at HUMBOLDT BAY COFFEE COMPANY

Adeline was the kind of person who had three cups of coffee by nine in the morning. Today, being her first day back at work, was no different. She hadn’t made it to the office yet and she was already stopping for another coffee. This time, just an espresso shot before she started her official day. She needed the boost of energy after her early morning, trying to get everything done before she headed into court. Looking at the growing line behind her, she turned back to the barista with a grin, “And I’ll get the next person’s order,” she added. A way of paying it forward... and hoping some good karma would come back to her in a way, selfishly. She just wanted to have a good day. Hopefully, this would kick-start someone else’s. 

LOCATION → outside of Cal’s

“Oh, for Chrissake.” Perhaps she shouldn’t have had that seventh shot, on top of her shift drink, but how else was Gloria meant to spend a Saturday evening? She’d had the golden shift; the busy hours from dinner to late evening. She’d been able to close out before midnight when things either got too rowdy or too quiet, and when she finally clocked out, the only other option was to head home by herself. Like any good coworker, she’d chosen to stay to keep her other staff mates company, of course. They deserved the tips, she’d told herself. Or, they would’ve had she not forgotten her wallet at home. Again. She rustled through her purse, knowing that it was entirely in vain as she’d left it out the night before and completely forgotten to return it to it’s rightful place. The mental image of it sitting on the kitchen counter struck her with panic, hitting her like a truck. Usually, she Ubered back and forth to work, but her phone was long since dead, and the only other option was to walk and pray she didn’t get murdered, or hitchhike and pray she didn’t get murdered. Unless....

“Hey!” Gloria waved a hand at the figure across the other side of the street. She barely took a fraction of a second to look before crossing, hustling over the damp asphalt and somehow managing not to stumble on her way. “I am so sorry to ask you this, but do you have any change? Or like, a car? I need a lift home, and my phone is dead.”

“champagne madam?”

it was with this notion in mind that she turned to the handsome creature within her line of sight, catching their gaze with a scarlet smile. “i think i will, and one for my friend also.” she held out the second flute in a literal gesture of friendship, or at the very least good company. “you look at a loss my dear.”

his eyes on his hands (which were uncharacteristically still) he barely raised a brow at the mug sat it front of him, steam leisurely coasting from the rim. “there better be something stronger than coffee in that mug.”