Just Me (You & Me 1)

Erupting in giggles yet again, Talia draped one arm over Katherine’s shoulder, pulling her close. She was proud of her beyond words, knowing how far she had stepped out of her comfort zone. It was a leap, and Talia was ecstatic, and ready to hear about their meal together.

“So where did you go?” Talia asked.

“Batter,” Katherine smiled, knowing Talia was the one who had recommended it.

“That’s a perfect place for a date,” Talia nodded, hanging on to every word.

“Do you think it was a date?” Katherine questioned. It was something she had been asking herself, wondering if Ben saw it that way, too.

“Of course. You two hung out and then went out to eat, it doesn’t get more black and white than that,” Talia assured her.

In her mind, cementing the idea that she had already been on the first date would help Katherine relax. Talia knew how much Katherine worried about getting too close to men, but Ben seemed like a nice guy and she wanted her friend to be open to the possibility of seeing him again.

“I had a really enjoyable time,” Katherine shyly admitted.

“Yeah, that is kind of obvious. When are you going to see him again?” Talia asked, as the door to the bakery swung open and two middle aged women walked in together.

“Soon, I hope,” Katherine answered, just before the women made it to the counter. With only a smile and a nod, Talia let her know that she agreed with the decision to see Ben again.

“What can I get for you ladies?” Talia asked, as the door swung open again, and three more patrons flooded in.

The lunch rush was on and working as a team, Katherine and Talia moved quickly to get the orders filled as fast as possible. The pair had developed a system where Talia took orders before handling all of the pastry orders, selecting and bagging the sweets, while Katherine made the drinks.

With a list as long as her arm, Katherine was in a focused frenzy, making one latte after the next before switching to the cappuccinos and cold beverages. With her back to Talia, Katherine made sure to keep up her end of the routine so that the line of guests quickly received their detailed orders.

“Can you get that guest?” Talia called over her shoulder.

“I’ll be with you in one second,” Katherine called, as she finished topping her last drink with whipped cream.

“Take your time. I can wait you out,” she heard, stopping in her tracks. She knew that voice well, as did the butterflies in her belly that fluttered recklessly as she turned to face him.

Dressed in a white button-down shirt with blue denim jeans, Ben looked flawless. His dark brown hair was slicked back, drawing even more attention to the bright green hue of his eyes. The light stubble that coated his defined jawline only made him more attractive, so attractive that Katherine feared her legs would give out as she made her way to the counter.

“How can I help you?” Her feigned professional tone was realistic enough to not attract undue attention from the other patrons, but fake enough for Ben to realize she was doing it for his benefit.

“I would like a latte, and umm,” Ben answered, looking up at the menu written out on a chalkboard behind the counter, as if he wasn’t yet sure of what to order.

“Anything else?” Katherine asked with a smile.

“Ah, yes,” he answered, returning his attention to Katherine. “To take you to dinner.”

Talia gasped from behind the pastry shelves, and Katherine looked over to her friend in disbelief. Ben had a way of making her forget she wasn’t the only person in the room, but Talia’s gasp reminded her that others were witnessing their interaction. Realizing her outburst was audible, Talia covered h

er mouth before moving quickly to busy herself.

“Dinner when?” Katherine asked.

“Tonight.”

“I don’t get off for another forty-five minutes,” she informed him, hoping that wouldn’t be enough to deter him.

“I brought my work along, I’ll be fine,” Ben shrugged, lifting a black laptop bag.

“Can it be somewhere casual so I don’t have to go home and change?” She asked, hoping it sounded reasonable enough, but her real concern was the idea of Ben following her home.

He had made her see the possibility for a future in the new city she still found to be foreign, but life had been too cruel to her in recent years to completely let her guard down because of one good morning. Ben would have to earn her trust, and until then, she didn’t want him knowing exactly where she lived.

“Casual is fine,” he answered quickly.