Coffee And Complications

Saturday arrived with sunshine, an empty schedule, and one problem.

I had absolutely no idea what to wear.

I stood in front of my wardrobe, holding two different outfits while Maya watched me from the edge of my bed.

“You've been doing that for twenty minutes,” she said.

“I'm making an important decision.”

“It's coffee, Ava. Not a royal wedding.”

I turned to her.

“Why does everyone keep acting like coffee isn't important?”

“Because it's coffee.”

I looked down at the outfits again.

One was a simple blue dress. The other was a pair of jeans with a fitted white top.

“Which one?”

Maya examined them.

“The jeans.”

“Why?”

“Because you look comfortable in them.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“You're not helping.”

She laughed.

“Fine. Wear the dress if you want to impress him.”

“I'm not trying to impress anybody.”

“Of course not.”

I threw a pillow at her.

She caught it, still laughing.

“Wait. Is this the same guy who bought you muffins?”

“Yes.”

“The charming one?”

“I didn't say he was charming.”

“You smiled when you mentioned him.”

“I smile at lots of things.”

“Name three.”

I opened my mouth.

Then closed it.

Maya burst out laughing.

“Exactly.”

I finally settled on the jeans and white top, added a little perfume, and picked up my bag.

Before leaving, I checked my phone.

There was a message from Damien.

Damien: What are you doing today?

I frowned.

Me: Living my life.

Damien: Very informative.

Me: I'm meeting someone for coffee.

Three dots appeared.

Disappeared.

Then appeared again.

Damien: Have fun.

I stared at the reply.

That was surprisingly brief.

Me: I intend to.

I slipped my phone into my bag.

Maya watched me from the bed.

“Was that Damien?”

“Yes.”

“Does he know about your date?”

“It's not a date. It's coffee.”

She gave me a look.

“That's what people call dates when they're trying not to admit they're dates.”

I groaned.

“Can we please stop discussing my love life?”

“Gladly. Go and enjoy your coffee.”

I headed for the door.

“And Ava?”

I turned.

“Don't spend the entire time talking about Damien.”

I rolled my eyes.

“No promises.”

---

Ethan had chosen a small café on the other side of town.

It was quieter than the one where we'd first met, with comfortable chairs, soft music, and large windows overlooking the street.

I spotted him near the back.

He stood when he saw me.

“Ava.”

“Ethan.”

He smiled.

“You came.”

“I did promise you coffee.”

“I was beginning to think you'd change your mind.”

“I considered it.”

He placed a hand over his chest.

“That's cruel.”

“I'm told it's one of my best qualities.”

He laughed and pulled out my chair.

I sat down.

“Thank you.”

“Of course.”

We ordered coffee and pastries, and the conversation started easily.

Ethan told me about his work, his younger sister, and how he had once attempted to cook dinner for his family and nearly set off the smoke alarm.

I laughed.

“What did you make?”

“Pasta.”

“Pasta caused that much damage?”

“I was experimenting.”

“With what? Fire?”

He shook his head.

“I knew I shouldn't have told you.”

“I'm glad you did. I feel safer knowing you're not allowed near a kitchen.”

He laughed again.

There was something easy about talking to him. He didn't interrupt, and he seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say.

When he asked about my work, I told him a little about my writing.

“You write novels?”

I nodded.

“Mostly romance.”

“That's impressive.”

“It's also frustrating.”

“How?”

“Sometimes I know exactly how I want a character to behave, and then they do something completely different.”

He smiled.

“Sounds familiar.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Are you comparing yourself to a fictional character?”

“Depends. Am I a good one?”

“I'm still deciding.”

“Then I'll have to make a good impression.”

I laughed and took a sip of my coffee.

For a while, everything felt wonderfully ordinary.

No anonymous messages.

No photographs from Damien's past.

No mysterious women watching us outside restaurants.

Just coffee, conversation, and a man who seemed happy to spend an afternoon with me.

Eventually, Ethan leaned back.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Depends on the question.”

“Are you happy with your relationship?”

I paused.

My fingers tightened slightly around the cup.

“That's a complicated question.”

“I'm sorry. You don't have to answer.”

“No, it's fine.”

I considered how to explain Damien.

“Damien and I have known each other for years. He's my best friend, and things have been a little different lately.”

“Different how?”

I hesitated.

I couldn't exactly tell Ethan the entire arrangement.

“Let's just say relationships can be complicated when friendship is involved.”

He nodded.

“I understand.”

I studied his expression.

“Do you?”

“I think so. Sometimes the people closest to us are the hardest to understand.”

For some reason, his answer stayed with me.

Before I could respond, my phone vibrated on the table.

Damien: Everything okay?

I stared at the message.

Then I typed a quick reply.

Me: Yes. Why?

Damien: Just checking.

I put the phone away.

Ethan glanced at me.

“Everything all right?”

“Yeah. Just my best friend.”

He smiled politely.

“Damien?”

I looked up.

“How did you know?”

“You mentioned him when we first met.”

“Oh.”

I returned my attention to my coffee.

It wasn't unusual for Ethan to remember his name.

Still, I found myself wondering how much I had told him about Damien during our first conversation.

---

By the time we left the café, the afternoon had slipped into early evening.

Ethan walked me toward the parking area.

“I had a good time,” he said.

“Me too.”

“Would you let me take you out again?”

I smiled.

“Maybe.”

“That's not a very encouraging answer.”

“I'm trying not to make promises I can't keep.”

He laughed.

“Fair enough.”

He stopped beside my car.

“Can I call you?”

I nodded.

“Sure.”

“Good.”

He gave me a warm smile before stepping back.

I got into my car and waved as I drove away.

For the first time in days, I felt genuinely relaxed.

Maybe Maya was right.

Maybe I needed to spend less time worrying about everyone else's problems.

---

Damien called while I was waiting at a traffic light.

I answered through the car's hands-free system.

“Hello, trouble.”

“Hello yourself.”

“How was your day?”

“Good. Yours?”

“Fine.”

I smiled.

“That's all?”

“What else do you want me to say?”

“Perhaps something interesting.”

“Like what?”

“Like how much you missed me.”

He laughed.

“Don't push your luck.”

I shook my head.

“So, how was coffee?”

I looked at the road.

“Good.”

“Just good?”

“Very good, actually.”

There was a pause.

“I'm glad.”

Something about his tone made me glance at the screen.

“Are you sure?”

“Why wouldn't I be?”

“No reason.”

I turned into my street.

“Ethan was nice,” I added.

“That's good.”

“He's funny too.”

“Wonderful.”

I laughed.

“You sound like you're reading a congratulatory speech.”

“I'm happy for you, Ava.”

I believed him.

At least, I wanted to.

“Thanks.”

“Are you coming over tomorrow? I need help with something.”

“What kind of something?”

“Something that requires your excellent judgment.”

“So you need someone to tell you that your ideas are terrible?”

“Exactly.”

I laughed.

“Fine. I'll come over.”

“Good. I'll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Damien.”

“Bye, sweetheart.”

I ended the call, smiling faintly.

---

When I got home, Maya was waiting for me.

She was sitting on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and an expression that immediately made me suspicious.

“Well?”

I dropped my bag.

“Well, what?”

“Don't play with me. How was it?”

I sat beside her.

“It was nice.”

She leaned closer.

“Nice?”

“Yes.”

“Did he make you laugh?”

“A little.”

“Did he compliment you?”

“Once.”

“Did he ask to see you again?”

I looked at her.

“How do you know everything?”

She grinned.

“Because I'm talented.”

I laughed and rested my head against the couch.

“He's easy to talk to.”

“That's a good thing.”

“I know.”

She studied me for a moment.

“So, do you like him?”

I thought about it.

“I think I could.”

Maya smiled.

“Then let yourself enjoy getting to know him.”

I nodded.

Maybe I would.

My phone buzzed again.

This time, it was an unknown number.

My smile disappeared.

Unknown: I see you've made a new friend.

I sat up.

Another message followed.

Unknown: Be careful who you trust, Ava.

My stomach tightened.

I showed Maya the screen.

Her expression changed immediately.

“Is this the same person?”

“I think so.”

“Have you told Damien?”

I shook my head.

“Not yet.”

My phone vibrated again.

Unknown: Some people don't approach you because they like you. Sometimes they have other reasons.

I stared at the message.

Ethan's smile came back to mind.

Then Damien's warning.

Be careful with Ethan.

I swallowed.

I didn't want to become suspicious of every person who showed me kindness.

But whoever was sending these messages seemed determined to make sure I never felt comfortable again.

And the worst part?

I was beginning to wonder whether they knew something I didn't.