Variations on a Theme [Closed]

Variations on a Theme [Closed] - Printable Version

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Variations on a Theme [Closed] - megs - 04-16-2017

or how to avoid your current obligations, by megan.

RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - megs - 04-16-2017

“Did you forget your keys?”

Julianna could barely hear Maeve over the sharp sound of rain hitting the forest green awning covering the entrance to their coffee shop. Fat droplets illuminated by hazy streelights fell in rapid succession, bouncing haphazardly off of every surface and soaking the still-sleeping city.

Julianna was soaked too. Darkened denim jeans and a mint green chiffon blouse clung to her figure and her wild curls almost appeared to have been tamed somewhat; heavy, and dripping water down her back and over her shoulders. There was no umbrella in sight.

She was nearly up to her shoulder digging through her over-sized purse as she tried to locate the item that Maeve was accusing her of having forgotten. That she most likely had forgotten as she often did. She rolled her eyes upwards and traced the golden calligraphic lettering that spelled out Dolce Coffee House and Bakery, as she continued to fumble uselessly.

“I think they're in here somewhere,” she explained, various items shifting around in the bag.

Maeve sighed, stepping beneath the awning and shaking out her umbrella before snapping it closed. She retrieved her own keys, easily, from a cross-body bag notably smaller than Julianna's.

“Your purse is too big,” Maeve commented, fitting her key into the lock and turning it a half turn to the left. Julianna watched her as she did so, platinum blonde hair framed Maeve’s pink-tinted face and brought attention to her violet eyes. Maeve pushed the door open and held it for the other woman with the toe of her boot.

“It was a gift,” she replied, with a noncommittal lift of her shoulders as if that somehow made up for the inconvenience of an item that didn't suit her.

The women were greeted by the lingering scent of coffee and yesterday’s blueberry muffins. Julianna inhaled deeply, as she moved through the lobby. Crooked half smile on her lips as she left wet footprints towards the back room on the wood paneled flooring. Maeve locked the door again behind them and tsked as she followed Jules’ trail. “Don’t forget to mop that up,” the blonde complained as she removed her coat and stashed it away with her bag. A half-hearted affirmation from somewhere in the back implied that Julianna was just going to let the prints dry on their own.

Julianna changed into the spare clothes that she kept in the office. It wasn’t the first time she had gotten caught in the rain. She also had a habit of spilling things on herself. Or getting caught on something and ripping her clothing. Black skinny jeans and a cinnamon colored shirt that advertised the shop. Dolce in pretty script near the left shoulder. Logo and address on the back. She dried her hair the best she could with paper towels in the bathroom, before piling the damp curls on top of her head and securing them with an elastic. She fixed her mascara in the mirror before joining Maeve in the kitchen.

“Do you want to drop those muffins, while I roll these croissants?” Maeve nodded her head towards the mixing bowl already filled with thick batter. Julianna moved close enough to the bowl to smell almond and vanilla flavors, green eyes lifted to look at Maeve across the table.

“I just changed,” she explained. Both women stared at each other for a few silent seconds, Maeve's hands never stopped shaping dough into crescent shaped rolls. Maeve sighed, a breath blowing upwards and upsetting her bangs, as if they both knew Julianna wouldn’t complete the task without having creme cake batter all over her.

“You’re right. Go take care of the front I guess.”

The morning rush came and went with relative ease. Julianna and Harrison handled coffee orders, while Maeve managed the bakery counter. Eden expertly flitted around serving seated patrons. There was always about an hour between pre-work bustling and lunch time where things slowed down and the team took the time to prepare for mid-day.

When Julianna’s area was cleaned and stocked and she was sure her part-timer could manage on his own, she retreated to the back alley to smoke a cigarette and to indulge in one of her guilty pleasures: reading missed connection ads on Craigslist.

She didn’t know how she had fallen into the habit, but everyday she scanned the front page to read almost-love-letters to strangers. She wondered if the people on the pages ever met again; she wondered if there were people who looked for people who were looking for them. She tapped another ad, and her phone warned her that the battery had already been drained down to ten percent. She had forgotten to charge it the night before. Swiping it away, she went back to reading.

“Hey Maeve,” she started, after returning inside and washing her hands. The blonde hummed without looking at her, expertly slicing tomatoes on a bamboo cutting board. Julianna sidled up next to her and leaned her hip on the counter. “Do you remember that guy I was telling you about? The one at the payphone?”

Maeve paused in her cutting, eyes rolling upwards in thought. “Yeah, I think so. Why?”

“I think he wrote a missed connection ad about me on Craigslist.”

She laughed. “Why would anyone do that?”

“Here,” Julianna reached into her back pocket to retrieve her iPhone, protected from her tendency to drop it by a thick purple case. Cheeks puffed out in agitation at being laughed at. “I’ll show you.” When she pressed her thumb against the home key to unlock the device she was greeted with a red-flashing image of a battery and a suggestion that she plug it in. Both women sighed, but for different reasons.

“It’s dead,” Julianna explained, unnecessarily. “I’ll go charge it.” She moved away from the counter and disappeared into the back room.

RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - saronym - 04-16-2017

Morning rain had kept Owen in bed longer than he intended. The rain’s rhythmic thrum on the roof, paired with the purring of his cat that insisted on sleeping on his chest, were incentive enough to doze in thirty to forty minute episodes all morning.

There were spells when he wasn’t in demand for business purposes, and then there were spells when he couldn’t get a moment alone. Having recently taken on a number of new projects, Owen found himself being pushed from a lull in to a busy period. And the frequency that his phone vibrated across the floor signaled the urgency that he take care of business.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, he had no internet service at his current residence: an abandoned old theatre. So that meant he would need to venture somewhere in town for free wifi service. He ignored the multiple unanswered texts, calls, and emails to make a quick Google search for a cafe or similar setting. Some place called Dolce seemed to have good enough reviews. One patron had confirmed free and reliable wifi.

Dolce. Sweetly.

Good enough for him.

“Time to get up asshole.” The insult was as much for himself as the cat that refused to budge from his chest. He shoved the animal aside in an almost loving way. The cat glared at him and definitely curled up again in the middle of the bed where the impression of Owen’s body remained.

Theatre cat didn’t have obligations. Owen did.

The rain had cleared enough to allow him to take his Harley. He kept the jeans on that he’d fallen asleep in and put on a clean t-shirt. The graphic depicted the evolution of man starting from a bent over ape progressing to a standing man and regressing back to a man bent over a piano. Some gag-gift shirt from his mother. He had dozens of them. He zipped his leather riding jacket over the shirt and laced up worn boots.

He arrived at the cafe just after a reasonable hour to begin eating lunch, though he himself was more interested in breakfast having just woke up. He shoved his messenger bag style laptop case around to his back and it thumped against his butt as he approached the counter to order from a teenage looking boy who greeted him when he walked in.

“‘Morning,” Owen set his helmet on the counter. “Or maybe, I guess, good afternoon? Quick question, is there wifi here?”

Harrison shrugged, he didn’t care what time of day the customer indicated it was. He’d heard the mistake and correction probably hundreds of times. He pointed silently at a chalkboard featuring ornate handwriting and doodles. Something straight off of Pinterest no doubt. It pictured new menu items and at the bottom the wifi information.

“So what can I get for you?” Harrison asked of the man now staring at the menu overhead.

“Um. What do you recommend?”

Again another customer interaction Harrison would love to avoid. The indecisive question asker type. The worst. “I like everything on the menu.” He responded noncommittally.

“Right.” Owen pursed his lips and frowned at the menu. “Americano, that’s a double shot, right?”

Harrison punched some numbers into the register. “Sure. Anything to eat with that?”

Owen hesitated, he hadn’t intended to order the Americano so much as clarify the drink. Some were a one-to-one some were a two-to-one and he couldn’t remember how to distinguish the difference. “I was just - I didn’t mean - ”

Harrison stared blankly back at the customer. He was so uninterested in charming customers and selling drinks. He just liked making them. The smiles and sales were best handled by his boss who was...who even knew where.

Eden meanwhile had rushed through the counter and to the back to find Julianna. It was better to let Harrison handle little tasks that didn’t involve much customer interaction. He was quickly botching this sale.

“Hey Jules, Harrison is going to scare this customer away if you don’t take over.”

RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - megs - 04-16-2017

Julianna startled when Eden entered the office to suggest that she go save Harrison. Or the customer. It could have been both honestly. A lift of her shoulders, and a dew dazed blinks as her Converse dropped from the desk and back to the floor with the muffled smack. The spacey business owner had sort of drifted off in the flight of her thoughts as she rotated back and forth slightly in her chair and stared up at the ceiling with her head tilted back. Her phone was still dead.

Pushing herself out of the chair, she grabbed her apron and followed Eden away from the office. She pulled the elastic from her hair. It had dried, but without product the frizzy curls puffed out around her head like some sort of elaborate headdress. She tied the cute apron around her waist, and checked the pockets before washing her hands.

The door separating the back from the counter swung open and Jules stepped out of it, green eyes scanned the nearly empty seats of the coffee shop as she moved towards Harrison and the customer she could hear him speaking to in a less-than-enthused monotone. “Why don’t you let me finish this, Harrison,” she suggested, nudging him out of the space near the register and towards the various machines used to prepare coffees and espresso and teas. She cleared the order that the surly teen had punched into the computer, quick to assume that there would be something wrong with it. “I need three venti caramel chai and a tall blonde for a to-go order.”

She smiled encouragingly at Harrison, who didn’t seem interested as he moseyed off. The brightened expression didn’t fade as she turned to the man standing on the other side of the counter. “Welcome to Dolce,” she greeted as green eyes settled on him. She paused, smile remaining but brow furrowing. There was something caught-off-guard about her expression. The man at the payphone. She hadn’t expected to see him again. She remembered the way he had stood to close to block the wind. How he’d given her quarters in exchange for a date he hadn’t secured.

She thought about the ad, sculpted brows smoothing out.

“It’s you,” she said, and something about it sounded like an accusation. As if to suggest he had managed to find her deliberately. Not that she had been intentionally hiding from him. “From the payphone,” she continued, as if he wouldn’t remember. “You paid for my call.”

Having overheard this, Maeve suddenly found herself very interested in the following conversation.

RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - saronym - 04-16-2017

Owen noticed and recognized her before she noticed and recognized him. She had pushed her way from the back room and scanned the shop without letting her eyes settle on him. It left Owen with a few breathless and stunned moments to take in the woman he’d written a Craigslist ad to. All that curly hair and an apron emphasizing the shape of her body. As good as the first time he’d seen her. Twice now he had the advantage of noticing her before she noticed him. She dismissed the surly teenager to handle another task before addressing him.

Their eyes locked in a sort of fateful moment. Owen didn’t rush through the interaction. He wasn’t like other people who might have pretended not to have recognized a stranger once met in an awkward encounter. He wasn’t like other people who might have muscled through an awkward re-encounter with a vow to never return to the place to avoid future social anxiety.

Instead he leaned into the tension of the moment. He lived for such experiences. A half-smile pulled at the corner of his mouth revealing straight white teeth. His tongue passed over his upper lip in an attempt to hide how pleased he was to have found her again.

“It is me.” He agreed with a nod of his head confirming her recognition of him. He didn’t mind the way she said it. The slight incredulousness of it. A patient sort of smile played out in his eyes.“I did pay for your call. I remember that.”

For lack of anything to do with his hands, Owen reached into his back pocket and took out his wallet to lay it on the counter. He stared down at it a moment before itching the tip of his nose with his index finger.

“So you work here, huh?”

He glanced around the cafe as if the setting could tell him more about his mystery woman. He liked the milieu. He could see himself finding the appropriate head space to work in the environment.

“How serendipitous. To meet you again in a coffee shop of all places.” He dropped a hint at the date she’d agreed to give him. Her giggle was replaying in his mind. That little gesture now made sense.

He dropped his hint but wouldn’t hold her to the agreement. He figured she’d agreed out of politeness. That he’d sort of coerced it out of her. If she was committed to it, perhaps she’d bring it up herself. Otherwise he’d let it go for the moment. Plus, he liked the irony of her having agreed to let him buy her a coffee. And here he was about to buy a coffee from her. That past giggle of hers seemed to him now a stroke of genius.

He shook his head as if he couldn’t believe it himself. “Funny how things turn out. How’s your phone doing by the way?”

RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - megs - 04-16-2017

She liked the way he smiled. A crooked pull at one corner of his mouth. She tried not to focus on it, but she had always been easily distracted.

Julianna giggled again. That same knowing and short jingle of a sound. “I own here,” she replied, then made a face. Realizing what she had said. “The shop,” she corrected. “I own the store.” Eyes dropped away from him and down to his wallet, momentarily embarrassed and scolding herself for sounding so weirdly nervous. She rubbed her arm self-consciously as he glanced around the shop. Unsure of why she was suddenly so concerned what a stranger thought of her business.

She smiled when he mentioned serendipity, letting her arm fall back to her side. She may have been blushing as she nodded her agreement and pushed at her wild curls. Wishing she had left them tied back. She could only imagine how she looked to him now. Not that she had looked particularly appealing in front of the pay phone. Harried and windswept and obviously disorganized. She had to wonder what had prompted him to ask her out at all.

Another quick chirrup of gentle laughter. “It’s...dead,” she admitted bashfully when he asked about her phone. She looked back up at him, green eyes watching his face from beneath of fringe of dark lashes. The fact was unsurprising to anyone who knew her.

“I think I would consider it quite lucky to have found me in a coffee shop,” she said as her tone slighted towards playful teasing. “Certainly would make it easier to take me out for it.” Another push at soft ringlets, her hand lingered finger twisting repeatedly around on ebony lock. “If the offer still stands of course. I could treat you. For the quarters.” She was most definitely blushing now, as she forced herself to stop talking. A stream of consciousness sort of rambling perpetuated by a sudden nervousness of being reacquainted with the tall blonde.

“Oh. I’m Julianna,” she added in afterthought.

RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - saronym - 04-16-2017

Owen’s eyebrows shot up when she corrected him. She identified herself as the owner and not just an employee. “You don’t say.” He hummed thoughtfully and cocked his head to evaluate her for a moment through slightly narrowed eyes as if he was weighing her up in his mind again. He was impressed. But she seemed uncomfortable. Afraid to own up to her accomplishment. Or nervous about it. He could relate to the feeling so he nodded reassuringly.

“Good for you. I came here because of the good reviews on Google.” His eyes rolled to the ceiling as he considered whether that was true. “And for the free wifi.” He admitted with a mild grin.

Grey eyes tracked the course of her hand as she pushed at curls that seemed to bother her before they returned to a steady eye contact. He wasn’t shy about looking people in the eyes. But she looked down and away from him for a moment when she admitted her phone was dead, as he’d suspected. He merely laughed in response. If he didn’t know any better she was flirting with him.

Owen drummed a quick staccato rhythm with the knuckles of his index fingers against the counter top as the topic turned to the matter of their date. He didn’t realize he was doing it; just a rhythm stuck in his mind that begged to be played out. Once it was finished, not more than a few moments before he answered her, he stilled his hands again.

“The offer stands. But actually I’d prefer to treat you. You don’t need to pay me back for a few quarters.” He shrugged and his lips pulled downwards into that brief frown that usually accompanies a shrug.

It seemed as though they had quickly gotten into introductions. “Well, Julianna, I’m Owen.” He extended a hand to shake over the register. “Nice to meet you. Again, that is. So tell me,” he segued smoothly, “what do you recommend off your menu? For a coffee drinker? Nothing dessert like.”

Julianna and Owen spoke as if they were alone; as if the rest of the world had melted away and they were the only two beings left. They were very much not alone, however. The other employees were acutely focused on the flirtatious conversation ensuing between a handsome customer and the very married owner.

Harrison’s back was turned to the couple as he prepared the to-go order drinks. He casually eaves dropped on the conversation and rolled his eyes to himself when he heard the customer ask for recommendations again.

Eden found chance to busy herself at a table conveniently near to the register. She’d wiped the same spot a dozen times already. Not that Julianna would notice. Her eyes flicked over to the pair more than once. She also tried to catch Maeve’s gaze for the purposes of exchanging judgmental looks.

RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - megs - 04-16-2017

Julianna continued to look close to diffident as he commended her on the shop. Eyes darted between his face and the counter top. She hadn’t felt like this when he was blocking the wind for her. When he was dropping quarters into her open palm. But that had been before he had invited her for coffee. Before he had reappeared in her shop.

Chuckles resonated behind closed lips as he mentioned the WiFi. The coffee and the muffins were fantastic, but the free internet access was decidedly the coffee house’s biggest draw. Curls bounced as if they were weightless when she shifted on her feet and watched the cadence of his knuckles on the counter. She cocked her head, but didn’t comment. Didn’t get the chance to before his hand was being pushed in her direction. She slid her own into it. Fingers lightly curving around the edge of his palm. Her hand looked small in his. She giggled again, before mumbling something about how it was nice to meet him too.

Retrieving her hand she hummed, looking at him momentarily before her gaze shifted upwards. “I guess…” she started, drawing out the ‘s’ in thought. “You would have to take me somewhere else then?” Her suggestion was paired with a coy smile and a light lift of her shoulders.

Maeve cleared her throat from the other side of the counter, drawing Julianna’s attention and reminding her that their were other people in the room. Jules’ attention had not been the intention behind the noise, as Maeve quickly addressed the third woman in the room. “Eden would you mind helping me in the back with someone?” The words were a heavy implication of a not so subtle gossip session that was about to take place back in the kitchen. With a pointed look to Julianna, she tried to display her displeasure to the petite owner before disappearing into the back of the store.

Puzzlement briefly clouded Jules’ features as she watched the other women walk off. Looking in the other direction she glanced at Harrison who had his back to her. “I’d recommend a piccolo latte,” she offered, turning at the waist slightly to point towards the menu. “It’s a ristretto shot with milk foam. Sort of like a mezzo-mezzo or a cataldo,” she said by way of explanation. As if the titles would mean something to someone who wasn’t a barista.

RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - saronym - 04-16-2017

She seemed self-conscious in the spotlight he gave her. That didn’t turn Owen off, in fact, he found it rather refreshing and relatable. Being in the creative business, he had learned that self-esteem was more often built from the outside than people generally appreciated. It was hard to have confidence in oneself when others around you didn’t.

So he took her hand in a firm but not unkind grip. A shake between equals. Her hand not only looked small in his, but felt small in his. A fitting kind of small. A complementary kind of small. The brief contact, to him, felt more electrifying than was probably appropriate for their current relationship. Which is to say their essentially non-existent relationship.

It was over in a moment and she was back to smiling in a bashful way again. Suggesting he take her somewhere else for coffee. “I guess I will.”

Owen’s attention was also drawn to the other woman behind the counter, the blonde who looked uncomfortable, or angry? Owen couldn’t discern the social context.

Like a spectator at a sporting event his attention was then drawn to the next player. A woman addressed as 'Eden' who locked eyes pointedly with Julianna and answered, “Yes, I’ll be happy to help, Maeve.” Her lips pressed into a thin line as she folded the wet towel in her hand and pushed her way back behind the counter and disappeared into the back room.

Eden mouthed ‘oh my god’ as she passed Maeve and when they were alone she whirled on the blonde and leaned close. “What is she doing?”

There was questioning also in Owen’s eyes as he tracked the women escaping the room. Had he missed something?

“Let’s go with that then.” Owen trusted in Julianna's recommendation. He was sure he’d like anything she made. “Anddd…” he leaned to frown at a display of pastries. His phone came to life suddenly bursting out into a loud and very recognizable Vivaldi tune. He cut the ringer off but frowned at the name on his screen. “Can I also get a croissant?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose and stared down at his phone. “Sorry, I really have to take this. This scientist is up my ass, right now.” He answered the call with a friendly “hey” while flipping open his wallet and fingered a MasterCard while answering, “yep, I’m looking at it right now. Yeah, literally right now.” Owen passed Julianna the card and rolled his eyes as he lied to whoever was on the other line.

He moved away from the counter to choose a table by the window. He was caught up in his call and neglected to retrieve his card, much as he had neglected to get Julianna’s phone number during their first encounter.

Owen got his laptop out and set up while he continued speaking to the person on the phone in a hushed tone. When he was finished with the call, he quickly became engrossed in whatever was on his laptop screen.

RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - megs - 04-17-2017

Julianna’s shoulders tightened at that single look from Eden. She had seen is many times before when patrons were trying the server’s patience. Julianna wasn’t sure what she had done to deserve such a look. Somehow, her marital status wasn’t registering with her the way it was with the other women. Jules noticed the way Owen’s eyes also followed the two women, and when he looked back at her she only shrugged.

The door swung closed behind the gossiping women, and Maeve did nothing to muffle her confused groan. “I have no idea,” she expressed to Eden, throwing up her hands and pushing them through her blonde hair. “She’s married, right?” she asked the rhetorical question in a hissing whisper. Maeve turned back to the small porthole window in the barrier to narrow her eyes at the back of Julianna’s head. Noting the way the small woman’s shoulders lifted with another giggle.

“She’s flirting with him, right?” Maeve whirled around to face Eden again, brow knitted over colorful eyes. “Like, she just agreed to go out with him, right? Have I fallen into some weird alternate universe where my best friend isn’t married?” The blonde had no intention for Eden to answer this streaming questions. Mostly for the talk of expelling some of her frustration.

Maeve gestured wildly towards the door, and presumably the chatting couple on the other side of it. “That’s the guy from the pay phone,” she explained. Julianna had come to work the next day and told them all about it. Maeve frowned, remembering the almost dreamy look in green eyes.

“Of course,” Julianna said, while smiling, pleased that he had gone with her suggestion. She totaled the requested items into the computer, and briefly turned to grind the coffee beans and add set them steep. She turned again and took the card from him, waving him off politely when he explained his need to take a call. “No problem,” she mumbled, sliding the card through the machine.

Setting the card on the register she worked on finishing the coffee. The ristretto shot into a latte glass. Similar to espresso, but brewed with half the amount of water, it was a dark and intimidating looking liquid in the bottom of the pale yellow ceramic mug. Whole milk was heated next, until with was sweet and creamy with a thick head of foam. With a bar spoon, Julianna scooped the foam from the top and added to the ristretto, before pouring the milk over it in such a way that the resulting design resembled a leaf.

One of Maeve’s over-sized croissants heated quickly in a toaster oven and served on a plate with a side of her house made honey butter. The order was momentarily left on the counter as Julianna moved back to the register to write her number on a strip of receipt paper. She glanced around quickly for her server, who was still off with Maeve, not that she wouldn’t have taken the order herself regardless.

Coffee and pastry, along with his card, receipt and Julianna’s number tucked beneath the plate were left at Owen’s table wordlessly, as to not disturb whatever he was working on.

RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - saronym - 04-17-2017

Eden crowded behind Maeve at the door to spy the couple through the small window over the blonde’s shoulder. “She’s so married.” She agreed before Maeve turned to her again.

“She’s so flirting with him.” The accusation in her voice grew stronger with each agreement. “She is so going on a date with him!”

Eden grasped Maeve’s wrists and pulled her close so that they were nearly nose to nose. Amber eyes were wide with scandal and intrigue. “That’s THE payphone guy?” She shoved Maeve aside and peered through the window at the tall blonde on the other side of the register now fiddling with his phone. “No way. No fucking way.” Eden gripped her own head as if she couldn't believe what was transpiring before her very eyes. She'd remembered the way Jules had described this tall dude randomly giving her quarters for the payphone. Jules had this kind of far-out look, a dreamy expression that made Eden want to gag. She'd insisted he was probably just some creep and she was lucky she hadn't been abducted.

Now here he was? Being all dreamy at Jules? And there she was being all blushing and bashful? A married woman.

It was too much.

Eden turned around again and grasping the towel tucked into her apron she snapped it at Maeve. “She’s your best friend. Go reign her in!” Though she put on a good show of being scandalized, Eden loved every second of the newest Dolce drama.

After completing the to-go order’s, Harrison whipped out his phone and leaned against the counter. He scrolled through his tumblr dashboard for a few breaths out of habit before tapping into a new post.

So like…this blonde dude who came into my work just secured a date with my VERY MARRIED boss? Just another Wednesday afternoon, I guess.

Owen had made himself comfortable at the table as if he intended to stay for a while. He’d removed his leather jacket and hung it over the back of the chair. His helmet was on the floor at his feet. He’d taken out large leather bound notebook and a mechanical pencil. A pair of expensive looking headphones that weren’t yet plugged into the audio port of his computer draped around his neck.

He smiled at his computer as she approached in the periphery of his vision. He thanked her as she set down food and drink and watched over the top of his laptop screen as she walked away.

He didn’t notice the receipt or his card right away. It took him eating the pastry first. He took a taste bite. A small one. And then finding it’s warm buttery flaky goodness too much, he finished it off in a few more bites. He picked up his coffee to sip at it while pushing away the empty plate littered with crumbs.

He started to pick up the receipt and crumble it. He didn’t care what the modest meal cost. Nothing significant. But some writing on the waxy paper stopped him. He set his coffee back down and smoothed out the receipt to discover a series of numbers. A phone number. Her number, presumably. He sucked his cheeks to prevent the grin that immediately threatened to spread over his face.

Owen pulled out his phone and programmed the number into it under a contact name 'Julianna'. Though she’d admitted that her phone was dead, he sent a text anyways for her to receive when she turned her phone on later.

>Check your Google reviews.

He then opened Google on his phone to enter the review for Dolce under his name ‘Owen Hart’ : a great date place. Also free wifi.

Once he was done goofing off and flirting with the owner, his magical payphone girl, Owen settled in to do his work. He planned to stay for the rest of the day. A marathon work session. There was plenty more food and drink to be had if he required more.

RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - megs - 04-17-2017

“Is she giving him her number?” Maeve all but shrieked as they continued to watch her out of the small window with no amount of subtlety.

When she was whipped around to come fact-to-face with Eden, she blinked back at her intense amber gaze and shrugged her shoulders a few times. Before she knew it she was pushed off again and Eden was hogging the window. The baker paced a short line as Eden spoke, yelping when the stinging edge of the towel met her thigh.

“Alright! Alright!” she complained. “I mean I don’t know what you want me to do, but fine.”

Maeve reappeared in the front of house just as Julianna made her way back behind the counter. “Jules,” Maeve said sweetly. Too sweetly. Sweetly enough for Julianna to be suspicious and narrow her eyes at the blonde with a cock her head.

Green eyes darted once to the side, before settling back on Maeve’s pale features. “What?” she asked simply, a sharp breath through her nose advertising her confusion. Sensing a follow interrogation and she couldn’t discern why. An arm curled around her shoulders brought her closer to Maeve’s side, where she was tucked very tightly under the blonde’s arm as she was spoken too in low whispers.

“What are you doing?”

“What do you mean?”

Maeve scoffed a laugh. “I mean...you’re pretty openly flirting with that guy, right?” A quick glance over her shoulder in Owen’s direction. “He asked you out, and you gave him your number?”

Julianna shrugged, but it was harder with the weight of her friend’s arm around her shoulders. She hummed as if her words required any consideration. “Yeah, I guess.” Maeve’s arm was removed, but only so she could turn Jules to face her and take her cheeks in her hand as if she were now talking to a small child.

“You’re married.” She felt as if she were reminding Julianna of this very important fact that she had somehow managed to forget. The words words forced from between clenched teeth, red-painted lips barely moving.

“Uhm, yeah,” she agreed with a tone that sounded disappointed.

“Are you going to tell him?” She let her hands fall away from Julianna’s face. She huffed and pushed at her curls.

“Of course.”

With a dubious expression Maeve moved away from Julianna and back behind the pastry case to rearrange her display and see what needed to be restocked. This left Julianna to shift uncomfortably on her feet for a few seconds before retreating to the back to mope in her office for a moment. Maeve having ruined her fun for the time being. Her phone on the desk was blinking new messages.

Jean’s name blinked below a number she didn’t know. Dropping into her chair she picked it up and thumbed her way into her messages. Jean’s message was simple:

>I’m in Prague. I will take a picture of that clock you like.

Lips pressed together as she considered whether or not to reply. It was usually useless. Jean didn’t converse so much as he just provided information that he decided would be good for her to know. Be safe. Was all she said at first. Dropped her hands into her lap. Picked them up again. I miss you. She added in afterthought.

The unknown number told her to check her Google reviews so she did just that. Smiling when she read the newest addition from. She saved the new number into her phone, and opened the thread of messages to reply.

>The highest praise. I am truly honored.

RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - saronym - 04-17-2017

Eden wound up the towel in a threat to pop Maeve again if she didn’t comply with her instructions to go ruin their friend’s fun. “Go, hurry!” She was giggling and shoving Maeve through the door. She closed it again behind Maeve and watched the encounter through the window.

Certainly she would get the play-by-play from Maeve later. For the moment she was content to observe the body language. Maeve’s obvious exasperation. She seemed to speak to Julianna as if she were an unruly toddler. Julianna deflated quickly. A popped balloon. She’d been all full of whatever hot air he’d blown into her head. Eden tsked to herself.

Maeve was working on the display case and Julianna was coming through the back. Eden moved out of her way but pursed her lips and arched an eyebrow at her. Extra emphasis that she’d been a very bad girl and they all knew it.

Eden smirked to herself and sashayed her way out to the front of the shop. She hovered around waiting for their blonde guest to finish his meal so she could pounce on the dishes. And pounce she did, flouncing her way over to him.

She picked up the plate and crumpled receipt before asking, “All finished? How was everything?”

In a rush to save the precious receipt, he shoved his headphones down around his shoulders, “I was - uh -” he stared at the empty plate and balled up paper before glancing up to the server who looked as if she were waiting for an explanation for his behavior.

Owen didn’t know what was in the gaze she fixed him with but he stuttered out, “It was - good - very good. Thanks.” And he pushed his empty coffee mug at her too before replacing the headphones over his ears signaling he wanted to be left alone to work.

Eden snatched up the cup and smiled down at him. “Good. Let us know if you need anything else.” And she flounced away again.

She dumped the dishes into a plastic bin with some other glassware waiting to be washed before picking up that crumpled receipt. She positioned her back to the blonde man and flattened out the receipt, gasping when she saw Julianna’s phone number scrawled across the bottom. She snapped her fingers urgently at Maeve to get her attention and jerked her head at the receipt on the counter.

Harrison found his attention captured and craned his neck to see what the fuss was about. “What’s that?”

“Nothing!” Eden moved to block his view. “Go … wash the dishes or something.” She ordered snapping her fingers at him now to chase the annoying teen away.

“Whatever.” Harrison muttered. He’d seen what he needed to see. The phone number. He brought bin of dishes to the back but stopped to liveblog the developments first. He reblogged his original post and added:

SHE WROTE HER NUMBER ON HIS RECEIPT. I REPEAT: HER MARRIED NUMBER HAS BEEN GIVEN TO BLONDE GUY.

Unbeknownst to Owen, he had stirred up quite the drama at Dolce. He continued with his work oblivious to the fact of his apparently tumultuous presence.

It was only Julianna’s text that distracted him. Got him smiling at his phone like an idiot.

He sent her a string of text messages one by one:

>The honor is mine.
>so
>tell me something
>when do I get my date?
>also
>wouldn’t it be a little weird for me to go and buy you coffee at a place that isn’t Dolce? Wouldn’t we be bolstering Dolce’s competition?
>so I'm thinking maybe wine is more appropriate.
>and jazz
>do you like wine and jazz?
>seems like something you need to come discuss with me, if you aren't busy right now

RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - megs - 04-17-2017

The previous conversation with Maeve and the looks of disapproval she had received from Eden were quickly forgotten as her phone buzzed in her hand with incoming messages. She read them one by one as they came in, each one popping up in a little grey box and pushing the one before it upwards. Soon, the screen was filled with texts from Owen, the most important of which were asking her preference of wine and jazz. Presumably, wine and jazz and his company.

Like a date.

Julianna couldn’t remember the last time she had gone on a date. Realistically, it was before she and Jean had gotten married. When they were still dating as it were. Now, when he was home (which was rare) their outings didn’t feel like dates. They were business luncheons, or galas, or charity tennis tournaments. They were work. Jean’s work, and she was brought along to smile and make conversation and be complimented at as another one of Jean’s many accomplishments. Jean’s pretty wife. She doubted his associates even knew her name.

Pushing thoughts of her absent husband aside she re-read the final message suggesting that she go back out to him. She read it once more and giggled. Letting the phone fall into her lap, she hid her blushing face with her hands and tapped her toes on the floor in giddiness.

>I might be able to make time.

She sent the playful message and waited a few moments. Taking the time to check her e-mail and for to-go orders. Letting him sit on her coy response for the time being. She grinned at her computer screen as she wondered just how much he wanted her to go out there and sit with him.

As luck would have it another employee would be coming in shortly, which would give her some time to hang out with Owen before the post-lunch influx. She left the office and trotted right past Harrison and Maeve and Eden as if there was nothing unusual or questionable about the fact that she exited the counter and walked over to the table by the window that Owen had chosen. It also just so happened to be her favorite table, the view and the lighting were perfect all day, and it had a comforting feeling of seclusion.

“So, I was able to pencil you into my very busy schedule,” she joked as he removed his headphones. She pulled out the chair across from him and sat down. She leaned her elbows on the table and crossed them. “And it just so happens I do like wine. And jazz.” She laughed softly as she looked down at her hands.

RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - saronym - 04-17-2017

Owen very much wanted her to come sit with him. It was difficult for him to focus on his work. He needed the matter of their date settled first. Thoughts of her rattled around in his mind interfering with his ability to get into the state of deep thought he needed for tasks at hand.

He wasn’t much use for anything except copying over a draft of a piece he was working on to clean bar paper. He worked painstakingly in fine pencil drawing small music notes into the spaces on the paper, while he waited for her to grace him with her company.

And she came to him.

He found that very pleasing and quickly shed his headphones, letting them rest around his neck as she pulled up a chair. He blew at the dusting of graphite, resisting the urge to wipe at it with his hand. That would only smear it.

Owen moved his computer aside and playfully mirrored her pose. “Good. You should.” He joked before he reached across the table and lifted her chin with his index finger encouraging her to look at him and not shy away. He didn’t know of any reasons she would need to shy away from him. He thought she was just a timid girl. Maybe unused to attention. He liked that about her. The way she'd look downwards and her long eye lashes seemed to lay along the apple of her cheek.

“I live near to this kind of underground club. It’s a bit of a dive. But, there’s a good crew playing tonight.” He explained taking away his finger to fold his hands on the table. “You should come check it out with me. Let me buy you a glass of wine.”

Needless to say, Eden’s mouth was hanging open in abject shock. She couldn’t hear what the pair was discussing but she didn’t need to. That touch. She nudged Maeve in the ribs and jerked her head at the pair as if to ask : ARE YOU SEEING THIS?!