#domllis

Competitors: Ellis: Lead singer/guitar for Sailor Boy Dom: Bassist for Hot Damn, Hot Damn! (HDHD!) Cerulean: Guitar/Keytar for Fast Lane

Biddle! Girl band holding a competition for an opening band for their world tour. Candace: Lead singer Carrie: Keyboard Toni: Drums Shelby: Manager Ivy: Former lead, now The Actual Manager

This was it! The regional contests were over and the contest tour was about to begin. The ultimate goal? To be the opening band for Biddle!, a world-famous name that could get any of the three startup bands boosted to instant fame simply for being associated. The sisters were notorious divas, but with a mother like Ivy, who could blame them.

It couldn’t hurt that the lead singer, Candace, was smokin’. But that was something he wasn’t going to dream of. Eyes on the prize, Ellis Reedy. Eyes on the prize.

He had heard of his competition. Hot Damn, Hot Damn! was going to be a rough act to beat, but he was betting the general assholery of their bassist Dominic Diablo (Diablo, really? Ellis had 10 dollars on that being a stage name, and not a creative one at that) was going to work in Ellis’s favor in the end. God save cocky bassists, the folly of good bands everywhere.

Fast Lane, though... That was a wildcard. He didn’t know much about the band, but youtube had the lead with hair worthy of a 1980s hair band and the voice to rock those power ballads... but the stage presentation was hit or miss. He could use an outward charisma boost --a lead needed to know how to work the crowd, and that wasn’t easy.

It had all started when Candace wanted to talk about her new boyfriend, which they somehow couldn’t just do over the phone (he had to remember to thank her for that, actually, when he wasn’t busy with all the oogling). She’d wanted coffee, and, being the good friend he was, he didn’t turn her down. It would be no big deal to go sit in a shop and drink tea or hot chocolate or something while she rambled on about... Whatever his name was. Cyan? Chartreuse? Some weird name like that.

And so there they were. In line. Next up at the counter and there he was with that smile. He took Candace’s order and she paid, but those dark eyes paid attention to him and him alone. 

“Let me guess” a charming smirk, a raised eyebrow. “Cappuccino, double shot, extra foam,”

“You got it,” Dom answered automatically. Stupid attempt to be charming. Stupid. “My usual, how did you even guess?”

“Guy like you? There was no question about it. Whole thing suits you, you know? Strong, rich, warm,” God, Dom could lose himself in that grin of his. Maybe he would get a chance.

Candace, later. That knowing smile of hers when she was done recounting every detail of the date she had had with that guy Carmine. Or was it Charcoal? She knew, as Dom dropped his still-full coffee cup in the trash, that he was done for. Kaput. He’d be back to see this barista.

Over the coming weeks, he learned about him slowly. Ellis was his name. His hair was always styled up and laced with a rich deep blue that suited him nicely. Subtle, but charming. Dom’s order was ready by the time he got to the counter.

Ellis would catch Dominic’s stare from time to time as he worked, flowing effortlessly among his coworkers and the cafe patrons. He would always smile a smile that crinkled the bridge of his nose and creased the corners of his eyes. A smile that made Dom light up from the inside and sent a chill down his spine. The name on his cup went from Dominic to Dom.

He knew Ellis’s sechedule by heart, but would mix it up to make it seem like he wasn’t stalking the poor guy. Sometimes he would come at the beginning of a shift, sometimes the tail end. Today Ellis hadn’t seen him. He’d already clocked and gone to the back to gather his things by the time Dom walked into the line to get a drink he would throw out. It’s what he got for trying to play these things cool.

“It’s already made and paid for,” the unknown barista told him when he went to order. “Ellis saw you coming and took care of it for you. Over on the counter, the one with the note,” a smirk, not unlike one Candace gave him on the day she told him about Chestnut or Coral or whatever. Was he that obvious? 

Better question: what did the note say?

The note was everything. He didn’t even bother to take the drink. He’d never left the cafe so quickly.

And there he was. Sitting at a booth and staring at a glass of water as droplets dripped down the sides. A nice sweater, neat jeans, and a small nervous smile as he fidgeted on the table.

“Is this seat taken?” Dom asked Ellis as he walked up. And there was that smile again. That perfect smile.

“It is now,” Ellis replied.

Dom-

Dates aren’t half as fun when we don’t even get to talk to each other but for a moment because I am working. If I haven’t read this wrong, meet me at the old diner after you get this, and maybe we can have one for real.

Of course, if I am wrong, ignore this and I will pretend this never happened. But I really hope I am right. 

I mean, why else does anyone come to a cafe and flirt with the barista and not drink any coffee?