Page 34 of Abdominal Snowman

The shrill noise was atrocious and reminded her of the ice cream machine in the shop of the first job she ever had.

She stepped a little farther away and leaned on the counter, watching as he made the coffee.

“So this is your usual routine?” she assumed.

“Usually, yes.”

He packed a puck of ground beans and twisted it into a gleaming espresso machine like he’d done it a thousand times.

“Every morning?” she asked.

“Unless I’m feeling lazy.”

“Why’d you change it?”

Soren pulled open a cabinet above his head and pulled out a bottle of syrup before eyeing her. “You weren’t kidding.”

“About what?” she questioned, standing up and placing her palms on the counter.

“About being a reporter. You sure ask a lot of questions, Sunshine.” He said it slowly, formed each word carefully, and let it depart his lips with a worried glance, as if he weren’t sure how she’d take the sarcasm.

“Aw, that’s a cute one. Why’d you pick it? Cause I light up your life?”

Soren sent her a droll stare. “Cause you’re like the sunshine. Bright, beautiful, and often annoying.”

She took it with a chuckle and shook her head. “Just imagine. This is while I’m using a filter.”

He let a fake laugh out as he sliced into the vanilla beans, scraping out the paste from the inside. “Well, that’s great.”

“Why? Afraid I’m going to discover all your secrets, snowman?” She couldn’t help the smile that curled her lips. Talking to Soren was easy. Easier than… anyone else she’d found in a long time.

The snowman in question winced. “Please no. Anything but that.”

Sage hummed and pretended to think. “Okay then, how about…”

As she teased him back and forth, he responded in kind and made her laugh—all before she even had the coffee.

The one he was making was filled with more care than caffeine, and she couldn’t help but admire his careful routine as he trotted around the kitchen collecting and returning ingredients. Tired of watching him like a squirrel, she offered to join in.

“Yeti?” she suggested teasingly.

He groaned. “No.”

After he finished with the espresso, he set it aside and pulled out another container. To this one, he added cream and ice and syrups and whatever else before blending it together until it was creamy smooth.

Only then did he pour in the two shots of espresso and mix it up.

“Hmmm… snowbeast?” she offered.

“That’s not as bad as the others. But please, skies, why can’t she just use my name?” he begged, looking up to the ceiling in search of help.

“This is so much more fun,” she answered without thinking. But her own words made her pause, and she realized the truth of them. She was having fun teasing Soren.

If she wasn’t crazy, she’d half say she was flirting.

And the snowbeast was flirting back.

“Yeah, yeah,” he said. “Well, this snowbeast has finally finished our… oh, hold on, hold on.”