'Well,' he says, 'maybe try to get her one-on-one.
You can't just let her keep making fun of you like that.'
I sigh and begin to explain to him my problem with girls like her and how I've always turned from confident and assured to a weak doormat in about three seconds flat.
Cam scribbles in his notebook.
'That was off the record. Don't put that in your paper.'
'We'll see,' he teases.
'You better not,' I say, slapping him playfully on the shoulder. And a muscular shoulder at that. We're both laughing and I'm suddenly struck with a bit of genius. Cam is so much fun. I wonder if he'd be a good match for Em?
Maybe not a forever-and-ever love connection, but they'd have a good time for now. Though that whole toffee nut latte thing kind of throws me for a loop. But then again, isn't there a super-yummy European nutty chocolate spread? So a toffee nut latte might go with a coffee hot chocolate. Maybe. 'Earth to Jane.'
'Huh?' I say, coming out of my thoughts and looking at him.
'What are you thinking about?' Cam asks. 'You just went away there for a moment.'
Ah, what the heck. There's no time to check my notebook. I'll just have to go with a gut feeling on this one.
'I was thinking about you and my friend Em. I was thinking maybe you should take her out sometime. You guys would be really cute together.' A flicker of something comes over his face. Is that pain? No–what could be painful about taking a cute girl out? Is he hurt? Did I say something wrong?
'You'–he stumbles a bit–'want me to take out your friend?'
'Yeah. Em is awesome. She's so sweet and fun to be around. You'll love her.'
Cam looks down at his hands for a moment and bites his bottom lip. He lifts his head back up and meets my eyes.
'Okay. If you want me to, I'll take her out,' he says in a monotone voice. Geez, I would think he could muster some enthusiasm. I hope he is more fun on their date.
'Great. I'll set it up.'
I give Em's information to Cam. He tosses his notebook into his forest-green backpack and says he'll see me in class. I gather my stuff and head back up to the counter to chat with Em while she makes drinks.
'So,' I say, reaching past the service table and grabbing a large straw to play with.
'So, what?' Em echoes, checking the temperature on the pitcher of frothed milk.
'What do you think of the war in the Middle East?
Duh, Em, what do you think I mean? What do you think of my friend Cam? I totally saw you checking him out. Don't even try to lie.'
'What?' She blushes. 'I wasn't checking anybody out.'
'Yeah ... okay ... whatever,' I say. 'Do you want to go on a date with that guy you weren't checking out?'
Em slams the frothing pitcher on the table, spilling some, and looks at me with her eyebrows shot up.
'What did you bloody hell do?' she hisses at me, narrowing her eyes.
'Hey, calm down.' I grab a handful of napkins and stretch over the counter to clean up the spilled milk. 'Cam is great. It would be a fun thing, casual, just for laughs.
Nothing serious at all, I swear.'
'No, Jane. I told you I wasn't ready.'
'Well, I'm not asking you to pick out china patterns with the guy. Just go on one date,' I say.
'I ... I can't,' she says. 'I haven't dated anyone besides Jason in years.'
'Exactly! That is why Cam is the perfect choice for a first post-Jason date. Seriously, Em, he'll have you laughing all night.' I can see Em soften and consider the idea.
'I don't know. I don't know if I'm ready.'
'Well, just chat with him online first. I gave him your IM screen name and your e-mail address,' I say.
'What?! I never really had a choice in the matter, did I?' she asks.
'Not really, but if a long-term boyfriend ever breaks up with me, I'll expect you to return the favor.'
'Well,' she says, wiping the sides of the milk pitcher with a wet towel, 'he is pretty cute.'
I grin. 'That he is.'
7
On Wednesday, I've only been working for about an hour and Sarah and I are doing a quick cleaning. There was a mom in here when my shift began who let her one-year-old tear the place apart. He was bowling with an apple and the yogurt smoothie containers from the refrigerator case and building a pyramid with pound packages of coffee. She sat there the entire time looking adoringly at him and I was wondering just how big of a mess he was going to leave me to clean before the next rush of customers. I reached my breaking point when he pulled down all of the coffee travel mugs and walked around the store passing them out. As I was about to finally say something to his mom, she swooped him up, blew raspberries into his neck, and left the store, not even giving a backward glance at the wreck her toddler tornado had left.
I am putting the mugs away when I suddenly feel a presence behind me. I glance over my shoulder. It's a slightly pleased Derek. His right hand is poised in midair, but then he quickly pulls it down to his side. I think he was going to pat me on the back.
'Hey,' I say. 'How's it going, Derek?'
'Good. These are good.' He waves a paper in his left hand at me. It's my list of 'Manager's Specialty Drinks' for the month of December.
'Thanks.'
'Keep it up.' He nods at me awkwardly and then walks quickly toward his office. I step behind the counter to wait on the next customer. Sarah joins me.
'Was that Derek ... being nice?'
'Yeah. Looks weird on him, doesn't it?'
'Totally.' She giggles. 'Hey, I didn't thank you for setting me up with Officer Scrumptious.'
'What happened?' I ask excitedly. 'Did he call you?
Did you go out?'
'Yes and yes,' Sarah answers. 'He's so awesome. He called me the next day and we met for drinks. We hit it off right away so afterward we decided to go dancing. He is such a good dancer. The way he moves his body.
Omigod.'
'That good, huh?'
'Mmm-hmm.' She has a dreamy look on her face.
'Well, I'm two for two now. First Gavin and Simone, and then you and Officer Jake. I'm setting up my friend Cam with Em now.'
'You're becoming the local matchmaker,' she says.
'Yeah. I guess I kind of am.' Just then the door opens and in walk my frat boys. 'Oh my gosh, is it after five already?'
Sarah nods. 'Yeah, it's five-twenty.'
Ugh. No time to fix my hair or check my makeup. I turn my head and try to subtly sniff my shirt. Did I put on
