Page 32 of Espresso Your Love
“Hey, Ryan. The usual?” Ashley asks, enthusiastically.
“Morning. Yes,” I lower my voice. “What does Cassie normally order?”
Her eyebrow raises. “Why do you need to know?”
“I’m bringing her coffee this morning,” I say as calmly as I can.
She squints her eyes at me. “What are your intentions?”
“To feed her caffeine and a donut.”
She cocks her head at me. “What are your intentions withher?”
“Can I tell her first then follow up with you? I’d like her to hear it from me.”
She thinks for a moment then nods. “Okay, I’ll take that.”
She taps on the tablet and rings up my total.
“Can you also add her favorite donut?”
“That’ll be a salted caramel latte with a pumpkin spice donut. She’s my guinea pig with new drinks, but she really liked that one—so you’ll be safe with that.”
A few minutes later, she brings me a cup carrier with drinks and a bag filled with baked goods.
“Thank you,” I tell her.
“Be good to her,” Ash says.
I nod and leave the shop.
“That must be a good sign if the best friend didn’t deter me, right?” I ask Max as we walk back to the house.
My stomach turns in knots the whole way back. While, yes, it’s a nervous moment asking someone out, I’ve never been this nervous. There’s more on the line with her, I guess. We’re intertwined in several ways, but hey, no matter what, we’ll be fine right? Even if she says no—we can still be friends, can’t we? I don’t want to only be friends, but if that’s all she offers, I’ll take it.
I stand on her porch now, coffee and donuts in hand. I knock at the door and wait. A minute passes, and I knock again then adjust the coffee carrier. The door barely opens, and a blue eye peeks through the opening.
“Ryan?” she questions groggily.
“Morning, Cassie. I brought coffee,” I say and raise the carrier.
She blinks at me before opening the door wider. Her hair is in a bun on the top of her head with strands of loose curls falling out. A striped pajama set peeks out from underneath her thick robe. As she rubs her eyes underneath her glasses, she waves and then turns toward the kitchen.
I step inside and follow her, Max trailing behind me.
“Did I wake you?” I ask as I set the coffee and bag on the table.
She nods slowly then reaches inside a cabinet for plates.
“I’m sorry, Cass. I thought it would be a good way to start the day before I helped with your car.”
She puts the plates down and smiles sleepily. “That’s really nice of you, Ryan. Thanks.”
“It’s the neighborly thing to do, right?” I respond and immediately want to smack myself. That’s not why I’m doing this at all.
“Seems like you’re getting the hang of the small town hospitality.”
I take out the donuts and hand her the pumpkin spice one. I got the cranberry orange to try today.
