'So what are you going to do? Just not go? You have to go.'
'Why?'
Em sighs and I feel a lecture looming. 'Jane, I know you think senior year is just a blow-off year, but it isn't.
What if the School of the Art Institute asks to see your grades from this year? What are you going to do then?'
'They wouldn't do that. Would they?'
'They might. Do you really want to take the chance?'
she asks. Hmph. We're both silent for a moment. 'Just try.
Will you go to classes tomorrow?'
'Fine, whatever. Can we talk about something else now?'
'Only if you promise to go to school tomorrow,' she retorts.
'Omigod, Mom, I promise, I promise! Jesus!' I say, annoyed.
'Okay, fine, I'll drop it then.' She looks victorious.
'How much time do we have left?'
'About five minutes,' I answer, alternately tapping my left index and middle fingers on the table. 'Ooh, did I tell you what is going down tonight?' I suddenly cheer up.
'No, what?'
'Sarah's friend Simone is coming in. I'm going to introduce her to Gavin. He doesn't know it, though, so I'm crossing my fingers that it goes well.'
'I hope it does.' A slow smile spreads across her face.
She's looking at the door.
'What?' I ask, and turn around to see what or whom she is looking at. My frat boys are walking into the store, with Will in the lead.
'Hey, guys!' I call. 'You're early today. Gimme a minute and I'll come help you.' I race into the break room and throw down my purse and coat, tie on my apron, and get back up front in fifteen seconds flat. Daisy, my thirtysomething too-tight-clothes-wearing floozy co-worker is flirting with my boys, and I want to take a rolled-up paper and smack her in the nose. Heel, Daisy! Heel! 'I got it, Dais. Take a break,' I tell her. Her mouth opens in protest and I give her my best raised-eyebrow, 'I'm the assistant manager, do what I say' look and it actually works! Power is so cool. Daisy doesn't say a word and slips away. 'Okay, guys, the usual?' I take my place behind the register.
'Absolutely,' Will replies with a killer smile. Man, he is hot. All three of the guys are good-looking, but he is just amazing. He's wearing a dark blue button-down shirt open at the neck, jeans faded so perfectly they could only be bought that way, and dark brown sneakers. His broad chest and shoulders make his loose-fitting brown corduroy jacket hang perfectly on him.
'So, you guys on your way to a fraternity meeting?' I ask in my flirty voice. At least I hope it sounds flirty.
'Not tonight,' he answers, flashing his perfectly straight white teeth. 'We're actually on our way to an engagement party for one of the senior brothers at a restaurant a few blocks down.'
'That sounds fun!' I say. I make the shots of espresso and pour them into each waiting cup.
'Eh.' He shrugs and bats his big beautiful midnight-blue eyes at me. 'It'd be more fun if you were there.'
What? Be still my beating-out-of-my-chest heart, did he just ask me out? Or is he just being cute and funny?
'Oh ... um ... well...' I stammer. Cute boy flirts and I turn into a moron. I must regain a grip on the situation.
They don't know I'm not as cool as I seem. Think, Jane, think. Must respond with something clever. 'You'll have to try to get along without me–I'm making espressos all night,' I return. That sounded okay, didn't it? Not great, but not totally lame. I hear a giggle from back by the display of fifteen-dollar seasonal stuffed bears. Em's laughing at me sounding like a dork. Mental note: must kill her later. The other guys are smiling at me now, too. It's hard to think in the face of such cuteness!
'Maybe some other time?' Will suggests, taking his drink and handing Grant and Adam theirs.
'Sure,' I say with a smile, and watch them walk out the door and disappear on the busy sidewalk.
Shoot, I forgot to charge them again.
'Why do you keep checking your watch?' Em asks as we walk around the store wiping down the tables. It's strangely slow for six at night.
'I'm waiting for Simone to show up. I hope she doesn't chicken out. She said she'd come in tonight around six so I can casually introduce her to Gavin.'
'I think you better come up with Plan B. Here comes Gavin,' she says. I turn toward the door to see Gavin walking in. He looks more attractive than usual today in beat-up jeans and a rust-orange sweater over a T-shirt. His loose dark blond curls frame his face perfectly. It's a little too 'surfer dude' for Chicago, but it somehow works on him.
'Hi, Gavin!' I say brightly. 'I was hoping you'd come in today.'
'You were?' He returns my smile.
'Yeah,' I answer. 'Can you stay for a few? I want to talk to you.
'Sure, you want to sit?'
'Yeah, gimme a second and I'll bring your drink to you.' Gavin walks over to a table at the far end of the store and sits down.
I start to make his iced vanilla latte and Em comes up next to me. 'What are you going to talk to him about?'
'No clue. I've got to stall him, though, and see if Simone comes in,' I tell her. 'Gav,' I say, raising my voice.
'It's going to be just a minute. I have to run in back for more vanilla.' That should buy me some time.
'Okay, I'll be here,' he says.
I walk to the storeroom to pretend to look for the syrup and run smack into Derek. 'Hey, Derek. How are you doing?'
'Fine,' he replies, clearly irritated. 'Listen, I just stopped in for a minute; I have a date. You need to do inventory tonight and have the order for next week's supplies faxed over to corporate before you leave. Here you go.' He dumps a stack of papers in my hands. Yikes.
'You've seen me do it before, right?'
'Oh sure,' I say, 'dozens of times.' Have I seen him do it? Hmm ... no idea. Well, it can't be that hard.
'Good, then you'll have no problems,' he says, brushing some invisible dirt from the right leg of his jeans.
'No problems at all,' I say. 'Have a great date.' He gives me a sneer and heads for the door. God, I wonder what poor girl he suckered into going on a date with him?
Okay, I think I've stalled long enough. Time to get back to Gavin. I head to the front of the store with a new bottle of vanilla syrup in my hands. Oh, luck! Simone is here.
'Hi, Simone!' I say loud enough for Gavin to hear.
'It's SO good to see you!'
'Hi,' she replies hesitantly, once again looking at me like I'm a nut job.
'You want a medium dry cappuccino, right?'
'Yeah.' She looks at me in puzzlement. 'How did you remember?'
'Steel trap.' I tap the side of my forehead. 'Hey, Gavin,' I call, and turn in his direction. 'I'm making your drink now. Sorry it took so long getting the syrup.' Simone looks at Gavin and I can see her eyebrows rise in
