie’s voice in my imagination, but when I heard my name called again, I turned around and there she was. My eyes briefly passed over her, taking her in. She held the door for a teenager who was heading out, then made her way towards me.
‘Hi! What are you doing here?’ she asked, her smile entirely too big and enticing for the hour of the day.
‘Hey. Getting coffee.’
Her smile got bigger, her eyes warming for some reason. ‘I’d assumed that much. I meant what are you doing at this exact coffee shop?’
I looked around. ‘Why? What’s wrong with it? Does everyone hate it because of the lines? Because I’d understand that.’
She shook her head. ‘No. No. Are you kidding me? Nothing’s wrong with it. I just thought it’s odd we bumped into each other when there are literally at least fifteen more coffee shops around here. Anyway, don’t mind me, you made the right choice, they have the best coffee. And some of their pastries…’ Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she licked her pink lips, catching my attention. I was starting to learn that Charlie loved lipstick. Almost every day it was a subtly different colour. Always on the natural side, but different tones of pinks and nudes. On some days where she was feeling especially happy there might be light red tones. Every single colour looked beautiful on her. And then I realized how much time I was spending looking at her lips and focused on her complicated hazel eyes instead. In this light they looked almost green. I needed to stop looking at her face. Period. And I needed to have my morning coffee.
‘They’re the best around here. Trust me, you’re gonna love it.’
‘If I can taste their coffee in this century, I’ll let you know my thoughts. The coffee machine I’ve ordered hasn’t arrived yet, so I imagined I’d be able to get one from a cafe before the meeting. Look how wrong I was.’
Another smile formed on her lips, this one smaller but somehow warmer.
‘Is someone grumpy without their morning coffee?’
‘No. But someone, just like everyone, doesn’t like to wait in line,’ I countered, checking the line yet again. How was it that it hadn’t moved?
Charlie patted my arm for a quick moment, distracting me from my thoughts as she moved this way and that way to see the food display. ‘It’s worth it. Trust me. I love their stuff. I love their decor and how simple and relaxing and beautiful it is with the flowers and everything. Oh, the name? Do you know where the name came from? Tell me you know.’
