Mistaken identity

Lena was still floating on air after her impromptu coffee date with Ethan. She had spent the entire night replaying the conversation in her head, smiling at every little detail—the way he laughed, the way he seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say. She could hardly believe that *Ethan Turner* was talking to *her*. It was like all her office daydreams had come to life.

The next morning, Lena practically skipped into the office, her heart still buzzing from the previous evening. She felt unstoppable. Maybe this wasn’t just a silly crush after all—maybe there was something real happening between them.

As soon as she sat down at her desk, her phone buzzed. She grabbed it quickly, expecting another message from Ethan, but instead, it was a text from her friend Jessie.

**Jessie**: Spill the beans, lady. How was the coffee date? And don’t leave out *any* details.

Lena smiled and typed back quickly.

**Lena**: It was great! We talked for almost an hour, and he wants to hang out again!

**Jessie**: No way! You’ve got to tell me more. Lunch today?

**Lena**: Definitely. Can’t wait to tell you everything.

With a satisfied sigh, Lena put her phone away and tried to focus on her work. But her concentration didn’t last long. Thoughts of Ethan kept creeping into her mind, and she couldn’t stop wondering when she’d see him again. 

A few hours into the morning, she decided to take a quick break and head down to the café for another coffee. She grabbed her bag, took the elevator down, and made her way through the bustling lobby. As she neared the café, she glanced at her phone to check the time and—*smack*.

Lena walked straight into a solid chest. Coffee cups flew, bags toppled over, and before she could even process what had happened, she found herself flat on her back, staring up at the ceiling.

“What the—?” she groaned, sitting up and rubbing her head. Her bag had exploded, and her phone was now a good five feet away. Coffee was splattered all over the floor. 

She heard a deep chuckle above her. “Are we making this a habit now?”

Lena blinked up at the familiar voice and groaned. “Oh no.”

It was Ethan. Again.

He was standing there, looking down at her with a mix of amusement and concern, his own coffee spilled across the floor. Lena’s face turned scarlet. She had done it *again*. Another coffee disaster, and this time, she’d actually managed to knock herself flat in the process.

Ethan held out a hand, still laughing. “You okay?”

Lena nodded, mortified, as she grabbed his hand and let him pull her to her feet. “I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying attention—again! I swear, I’m not always this clumsy.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow, a playful grin tugging at his lips. “You sure about that?”

Lena winced. “Okay, maybe I am.”

They both looked down at the mess they’d created. Coffee was seeping into the carpet, and her bag was still lying in the middle of the chaos, its contents scattered everywhere. 

Ethan chuckled again. “You’re really making a habit out of running into me, huh?”

Lena laughed nervously, trying to salvage some dignity. “I guess it’s my special talent—*bumping into people*.”

“Well, at least it’s never boring,” Ethan said, bending down to grab her phone and handing it to her.

Lena took it with a grateful smile. “Thanks. And, uh, sorry for spilling your coffee. Again.”

“No worries,” Ethan replied, waving it off. “But if this keeps up, I might have to start wearing a raincoat around you.”

Lena let out an embarrassed laugh. “I swear, I’m not *trying* to drench you in coffee.”

“Well, if it’s a tactic to get my attention, it’s definitely working,” Ethan teased, giving her a wink.

Lena’s heart fluttered at the playful tone in his voice. Maybe he wasn’t mad at all. Maybe this was just another one of their awkward-but-charming encounters. She wasn’t sure if she should be mortified or amused.

“Do you want me to grab us some fresh coffee to make up for this disaster?” Lena offered, still trying to make things right.

Ethan shook his head, still smiling. “I’ve got a meeting in ten minutes, but thanks for the offer. Maybe we can grab coffee again later this week, minus the spills.”

Lena’s heart did a flip. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

As Ethan turned to leave, he glanced back over his shoulder, his grin still in place. “Try not to run anyone else over, okay?”

Lena groaned, half-laughing as she watched him walk away. How was it possible that she’d managed to embarrass herself *again* in front of him? But at least he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he seemed to find it amusing. Maybe there was something to this whole “clumsy charm” thing after all.

---

Later that day, Lena sat down with Jessie in the company cafeteria for lunch. Jessie was already digging into her sandwich, eager for details.

“Okay, spill. How was it?” Jessie asked between bites.

Lena sighed, leaning forward with a sheepish smile. “It was going great—until I literally *ran* into him. Like, full-on body collision.”

Jessie’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Wait, *what*? You *ran* into him? Like physically?”

Lena nodded, cringing. “Yup. I knocked over his coffee, fell flat on my back, and caused a scene in the middle of the café.”

Jessie let out a snort of laughter. “Oh my God, Lena! You’re a walking disaster!”

Lena groaned. “I know! It’s like the universe is out to get me. Every time I see him, something embarrassing happens.”

Jessie laughed even harder. “At this rate, you’re going to need a full set of armor just to get through a coffee date with him!”

Lena couldn’t help but laugh along, despite her embarrassment. “I’m pretty sure he’s going to start avoiding me just to protect himself.”

Jessie shook her head, still grinning. “Nah, if he’s still texting you after all this, he’s definitely into you. Coffee spills and all.”

Lena smiled, feeling a bit better. “I guess. I mean, he did suggest we hang out again later this week.”

“See? He’s into it. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Lena sighed, feeling a mix of relief and nervous excitement. Maybe Jessie was right. Maybe her clumsy disasters weren’t the deal-breaker she thought they were. 

“So,” Jessie said, leaning in with a smirk, “are you going to be wearing knee pads and elbow guards next time, or just sticking with a helmet?”

Lena rolled her eyes, laughing. “Very funny. I’ll just try to avoid running into him *again*—literally.”

---

As the week went on, Lena couldn’t stop thinking about Ethan. Every time she replayed their encounters in her head, she couldn’t help but laugh at how absurdly awkward she’d been. But Ethan didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he seemed to *enjoy* the chaos she brought into his otherwise polished, perfect world.

By Thursday, she still hadn’t heard back from him about their next coffee date, but she wasn’t too worried. He was probably busy with work, and she didn’t want to seem too eager by texting him first. Instead, she focused on her work and tried to avoid causing any more embarrassing disasters.

But then, late Thursday afternoon, her phone buzzed.

**Ethan**: So… ready for another coffee? I promise I’ll wear a raincoat this time. 

Lena’s heart skipped a beat, and she couldn’t help but grin.

**Lena**: You might need more than a raincoat! But yes, let’s try again