9
LYNN
“You know that staring at it doesn't make the coffee brew faster, right?”
I spin to catch Sonya's smile. "Sorry."
"We all get spacey sometimes," she says, patting me on the shoulder on her way to grab a cloth to wipe down the counter. She's been extra perky lately, or maybe I just notice her expression more since she started wearing her honey blonde hair pulled back so that I can get a better look at her bright eyes. "Is everything all right?"
There is no way to control the giant sappy grin that blooms across my face.
"Oh boy." Bridget joins us, shooting Sonya a knowing glance. "That, girl, is the look of love. Remember how I told you I thought I saw Ansel Oakley picking her up from work the other day?"
Sonya's grin lights up her eyes as she gently smacks me in the butt with the towel. "You saucy little thing. You have a secret lover and you haven't told us yet?"
"Wait. Who has a secret lover?" We all turn to see Elise, helping herself to a large coffee.
Bridget laughs. "You know you have the best coffee in town when someone comes in on their day off just to get their fix."
Elise pours a second cup, her giant pink flamingo earrings catching the light. "What? Braden and I were driving by, and since you're all standing around gossiping about somebody's secret lover, I thought I'd just serve myself."
She waves to Rachel in the office, who gives her a thumbs up as she goes around to the front of the counter.
"So, where are you and Braden off to today?" I ask Elise brightly.
"Umm, no way," Bridget interrupts. "You have to tell us what's going on with Ansel."
Whatisgoing on? Nothing much, other than my entire life being turned upside down and sideways. There is too much going on in my mind to make sense of it, much less share it in a logical way.
I'm in my first sexual relationship. I'm so happy and terrified I might explode, and I'm worried about being chatty enough to keep him entertained.
There's no way I can share any of that. But I have to tell them something. They're all staring at me expectantly.
"We're dating."
The three of them share a glance. Sonya speaks first. "And?"
"And he's really nice, and I think things are going well."
"Has he taken you to the forest yet?" Elise asks.
"Yes. It's amazing."
"Do you think things are serious? Or might get serious?" Bridget asks cautiously.
I don't have an answer to that. I want to believe it, but I don't have any experience to back up my feelings. It doesn't make any sense, if I look at it logically. Ansel is older, wealthy, gorgeous, and established. He could do everything for me. I can do nothing for him. It's all so unbalanced that it makes my anxiety kickin and my head start to spin. As always, I struggle to think of something to say.
"It's been less than a week," I say as lightly as possible with an exaggerated shrug. "Ask me again in a month."
Elise grins. "Well, I'm super excited for you. Sorry, I have to go, but I want the full details next time I'm working." She spins with a flourish so that her pink hair fans out around her in a halo, making us laugh.
I can see that Bridget is about to beg for more information, so I deflect her question. "How are things with Dash?"
"Incredible." Her smile lights up her eyes. "His mom Carol met my mom last night, and they're both into some weird old eighties band I've never heard of. Flock of Pigeons? Bunch of Seagulls? I dunno. Anyway, they clicked right away, and got along so well!"
An older couple comes in and sits in her section, so she grabs two menus, bopping me on the shoulder as she passes, whispering, "I bet we're going to be sisters-in-law someday."
I know she means it kindly, but that feels like a lot of pressure.
