Honey & Wildfire

“Thank you.”Another sweet smile graced her lips. Brooke sighed at the question. “Caffeine for sure.” She was never one to turn down coffee in general anyway. “I swear who know going from one job to another would be a bit hectic. I mean between finishing up stuff at my old job and starting at my new one, it’s causes for a little extra caffeine cravings.” she chuckled softly. “I’m gonna guess based on the head space you seemed to be in that you are dealing with some important stuff of your own as well.”

Small sip of her coffee was taken as she listened to the other woman. “Sounds like you’ve got a lot on your plate but I’m sure you’ve got this. Caffeine will just give you that boost when you feel like slowing down.” Words were bright and encouraging when she knew it was never easy to try something new but she always admired those people willing to take risks. “That obvious?” Light laughter bubbled up. “I plan fundraisers and events of all kinds for charities and I’m freelancing at the minute. I’ve been lucky enough to have been given a few things which is amazing but also pretty time consuming.” 

“I didn’t even notice them when I left, and they’re my keys.” He laughed, scratching the back of his head. He said nothing while she was making her decision, only to offer her a smile when she eventually agreed. “Caffeine never hurt anyone.. Did it?” He mused, taking out his own wallet where he, at his turn, took out a ten dollar note too. “Deal – although I’m having a cookie. Is that a dealbreaker?” 

“Looks like luck was on your side though.” Bright smile was flashed up at him. “Not that I know of and even if it did, I think I’m too addicted to ever give it up.” Playful hum was given as she considered his offer, head tilted to the side to add to her teasing theatrics. “You drive a hard bargain but I suppose if you want to cheat yourself out of the brilliance of the muffins here to settle for a cookie, I won’t stop you.” What could she say, she was very biased towards the muffins.

Olivia was so excited to be able to finally have some catch up time with a friend. ”Thank you so much.” She smiled sweetly at the other women once she had the hot chocolate in her hands. She couldn’t help but steal a sip before answering. “I know. I’ve been good. I’ve just been jumping back into work and dealing with clients after my little mini holiday break. I’m kind of sad it’s over because I love a little downtime but on the other hand, I was going a bit stir crazy.” she chuckled. “I mean I love the holidays, don’t get me wrong but I can only handle binge watching Christmas movies in my PJ’s for so long.” she took another sip of her drink. “But what about you? Hows everything with you?”

Smile easily sprung up on her lips, waving her hand slightly at the other woman’s thanks.  “No problem.” The brunette nodded as her friend spoke, knowing that same feeling all too well. She supposed it just came with the territory of loving her job so much. “I feel you there, so much. It’s nice to have that little break but within a couple of days you’re itching to get back.” Laughter bubbled up at her own expense before she continued. “Maybe we should make it our resolution to take a little more time for ourselves throughout the year, instead of just the holidays.” After a small sip of coffee, happy words flowed from her lips. “I’m great, thanks. Amazing really, no complaints. I spent a lot of time with my family which is always a good thing.” 

“I’d be curious to know the percentages of people who watch the Super Bowl for the football and who just watch so they can see all the commercials and movie trailers.” Logan wasn’t a football fanatic, per se, but he did enjoy the occasional sporting event, so he was by far a mixture of both.

A sports fan wasn’t something she really considered herself to be but she had always thought of the Super Bowl as its own entity. “They’re both as big a part of the spectacle for me. All of it adds to the excitement and atmosphere.” She shrugged, smile growing on her lips as she spoke. “But the half time show will always be where it’s at.”

Bree was always one to take her coffee and leave rather than sitting around but today she had wanted to do something different. Instead bringing along her laptop with her to hopefully sit down and get a little bit of work done. Finding a seat wasn’t easy though with the lunch rush hour she’d picked. The whole shop was practically buzzing with conversation and people coming in and out. She still figured she’d stay though walking over to a table and getting ready to say something. The girl sitting at the table beating her to it. “There’s so many people. I’m starting to think some of them made the resolution of spending more time in coffee shops or something,” She said, laughing softly. “Thanks though.”

Laughter bubbled up easily at the brunette’s words, shaking her head slightly as she glanced around the busy cafe. “It would not surprise me if they did. The whole ‘go to the gym more’ is a bit overdone so maybe this is the new fad. Watch next year’s be ‘drink less coffee’” Smile easily formed at her amusement for people’s willingness to only make alterations to their lives whenever a January 1st rolled around. To her, there was no date set for change. “Oh you’re welcome. I needed to take a break anyway so it’s perfect timing really.” As she sipped her coffee, interest was piqued by the laptop in the other woman’s hands. “You working on something good?”

“You better have missed me too.” Alex teased with a laugh, she took the seat across from Jasmine. “I’m not sure i’m really in the mood for one, but that does look good.” She admitted. She’d barely been eating with all the work she’d been putting in between gobs. “Oh really? Tell me more?”

“Umm.” Pulling a face she playfully put on a show of struggling with that answer. “Kidding. How could I not?” Laughter bubbled up easily but she knew that the words were true. “They’re always good here, it’s why it’s my favourite spot.” Taking a sip of her coffee, she paused before she continued. “Just a couple of fundraisers but I’m really trying to push the boat out this year. Give everyone the most fabulous fundraiser for their money.”

“I’m pretty sure I’ve heard that one before. Don’t look down.” Then again, maybe Marco had just heard that in relation to a million and one other things that weren’t ice-skating. It wasn’t as though it was something he’d done much of, after all. “This is probably going to be a complete and utter disaster, though. You’re aware of that, right?” He chuckled softly, lifting his shoulders in a shrug. Seconds later, he was getting to his feet, now done with his skates, a little more shaky than he would have liked.

Nod of acknowledgement was given when she was also sure it was the kind of advice that had been given a hundred times over. “I think it applies to a lot but especially here.” Playful shake of her head is given as she given him a mock stern look. For her half of the knack to skating was believing you could do it. “Well it will if you keep up that attitude.” Tilting her head in the direction of the rink, she took a couple of steps forward, motioning for him to follow. “Come on, I’ll have you twirling around that rink in no time.”

Elijah couldn’t help but returned the smile as he helped her gather her papers and nodded as he agreed. “That’s me at the record store when we’re dead, I have a small pile of comic books that I keep in the back and I bring them upfront with me and I just spread them out once I get done reading them. Undergrad definitely was a lot worse, I ended up with my papers all over the place in my living room.” He replied with a slight chuckle and hummed as he thought about his answer to her question. “Im going to go with both, actually.”

Expression brightened as he spoke, she’d always enjoyed people who had passions and weren’t afraid to pursue or even admit to them. “Record store and comic books? Those are some pretty cool pieces of information you’re dishing out there.” As she took a sip from her coffee again, she pulled a somewhat sheepish expression before she gave her own anecdote. “I know for a fact I was a nightmare at college, my roommate locked me out at one point because she couldn’t deal with my stuff being everywhere.” Brow raised again, always too curious to leave things ambiguous. “Both, huh?”

“ hey, i’m man enough to admit all my weaknesses, ” he said around a laugh, dragging a hand through his dark hair. “ and tequila’s definitely one of them - so i’m holding you to that promise, davis. ” raul had been all about drinking back in high school, and then the army had knocked that right out of him. ( if that wasn’t bad enough, working at lucky’s was a warning sign to stay away from the stuff. or he’d definitely need someone to hold his hair back. ) “ oh, i see, ” the man quipped back, a playful lilt to his words, “ there’s a price to pay, is there? ” raul barely managed to look serious before breaking into a smirk, catching his lower lip between his teeth to keep from grinning even wider. “ i’ll bite - what can i do for you? ”

“Then I thank you for your openness.” The words were light and teasing, slipping from her lips with a little laugh but there was some truth in them when she hoped that she could be someone that he would trust with the truth. Hands held up in the air playfully as she replied, eyes wide with earnestness. “I promise, I promise. If you want I’ll even drink all the shots to protect you from tequila.” Laughter bubbled up easily again, mostly at the image of her doing countless shots, before she nodded. “There is this time, I can’t do everything from the goodness of my heart.” Once again she paused, purely for the suspense of it all. “If I decide to wear some heels that look great but might not feel so great by the end of the night, I would like to request a piggyback to save me from that pain.”  

The holidays were always overwhelming for Kali between the constant gifts, family asking so many questions, and the traveling. While she loved her family more than anything it was still a lot for her; she never truly had got a good handle on how to handle the holidays. Now that they were semi-over she’d gotten a minute to breath and everything had been quickly placed where it belonged. She’d been up half the night organizing, but only because it had bothered her and she couldn’t sleep because of it. 

Now though she was sitting in the chair off to the side in Jas’ room watching her place everything where it belonged. “Thank you. I really tried to make sure that I got you all something that you liked.” She always feared that her gifts were too basic or quiet, so this year she’d worked extra hard to make sure they stood out and wouldn’t be something shoved in a drawer to be forgotten about. “Please you’re still the queen of gift giving. The gift wasn’t that good.” Trying to downplay it some so Jas wouldn’t go overboard for her birthday like she knew she would. “Seriously I have everything I could already want and don’t need a gift. If anything give to the Koala’s or maybe the Panda’s?” She wasn’t sure which charity Jas was in contact with still or if she’d moved away from both completely. “I prefer to give back anyways for my gifts. I even want to do a charity art show this year for the month of April. I think it would be amazing. Maybe we could even team up?”

With her endless enthusiasm and somewhat impulsive nature, the brunette knew that she could be something of a whirlwind. This time it was her room that had felt the full effects as she unpacked, presents dotted around the place and she tried to find them their perfect home. She also knew that she could come off a little strong but she had never bothered to soften or hide that side of her around Kali. Not when they’d grown up together. Firm look was given to her sister, equally firm words following. “It was perfect and I won’t stop telling you so until you take the compliment. But if it makes you feel better I promise I won’t get too extra with your gift.”

Eyes widened at her sister’s words, mind already whizzing with potential ideas for what they could do with the gallery and how much they could raise. “You want to do a fundraiser and you’re asking me maybe?” She shook her head playfully, feigning disappointment in her sister when in reality she was glowing at the very idea of it. “There’s no maybe about it. A Davis girl team up is long over due.” Smile burst over her features, already incredibly excited at the possibilities and eager to get it all planned and set. But she reined in her enthusiasm just a little, continuing to swap her gifts around as she spoke. “This week it’s the koalas and by that I mean just Australia in general.”

Brooke threw her phone in her bag as she paid for her coffee drink and looked around for a place to sit. There was nothing better than a coffee run during her lunch break. She saw a table where someone was sitting and was debating on if she should try to slip in there or cut her loses and just leave before the other women spoke. “Oh it’s no problem.” Brooke nodded at the offer. “Oh thank you. I promise I won’t be here long. I just wanted some coffee to do a little bit of work before I heard back.” she smiled, taking out her notebook.

Head shook gently when if anything she was glad of the company after realising that she had already spent too long wrapped up in her own headspace. “Don’t worry about it.” Smile grew brighter, keen to put the other woman at ease considering she was someone who always truly welcomed interactions. “I wouldn’t mind if you were here all day - it’d save me from sitting on my own.” Curiosity got the better of her, as it always did, and she was all to quick to pose a question to continue their conversation. “You working on anything fun or something that definitely needs caffeine?”

Cleo walked around the coffee shop with her items in hand in search of a free seat she could sit down before she headed off to meet a date of hers. When a voice rose, the brunette turned and peered over her shoulder at the woman. “That’d be so great. No worries, I barely noticed how full it got myself. One second there were a few clear spots and I turned around to none. But I promise not to stay long or take up too much place.” She said as she deposited her items and sat down in the available seat. “What’re you working on? If you don’t mind my asking.” 

“I promise you it’s not a problem even if you wanted to stay long or take up some space.” Smile sprung easily onto her lips as she reassured the other woman that nothing about their encounter was an imposition to her. “I don’t mind at all.” If anything she relished any chances to talk about her job a little too much, her enthusiasm for it causing her expression to brighten. With her passion for her work clear in her eyes she expanded on what she had been asked. “So I mostly organise fundraisers for various non profits and there’s a handful coming up towards the end of the month so I’m trying to get ahead of the game.”

It was the holidays, so Josh didn’t really know why he was so surprised the coffee shop he’d chosen to have his lunch in was packed to the rafters, but here he was, hovering over the table of someone he was sure he knew. They’d crossed paths a couple of times at the very least, so that had to be okay, right? “No, it’s okay…” he answered, a laugh escaping. “Maybe hovering wasn’t my best chosen tactic today.” A shrug and he held up his cup as she continued in a non-committal gesture. “It’s crazy in here today. But it’s that weird in-between time of the year, no one knows what they’re doing, so they’re all either drinking coffee or shopping.”

There was a nagging sense of familiarity when she looked at the man but she found herself unable to place him exactly. Instead she spoke brightly, teasing clear in her words as amusement danced on her features. “You could a little dance try next time.” Hum of agreement was given to him as she nodded along firmly to his words. Grin flickered across her lips words left them. “Or drinking coffee while taking a break from shopping. You’d think it was the holidays or something.” She pulled a face somewhat, one that spoke of just how aware she was of the poor nature of her joke. “You sure you don’t want a seat?”