Elisa darted a glance at the tinted window of the coffee shop. “Weather report?”
Noah suppressed a sigh.
But Sadie smiled, her green eyes softening as she leaned in and whispered, “Verycloudy.”
“Perfect.” Elisa gave her a little wave. “Thanks.”
He gave up trying to figure it out and joined Elisa in the short line extending from the cash register. The whir of an espresso machine and the aroma of freshly ground beans filled Noah’s senses, mingling with the low hum of chatter from the patrons scattered around the cozy space. Everything was black, silver, or brass—the high serving counter, the coffee tables situated around oversized chairs, the light fixtures. The far wall appeared to be a giant chalkboard, filled with various scribbles and quotes from patrons. Something else he hadn’t noticed in his quick run-in the other week.
Elisa followed his gaze. “They erase that wall every month and start over. Everyone is free to write what they want until then.” She grinned. “More than one teen relationship has ended by someone seeing someone else’s initials in hearts.”
Noah snorted. He could think of much more traumatic ways to breakup as a teen?—
“Next!” The barista with short dark hair and giant hoop earrings, wearing a black apron and a striped shirt with rolled-up sleeves, gestured impatiently for them to move up in line.
Noah approached the counter. That must be Miley. A pencil was tucked behind one ear, and a dainty tattooed vine of flowers peeked out of her sleeve and wrapped around her forearm and wrist.
She turned bored eyes on Noah, attitude seeping from every piercing. “Well?”
Suddenly, he wished he’d taken the weather report a little more seriously. “Um.” He cleared his throat, casting a glance at Elisa. “I’ll take a small?—”
Elisa shook her head, but it was too late.
“We don’t havesmall,” the young woman barked. She seemed more suited to a studded dog collar than the thin gold chain adorning her neck. A tiny music note dangled off the end. She jerked one finger toward the cup sizes lining the counter. “We have the mini mug, the mug, and the chug a mug. Or you can bring your own mug for the Mug Me discount.”
Noah had never been much of a tea drinker, but the idea was growing on him.
Miley narrowed her eyes. “And no, none of that was my idea. My dad is unapologetically corny.”
“Right.” Noah shifted his weight, noting her stud nose ring. “I’ll take a small—I mean, aminimug of coffee.”
“Black or blond?” Her dark eyes bored into his.
Noah blinked.
Elisa hissed at his elbow. “Black.”
He repeated the command as if Miley hadn’t already heard her. “Black.”
“Cream?”
He glanced at Elisa, who shook her head, eyes wide. He cleared his throat. “No.”
“Foam?” Miley punched buttons on the iPad register.
Elisa barely grazed his arm with hers.
“Yep.”
Miley hovered one finger over the keypad. “Flavored syrup?”
Elisa sucked in her breath.
He was on his own for this one. He took a shot in the dark. “Nope.”
Miley’s face relaxed a smidge, and she punched one final key on the register. “Four twenty-seven.”
Noah released his sigh as he relinquished his debit card. He wasn’t entirely sure what he’d just avoided, but he’d clearly avoided something.
