Ethan's morning shift at Bean There started slow, the kind of quiet Tuesday where students trickled in half asleep, mumbling orders for strong drips. He moved through the routine on autopilot: grinding beans, steaming milk, wiping counters until they gleamed. The forced project meetings had left him drained, each one layering tension thicker. Caleb's respectful distance helped, but those brief lingering gazes and accidental brushes accumulated like static, waiting to spark.Carla was off, leaving him solo until the afternoon rush. He welcomed the solitude, earbuds in with a mellow playlist, focusing on latte art to clear his head.The bell jingled around 10:30. Ethan looked up from foaming oat milk.Caleb.He stood at the counter, hands in pockets, expression hesitant. No gym bag or backpack just him, in a simple black hoodie and jeans, hair slightly tousled like he'd walked fast.Ethan's stomach flipped. He pulled out one earbud. "What can I get you?"Caleb stepped closer, eyes scann
Last Updated : 2026-01-07 Read more