Coffee, Spice and all things Nice - A short story

This is another Reedsy Prompt short story and the prompt was to set your story in a coffee shop that hat just introduced a new line of seasonal drinks.

Why did I let Kate persuade me to drink so much last night?! Oh yes… we talked about that. It's because I'm still in the hangover phase of my new life and the best way to cure a hangover is to continue drinking. It made sense at the time...

I've always done what my parents wanted. I did the course they wanted me to do at university, then I went into the world of finance, just like they wanted. I hated it and it destroyed my soul, so I got completely wasted one night, left my parents a rambling voice message about how they couldn't control my life, and emailed my resignation to my boss.

The next day reality (and my parents) descended on me, and I had a massive panic attack! However, Kate stayed by my side, reminding me why I did it. Being wasted gave me the courage, but my own will, and the desire to map my own life was always the driving force behind it. 

My parents turned their back on me (financially, at least) but I know they'll always be there for me, should I ever need to throw myself at their mercy and beg for my old life back! They think it will happen, but I know it won't. Even if this path I've chosen goes completely tits up, I would never give them the satisfaction of asking for their help.

"Olivia, the reason we make choices for you is because when left to your own devices, you tend to make bad ones," my mother had told me, as if it was a truth that could never be disputed.

I was tempted to remind her about the son of her friend that she'd insisted I went on a date with when I was sixteen. He spent the entire film trying to shove his tongue down my throat and put his hand up my skirt. Great choice, Mum!

So, why am I still in the hangover phase? Well, as Kate tells me, everything is still a bit blurry, I'm a little all over the place, and I'm eating away my fear with copious amounts of carbs. 

My new life consists of a part-time course at university studying to become a social worker, which is partially funded by the years I spent selling my soul, and also by waitressing and my barista role at Roast; a very popular coffee shop in Crouch End, where I spend many days making and inhaling coffee.

It's perfect! It's walking distance from the flat I share with Kate, people leave good tips and I love coffee! So, it's a good thing I'm on my way there now, because I really need coffee! The hangover I'm feeling today isn't metaphorical, it's very real and it's completely winning! Damn you Kate and damn you to hell, Pinot Gris!

"Good morning, Olivia!" Hayley (the assistant managers) says brightly, as I walk through the door. "You look like you need this," she adds, as she hands me a steaming mug of coffee. 

"You are the most perfect and beautiful person on the planet, do you know that?!" I tell her, as I gratefully take the cup from her.

"Yeah… perhaps not…" she says, looking a little guilty. "I actually have a favour to ask…" She's cringing, this cannot be good.

"Jen asked me to hang around after closing for the carpenter that's coming to replace the door to her office, but I've had a last-minute call from Paul…"

"Paul, as in, Army Paul?!" I ask, as my eyes widen.

“Yes!” she squeals. “He’s around this weekend and I’m so desperate to see him…”

“I know what you’re desperate for!”

“I’m not going to deny it! Anyway, you can't talk! You must be running out of batteries by now! How long has it been for you?” she asks, laughing at me.

“Is reminding me of my non-existent sex life your way of getting me to do you a favour?!” I retort.

“Oh yeah…. Pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaase!”

“It’ll cost you a bacon buttie too,” I tell her, smiling.

“Done! You’re the best!” she says, pulling me in for a hug. “By the way, he’s got some fit friends…” I give her the 'drop it' look, because she’s well aware that a new man is just an extra level of complication that I don’t need right now.

⧪⧪⧪

“You did your training on the new range yesterday, didn’t you?” Hayley asks.

“Yep… I can make a gorgeous gingerbread latte, a sinful seasonally spiced chai - not too sure how it’s much different to the usual chai, mind you… I have perfected the pumpkin spice and ingested way too much of the Irish cream cappuccino, already,” I tell her proudly.

“A ‘yes’ would have sufficed, you know,” she quips back. “Anyway… let’s smile and do this!” she says, as we head out of the staff room and join Rob at the front.

“Morning gorgeous ladies!” he says as we get behind the counter. 

Rob is twenty, and he thinks that being six years older than him qualifies as me being a cougar and keeps suggesting that we get together. Unfortunately for him, he reminds me too much of the guy that I lost my virginity to (it took all of sixty seconds) and I’ve never quite got over the disappointment. 

“Morning, Sid,” I say, smiling at one of our regulars. “Are you having the usual or do fancy spicing it up a bit today?”

“Ooh… is that an offer?” he says, looking a little too excited. He’s sixty-five and generally nice, but can also be a bit creepy at times.

“It’s an offer for you to try something from our seasonal specials board.” I gesture behind me. “But I only recommend it if you don’t suffer from diabetes. Personally, I love the Irish cream variety.”

“OK, then… I’ll take an Irish cream espresso.”

“Hmmm… it’s more of a latte or cappuccino with copious amounts of whipped cream on the top type-of-drink,” I say, shrugging a little.

“OK, pop some cream on the top too then… I like it sweet,” he says, winking at me.

“Right, that’s one espresso, with a shot of Irish cream syrup and whipped cream, coming up then!” I turn away cringing and hand the order to Rob, who looks just as baffled me.

“Morning, what can I get for you?” I ask the next customer (an unknown).

“I’d love to try the gingerbread cappuccino, please.”

“Would you like whipped cream on top?” 

“Yes, but with skinny milk, please,” she adds.

I turn to Rob and he smiles at me, he’s clearly thinking the exact same thing as me - skinny milk isn’t going to make much of a difference to the sugar content of that drink.

“Oh... sorry!” she says, getting my attention again. “Can I get that brownie too?”

“Absolutely,” I reply. One sugar coma coming up.

I leave the counter and do a walk around to clear some tables, check that everyone is happy, and to scoop up any tips before the opportunists in the area decide to give them a new home in their pocket.

“Is everything OK, Sid?” I ask as I clear away his cup.

“Yes, thank you, but could I trouble you for a glass of water?”

“It’s no trouble at all,” I tell him with a smile.

“Rob, could you get me a glass of tap water, please?” I ask, as I lean over the counter. 

“Anything for you, Liv,” he says beaming at me. “You do know that old man fancies you?” He gestures towards Sid. “Maybe he’s secretly loaded! He could be your Sugar Daddy and you could quit here, and he could fund your course!” 

“But then I wouldn’t get to see my Sugar Baby,” I tease, batting my eyelids at him.

“You can see as much of me as you want, whenever you want, and you know it!” he replies confidently.

I sigh a little as the memory returns. Sixty seconds, Olivia. Sixty. Seconds.

He turns away with a hopeful grin on his face. I know it’s cruel to toy with him, but I have no doubt that if I ever went there (which I won’t) that I would just be placed on a conveyor belt and moved on, along with his other conquests. He’s young and cocky and the ‘rejection’ does nothing to dampen his ego. I, on the other hand haven't had sex in nearly a year, and I need a harmless flirt every now and then. I need more than that to be fair… and that reminds me; I do need some more batteries.

I’m about to turn and take Sid’s water to him when another customer approaches the counter and asks for, “A soya, decaf, pumpkin latte.”

I smile inwardly as Rob asks, “So no whipped cream for you, then?”

“Oh yes... I’d like the whipped cream.”

Rob glances at me and we share another knowing grin. 

⧪⧪⧪

“Thanks for doing this!” Hayley says, as she heads out of the door. "He’ll be here in ten minutes."

“I’m here now, actually!” a familiar voice says behind her, and I break out into a full on, jaw-aching smile.

“Aiden! I didn't know you were the carpenter!” 

Aiden is Kate’s older brother and my life-long crush. When the toys come out, it’s Aiden I’m thinking about, and I can’t stop myself from blushing as he brushes past me.

“Livvy!” he replies with a smile, because he knows that I hate him calling me that. “Just me and you, is it?” he asks with a flirtatious wink. I really am going to need to get some batteries on the way home now! This is going to be hell on earth! Any time spent with Aiden is always a mixture of pleasure and pain. Pleasure; because I adore everything about him. He’s tall, his hair is dark, but you’d hardly know because he shaves it so short. His dark eyes and long lashes make him almost look sweet and innocent, but then his wicked grin reminds you that he isn’t (and he isn’t). Don’t even get me started on the body! 

As for the pain. Well, the pain comes from knowing that even though he’s twenty-nine and I’m twenty-six, he will never see me as anything more than his sister’s best friend. Honestly, there are times when I wish that I didn’t love Kate so much. Then I could sack her off and jump into the sack with her brother! Not that I think she'd object if I did get it on with him.

⧪⧪⧪

I wait by the door while he brings everything inside, allowing the crisp autumn air to cool me down, and once he’s done, I lock it. I can’t help the twinge of excitement that shoots through me when I do it; just me and Aiden behind a locked door! Oh, the possibilities and oh, the wishful thinking!

I walk into Jen’s office just as he takes his jumper off and, as he does, his t-shirt rises up a little and I catch a glimpse of his abs, and I have to squeeze my legs together in order to try to stop the throbbing at my core. This is going to be like watching a porn movie! Fit carpenter walks into a coffee shop and starts to undress, while desperate slut watches in yearning, until she bravely walks over to him and takes hold of…

“This is going to take a few hours, did Jen warn you?” he asks, snapping me out of my fantasy.

“Actually, Hayley was supposed to be here… and no, she didn’t,” I say, smiling at him. I really hope he cannot see how pleased I am… he can take as long as he needs!

“I hope I’ve not ruined your Saturday night?”

“Well, your sister plied me with wine last night, and so my Saturday night is going to consist of a hot bath and a film, especially since she’s staying at Tim’s tonight and I have the place to myself!” I tell him, then I fan myself once more because I am very happy to have the place to myself now.

“Want some company?” he asks, smiling his cheeky, dirty smile.

“You want to spend your Saturday night watching a film with me?” I ask, a little dumbstruck.

“Depends on the film… but I was actually referring to the bath,” he says, as he fixes me with an almost challenging stare, before his eyes run down my body, and then back up to me eyes so quickly that I think I must have imagined it.

My entire body flushes and I feel things getting a little wet at the fact that Aiden just suggested having a bath with me. What do I do? Laugh like a schoolgirl and run away? Or, remember that I’m twenty-six and I have wanted this man forever?!

“I don’t know… I like my baths bubbly and clean, so I guess it depends on how dirty you are?!” Oh. My. God. I actually said that out loud!

He stops what he’s doing and turns to face me, looking at me as if he’s impressed with my response. A wide smile spreads across his face. “Well, I know I’m very dirty, Liv. I guess the question is, how dirty are you?”

Holy crap! What do I say now?! “Are you flirting with me, Aiden?”

“Yes,” he replies unapologetically. “And can you please carry on flirting with me? Because I like it.”

“Since when?!”

“Let me think...” he says, walking a little closer to me. “Probably since you were sixteen.”

“I never flirted with you when I was sixteen!” I counter.

“No… but you wanted to."

He's standing right in front of me, with his arms folded across his chest, waiting for me to reply.

"Why are you saying this to me now?!" I ask, breathlessly.

"Because you've finally got out from under your parent's thumb, and you're finally going for the things you want…"

"And you think I want you?!" I raise my eyebrow at him.

He laughs a little and leans into me. "Are you going to tell me that you don't?!"

"Aren't you supposed to be fitting this door?!" I squeak out, then I hastily make my exit from the room.

"What are you doing?! Go back in there and tell him that you want him, you daft cow!" I scream at myself internally. I don't though, I cower in the cafe for about an hour, cleaning things that have already been cleaned, before plucking up the courage to walk back into the office.

Oh. My. God. He is shirtless! Is he doing this on purpose?! I stand there for a few minutes ogling him, until he speaks.

"Liv… can you help me with this, a sec?" he asks, as he manoeuvres the door towards the frame.

I do as he instructs and help to hold the door in place as he screws the hinges into the frame. I focus on holding it upright and try my best not to stare at his absolutely gorgeous body that I just want to rub my hands over and lick…

"Done," he says, stepping back a little to check his work.

"What would you have done without me here?" I ask him, feeling brave once again.

He grins. "Well, I wouldn't have been half as quick getting the job done."

"I'm not sure how I helped to speed things up," I say in confusion.

"You were a great motivator!"

"I was?!"

"Yes…" he says, looking at me darkly through those impossibly beautiful eyes. "Something about an empty flat and a bath spurred me along…"

I don't get this. Aiden has never even hinted that he likes me before, and all of a sudden he's trying to get in my pants?! I know Aiden loves the ladies, but he doesn't really think of me like this, does he?

"Aiden. What makes you think that after all these years, you can just turn on the charm and get me into bed?! I know what you're like, remember?!" I cross my arms over my chest, as my defences kick in.

"Because just like you, I'm finally going after what I've always wanted too… and once I have you, I don't intend to let you go," he says with such sincerity that my heart starts to melt and my body almost combusts.

"You've never shown any interest before!" I practically breathe out.

He steps closer and gently strokes my cheek. "Believe me, I've always been interested, but you've always lived your life by your parent's rules, and I hated seeing that… but now, you're finally being who you're supposed to be, and I love it. I want to be part of it."

I let out a shaky breath, because I'm unable to form any words.

"So, what do you say? Shall we go home and take a bath?" he asks, as his lips brush against mine.

"I don't think I'm dirty enough for a bath, just yet," I reply as I give his bottom lip a little nip.

"I think we can fix that..." 

He pulls me close, lifts me up and pushes me against the newly hung door, and as his tongue enters my mouth and his hands explore my body, I can't help but think, "no batteries needed tonight."