Chapter Four - The beautiful red head...

Caleb

Surprisingly I had an excellent sleep last night; I think having two days off together has helped me. I spent my days doing everything I wanted to do, between catching up with some good documentaries I had recorded and gone to the gym to get my workouts and self-defence better. Having some me-time is the thing I need to do more often. I skip out the door at nine-fifteen to go to work, starting at ten a.m. on a sunny Sunday makes me happy. Sunday’s were never too busy, but it gave us time to make sure everything was ready for the week ahead of us.

I was opening today; my boss doesn’t work Sundays, only one of the other guys and me usually. My colleague Nate was waiting for me to arrive.

“Good morning Nate, how are you on this beautiful Sunday morning?” I said happily.

“I am good, bud, thanks,” He smiled, “What has got you so happy? Did you get laid or something last night,” He added, chuckling.

“No, it has just been a good couple of days, that is all,” I laughed.

I opened, letting us in so we could get prepared for our customers.

“Nate, do you want a coffee before we get started?” I asked, smiling over at him.

“Yes, a latte would be great, Mr happy”, Nate replied, laughing.

I head over to the coffee machine whilst getting it all set up, and I make our coffees. It’s my first coffee of the day, and I am looking forward to it. I have cut down on caffeine the past two days, and I intend on keeping it like that, well, hopefully.

“Coffee is ready, Nate,” I shout over to him.

Nate finishes sorting the tables then comes to get his coffee.

“Looks like we might have a busy morning,” I said to him as I look to the front of the shop. There are already people standing outside waiting to get in.

“It is better that way. It makes it pass quicker,” He chuckled.

“That is very true. Well, we should probably start letting them in,” I laughed.

I headed over, letting the ones waiting outside in. I said hello to everyone as they passed by, going to take their seats. I recognized a lot of them. You get to know people when you work somewhere like this because you always have your regulars.

“You take section one. I will take section two,” I said.

“Sure, boss,” He laughed, heading over to his own section, and I headed to mine.

It was easier if we took a section each. That way, orders don’t get mixed up, and everyone gets what they want without any issues.

It is good to have a coffee shop attached to a bookshop as you will get people who just come in to browse, then after smelling our custom coffee, they will come over. It’s always a bonus buying a new book and starting it with an excellent coffee and a cake. 

****

The morning has flown in, but the afternoon was quieter, only a couple of people coming and going. I was standing reading my book in between. I hear the door open, something making me look up, and as soon as I did, my breath caught in my throat, as my eyes fell on the gorgeous redhead entering the shop.

“Oh, wow,” I whispered to myself.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I have never seen anyone as beautiful. It must be her first time in here because if she had been here before, I would have surely noticed her. She looked around, wondering where to sit, and her eyes soon fell on me. She flashed her smile at me, and that was enough to make my pulse race. I gave her a nervous smile back before she went and sat down.

She was in what has been Nate’s section all day, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me. I would give her a few minutes before heading over.

“Nate, you have someone in your section, but I don’t mind going, and you can finish doing your clean down,” I shouted through to him.

Nate came through from the back and looked over.

“OH, I see why you want to help me out,” Nate laughed and went back through the back.

I could feel myself going all rosy-cheeked because of what Nate said. I tried to pull myself together and walk over to the table. I could feel butterflies in my stomach. I never get this nervous when it comes to my job, but this female is different. She is radiant, possibly the most beautiful woman I have seen in a long time.

“Hi, anything you fancy?” I stammered

She just glared at me, and I stared back.

“I mean, is there anything on the menu you would like?” I said, feeling my cheeks flush again.

“Oh,” She giggled, “Yes, can I have a latte and a lemon muffin please,” She added, her baby blues falling right on me.

I was trying my best not to make more of an idiot of myself than what I already have.

“Coming right up,” I smiled, turning to walk away.

That never went as planned, though, because next thing I was on my ass, slipping on a wet patch on the floor that I never even noticed. I will need to get a sign for that.

“Oh my God, are you OK?” I hear from behind me, and I could tell she was trying her best to hold her laugh in.

“Yes, I am fine, it sounded and looked worse than what it actually was,” I said, turning to look at her whilst still sitting on the floor, “I’ll try again with making that coffee and getting the cake”, I added as I stood up and laughed.

Walking away, I could feel the pain shooting up the back of my thigh. I won’t let it show, though. I will work through it. I make the latte which is my favourite coffee to drink and make, get the lemon muffin out of the cabinet and put them on a tray, ready to take over, but before I take them over, I put up the wet floor sign just to avoid any more accidents.

“Here you go,” I smiled, sitting them down in front of her.

“Thank you,” She said, flashing that smile at me once more, a smile that would make any man weak to his knees, “Are you sure you are OK?” She added.

“Positive, thanks though,” I said, smiling back at her, “Anyway, enjoy, if you need anything else, just call me over. My name is Caleb,” I added.

“I will, Caleb,” She said, the way my name rolled off her tongue was enough to make my length stir in my jeans for a moment, “And I am Scarlett, just in case you wanted to know,” She added, her smile now more of a sexy smirk.

Hmm, I think she may know I was attracted to her. Well, I haven’t exactly done the best job of hiding it from her. I don’t know what has gotten into me. I don’t get this way around women because it is better for everyone, but I couldn’t help myself with her. She had the sort of beauty that couldn’t be described in words.

I headed through the back to where Nate was.

“I have just fallen on my ass in front of the most beautiful woman I have ever seen because of you, dude; it takes two seconds to put a sign-up,” I laughed.

“Bud, the way you are acting around her, if it weren’t falling on your ass in front of her, it would be something else,” He chuckled.

I flipped him off, tossing a towel at his face, laughing before heading back out front. I will try my best not to be a creep and stare too much at Scarlett. It was helping my afternoon pass, though; we closed early on a Sunday anyway.

There were only twenty-five minutes left until we close, so I got all the tables cleaned down whilst Nate came through and started cleaning down behind the counter. I couldn’t help but look over at Scarlett at every opportunity I got, and I did catch her looking in my direction as well. I went to put some empty cups up for Nate to clean, that’s when I heard the squeak of a chair on the tiled floor. I turned around, and that’s when I saw her getting ready to leave. 

“Bye Caleb, thanks for the coffee and cake,” Scarlett said as she was putting on her jacket, “I’ll maybe see you again sometime,” she added. 

“No problem hope you enjoy the rest of your day,” I smiled brightly, the way a kid in a sweetie shop does, “Hopefully, see you again soon,” I added as I just stood and stared.

Scarlett laughed as she put her bag on.

“Well, I need to go, bye” she smiled and walked away through the bookshop and out the door.

“Nate tells me she isn’t one of the prettiest ladies you have ever seen,” I said as I smiled from ear to ear.

“You seem to have taken a liking to her; next time, ask her out,” Nate laughed and continued cleaning down. 

I couldn’t stop thinking about the beautiful curvy redhead that I saw today, Scarlett, oh how that name suits her. I had a feeling she would be on my mind for the rest of the day and night.