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Chapter Text

Gwen rifled through her small bag, unable to find her work keys and becoming increasingly agitated as the minutes passed and they didn’t turn up. Eventually, she gave up and dumped the contents of her purse onto the concrete sidewalk leading up to the front door of the coffee shop. She swiftly sifted through her belongings and cursed under her breath as she confirmed that her work keys were not in her possession.

“Shit!” Gwen muttered, knowing that she didn’t have enough time. She couldn’t feasibly drive home and back and still make it in time for the start of her shift. She looked down at her watch and said “Shit!” once again. She had ten minutes to clock in, and she was supposed to be opening alone this morning. Her manager was on vacation. She was going to have to break in.

Gwen slyly glanced down the block and quickly scooped up her belongings back into her bag. With an air of forced casualness, she strode around the back of the store, remembering the large window by the back door. With the help of some discarded plastic crates from milk delivery day, she could clamber inside as long as the window wasn’t locked.

Upon reaching the backside of the shopping strip, Gwen took a moment to survey her surroundings. The last thing she needed was to have the cops called on her for trying to get to work on time. The dumpsters lining the building reeked, but as she peered around them she didn’t see any lingering patrons or employees waiting to enter through the back door of their respective businesses. There were half a dozen businesses that shared the strip with her coffee shop, but at 5:00 AM, she wasn’t surprised to see that there wasn’t even a single car parked out back, much less any people ambling around.

Gwen set down her bag, determined, and started stacking milk crates. The window could be reached just standing on one crate, but she figured she would need a little more leverage if she were actually going to climb inside. She was a pretty agile athlete, but it’s not like she had extensive practice scaling buildings. As she stood on her tower of crates and peered into the window, she sent a quick prayer to whomever may be listening that she not injure herself. Cautiously, she attempted to maintain her balance as she began forcing the window open from the outside. Gwen’s eyebrows shot up in surprise as the window opened a crack under the careful pressure she applied. With balanced precision, she managed to force the window open to her approximate width.

“Yes!” She celebrated quietly, checking once more for lingering witnesses. Satisfied with her findings, Gwen grunted as she hoisted herself up into the window. She managed to squeeze the majority of her torso through the small opening, but failed to account for the width of her hips being a barrier to her complete entry. “Fuck!” she cursed, listening to her voice echo in the empty coffee shop.

Someone cleared their throat behind her. “Excuse me?” they asked politely.

“Oh,” Gwen tensed, “fuck,” she repeated.

“Are you stuck?” the voice behind her asked. Gwen heard footsteps approaching, and she hurriedly attempted to lodge the rest of her body into the opening that she had created in the window. No luck.

“Um,” Gwen searched for a solution. There was nothing within reach that could aid her, so she admitted “yes,” defeatedly.

“Before I help you, I suppose I should ask if you’re a burglar?” The voice behind Gwen was strained with suppressed laughter.

“No!” Gwen said hurriedly. “I work here, I just forgot my keys!”

“How can I be sure that you’re telling the truth?” The voice sounded amused, and Gwen’s patience was quickly running thin. She couldn’t bring herself to imagine the view this stranger had of her ass stuck outside of an open window suspended in the air. Her legs dangled and she was beginning to feel an interruption in the blood circulation to her toes.

“You can’t, but I’m really in no position to lie to you.” Gwen tried to keep the edge out of her voice. This stranger was currently her only hope, she couldn’t afford to let her frustration with the morning interfere with the aid this person was offering.

The voice chuckled and asked, “How can I help?”

“What are the odds that you can reach the window and open it a bit more for me?”

“Pretty high.” The voice was no longer masking the tone of amusement.

Gwen waited patiently for some relief to the pressure in her abdomen from the window squeezing her. In a span of seconds that seemed to drag eternally, she began to feel the constriction abate. The window squeaked as it was raised, and Gwen forced the rest of her body into the kitchen. She scrambled gracelessly down the back wall of the coffee shop and quickly unlocked the backdoor to greet the person who had just saved her.

She swung the door open and was relieved to see that she recognized the face staring back at her. It was the owner of the bookstore a couple of doors down. They’d never exchanged words, but her manager was always swooning over her, and Gwen herself had seen her on nearly every visit she’d made to the store. Taking in the sight of her openly concerned face and tall, lithe stature churned the relief in her stomach into a feeling of severe embarrassment.

“Thanks for the, uh, help.” Gwen told the bookseller. “Do you want a cup of coffee?” She asked.

The bookseller shrugged and said, “no thanks, but I’ll take a cup of tea.”

“Alright.” Gwen motioned for her rescuer to follow her into the kitchen of the coffee shop and closed the door behind her. She flicked on lights as she made her way to the front of the store. The bookseller looked on in open curiosity, inspecting the various appliances that facilitated making the shop’s goods.

The cafe had a very cozy atmosphere. The lighting was dim in the darkness of the morning, and all of the cafe chairs sat upside down on their respective tables. The couches and bay window seat cushions looked immaculate before the use of cafe patrons, not yet having had a chance to sink into the plushness of the seats.

Gwen pulled a couple of chairs off of the table nearest to the bar and smiled at her while wordlessly gesturing to an open seat.

The bookseller took a seat and smiled back at her.

“What kind of tea would you like?” Gwen asked, “we have green tea, matcha, chai, black tea, the works.” She listed the various flavors off on her fingers.

The bookseller’s smile widened. “Do you have earl grey?” She intertwined her fingers and rested her hands on the table in front of her, looking up at Gwen with an expression of gratitude.

“Anything for my knight in shining armor.” Gwen said jokingly and turned to go whip up some tea behind the bar. Her focus was caught up in the ritual. She genuinely enjoyed her job, finding the task of making drinks quite relaxing. At least she could call it relaxing now that she knew the right ingredients and ratios for all of their menu items.

She set the kettle on while she retrieved the correct tea bag and her favorite of the shop’s eclectic mug collection, and in a very short space of time the device began to whistle. She set the tea and a timer to steep and turned her focus back to the attractive woman patiently watching her.

Gwen rested her elbows on the bar and kicked one of her legs up behind her as she leaned towards her guest. “I suppose I should ask you for your name, since you saved my ass back there.”

The bookseller laughed and said, “quite literally,” to which Gwen huffed in embarrassment.

“Anyway,” Gwen continued after her companion finished chuckling to herself. “My name is Gwen. I’m a dayshift manager here.”

The bookseller’s eyes twinkled and she cast an appraising glance over Gwen. Her striking red hair cascaded in waves around her face and down her back, framing her enchanting dark brown eyes perfectly. Her expression was guarded, but she had the kind of face that told you exactly what a person was thinking. And what she was thinking, if the bookseller could presume correctly, is that she was just as attractive in her eyes as Gwen had been in hers. “I’m Natalie,” she stated, “but you can call me Nat.” She leaned back a little in her seat, “I own the bookstore two doors down on the left.”

“I know,” Gwen said plainly. She was famous on the block, despite very few knowing her name. Not a single regular in the coffee shop could avoid mentioning the hot bookseller down the block when they stumbled in bright-eyed and pink-cheeked after an encounter with her at the bookstore.

Nat’s smile widened and she said, “I hope my reputation proceeds me.”

“The reputation you earned by being sexy and smooth?” Gwen asked with eyebrows raised and cast her eyes down over Nat’s appearance. “I suppose it does.”

Nat laughed earnestly and Gwen finally understood what it meant to describe someone as ‘dazzling.’ It was like the deep sound of her laughter cast a glow over the dimly lit cafe. Her laughter was interrupted by the kitchen timer blaring out from behind Gwen at the counter. She flinched before whirling around to methodically pull the steeping tea leaves from Nat’s mug. “How do you take your tea?” Gwen called out to Nat without turning to face her.

“Two sugars, please.” Nat answered politely.

Gwen handed Nat her mug and a saucer with a small spoon and two sugar cubes resting on its edge. “I figured you might want to stir it in, I know people are fond of the ritual.” Gwen nodded at the sugar cubes resting on the saucer now placed in front of Nat. “May I?” She asked, plopping into the seat across from her without waiting for an answer.

Nat chuckled and dropped a sugar cube into her tea, gently stirring the contents of the mug. “Of course,” she laughed. She added another sugar cube.

“I’ve been waiting for the day you stopped in here. I always see you in the bookstore, but my manager has been tripping over her feet to serve you coffee since the day you opened up shop.” Gwen leaned on the elbows she had resting on the small bistro table that separated them.

“Bobby?” She scrunched up her nose in distaste at the mere thought.

Gwen laughed heartily, and said, “Oh, so you’ve met.”

“I wouldn’t exactly call it a pleasant experience.” Nat smiled at Gwen disarmingly before saying, “Meeting you, on the other hand, I wouldn’t hesitate to categorize that way.”

The corner of Gwen’s mouth raised into a slight smirk and she said, “Then you should stop by more often.”

“And risk bumping into Bobby?” Nat’s flirtatious smile sent a thrill through Gwen’s body. She looked at her over the lip of her mug before draining the remainder of her tea. “I suppose I should let you open up for the day,” She said as she stood, pushing her chair into place beneath the table.

Gwen stood abruptly and rushed to follow her to the front door so she could unlock it for her. The bell jingled as the door swung open and Nat strode out over the threshold and into the chill air of the early morning. She turned before Gwen could close the door and said “Until next time,” with a dashing smile and a small wave.

Gwen locked the door quickly and tried to steady the rush of adrenaline that was coursing through her from the events of the morning. She glanced at the watch on her wrist before doing a double take and saying, “shit!” once more.

Chapter Text

Mere moments passed after Nat walked out of the store before Gwen’s coworker, Farah, was knocking on the front door of the cafe. Nearly zero opening tasks were completed and Gwen was frantically trying to brew the first batch of coffee, so she didn’t hear Farah until she started banging on the door in earnest. She rushed over to Farah as quickly as time would allow and flicked the lock over to allow her entry.

“Hey.” She said before Farah could chastise her for making her wait. “I’m a little behind.”

“A little?” Farah asked as she eyed the chairs still resting on the tabletops. Without hesitation, she began arranging the lobby of the cafe. “So…” she began playfully, “was that the famous bookstore owner I saw leaving the cafe?” She glanced at Gwen out of her peripherals as she pulled a chair from its resting place on the nearest table. The chair legs made a resonant sound as it made contact with the floor, dragging loudly as she moved it into place.

“You saw Nat?” Gwen asked distractedly, assisting with Farah’s task.

“Nat!” Farah exclaimed, the chair under her grasp coming to a surprised halt under its table, “yesterday you had never spoken, and now you’re on a nickname basis?”

Gwen laughed, remembering that an hour ago her ass was hanging out of the kitchen window. She supposed it was a more intimate first meeting than most. “Well yeah, what else am I gonna call her?” She paused, thinking. “And I sure as hell don’t want her to call me ‘Guinevere.’” She pulled an expression of distaste.

Farah chuckled and replied “uh-huh,” while fluffing the couch cushions. “So why was she in the cafe before hours? I can’t imagine that Bobby would be too keen on that.” She punctuated the thought with a large grin.

“Bobby can kiss my ass,” Gwen huffed.

Farah laughed heartily and said, “Knowing her, she might just take you up on that.”

Gwen shrugged to hide her discomfort. Her days of flirting with Bobby were behind her…right behind her. They dated in college, and although that had ended catastrophically, the two of them still occasionally hooked up. Gwen was just bored, she told herself, though there was a nagging feeling that there might be a deeper motivation behind her lingering attachment to her shitty ex-girlfriend.

Gwen briefly looked around the cafe, surveying what else needed to be done in the lobby for opening. As she took in the cozy atmosphere, couches and lounge chairs interspersed with low tables and bistro sets, she couldn’t help but remember the many days (and nights) she had spent here with Bobby. She was desperate to evade her company at work, but the familiar pull of desire reeled her back into Bobby’s bed again and again. This place was utterly saturated with her.

“Anyway!” Farah said to distract Gwen from her thoughts. She always seemed to know when Gwen needed distraction. “Why was ‘Nat’ here?” She emphasized the bookseller’s name with air quotes.“You still haven’t explained.”

Gwen walked back around the counter in response to the oven timer going off. She put on a pair of oven mitts and pulled out a tray of fresh muffins. She recounted her break-in attempt to Farah while setting them in the display case, the tasty smell of the lemon poppyseed almost enough to distract Farah from the dramatic retelling.

“No way!” Farah laughed boisterously. “She saw you like that?”

“She rescued me like that.” Gwen pointed at Farah with her oven mitt on.

“I never took you for the damsel in distress.”

“I wasn’t in distress! I was simply stuck in a window.” Gwen said as she loaded the next batch of pastries into the oven.

Farah laughed again and said, “I fail to see the difference.”

“Whatever.” Gwen said gruffly.

The top of the hour struck and, observing the queue forming outside of the coffee shop, they knew they could not delay opening any longer. Farah took her place behind the register, and Gwen readied herself to start making drinks while still attempting to stock the pastry case in time for the first round of orders. She spotted her favorite regular among the people filing in the front door and started making her order before she arrived at the counter.

“Well, hello, Morgan” Farah greeted her charmingly. “What will it be today?”

Morgan clicked her tongue and said, “you already know what I want,” rolling her eyes.

“Already on it!” Gwen piped up in the midst of her task.

Morgan smiled at her wolfishly and shoved her hands in her pockets to retrieve her wallet. She handed Farah her card and then sat down after the exchange in the darkest corner of the cafe, at the very far end of the bar.

Gwen finished making her coffee and walked over to her seat to place her signature red eye before her. “You and I need to talk.” Gwen said surreptitiously.

Morgan groaned. “Why? What did Bobby do this time?”

Gwen placed her hand in her chest in mock offense. “I talk about things other than my deadbeat manager, you know.”

“All I know is that we gotta get you a new lay.” Morgan responded crudely.

Gwen gaped at her and said, “I told you! I’m turning over a new leaf. We’re done.”

“Yeah, but does Bobby know that?” She smiled tauntingly up at Gwen over the lip of her drink.

“I like to keep my options open.” Gwen smirked.

“You literally just said that you were done with her.” Morgan said bluntly, taking the first sip of her piping hot coffee while giving Gwen a deadpan expression.

“I have to get back to the morning rush,” Gwen said while walking towards the counter. “But don’t forget, we need to talk!” She called over her shoulder, garnering the attention of several cafe patrons. She smiled sheepishly in the general direction of the line leading to the register and returned to her drink station.

—

The rush didn’t die down. Two hours passed before Gwen could even think about a fifteen minute break. The cafe was bustling and noisy, filled with conversation and clinking mugs and silverware. Every seat in the house was taken and Morgan looked miserable, preferring to only stick around the cafe during their off hours and in the evenings. It was rare that she lingered during the rushes of the day.

Gwen was quietly touched that she had waited for her, not having expected such a valiant show of affection from her best friend on a weekday morning.

“Thank god,” Morgan said when Gwen sat next to her at the darkest corner of the bar. No one else had come near her, her grim expression deterring anyone from crossing paths with her. “I feel like my eardrums are bursting, can we go outside?”

“You are so melodramatic,” Gwen said, collecting her belongings and pushing in her barstool as she stood. “But, yeah, I could use the fresh air.”

Morgan said nothing as she quietly shepherded Gwen out of the front door. Stepping into the brisk fall air instantly alleviated the tension surrounding her and her friend from the overstimulating cafe. Morgan took a deep breath and then focused her attention back on Gwen. “So, what was so damn important?”

Gwen grinned at her and rubbed her hands together for warmth, wishing she had thrown on her jacket before coming outside. “You remember how you said I needed a new ‘lay’?”

Morgan smirked at her and said, “Don’t tell me you finally got together with someone new.”

Gwen laughed and said, “Not yet. But I met someone.” She wore a far away expression on her face, but with a telling smirk resting on her lips. Morgan rolled her eyes, knowing full well that she was daydreaming.

“Oh,” Morgan said flatly, “So you have a crush.” She sounded disinterested, but Gwen knew it was an act. With the way she complained about Bobby, she was probably more excited about this than Gwen was.

“I’m too old for crushes, I’m interested in someone.”

“Sure,” Morgan shrugged, “call it what you want.” She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket and shivered slightly, she was sensitive to the cold. “Who is it?”

The two of them made their way down the block, and Gwen halted them in their tracks outside of the bookstore. Through the window of the front door, they could see Nat enraptured in conversation with some starry-eyed customer. Her tall physique towered over them, but she was bent forward with her hands around a large tome that she cradled gently in her grasp. Her deep brown hair reached her shoulders, and her tousled bangs gave an appearance of effortless grace. She had kind eyes and they assessed the book in her grasp with soft care before she handed it to the customer in front of her with a disarming smile. Wordlessly, Gwen gestured towards Nat with her thumb.

Morgan’s eyes widened. “The bookseller?”

Gwen shrugged, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips.

“Bobby won’t be pleased.”

“God!” Gwen threw her arms in the air in frustration. “Why does everyone care about what Bobby thinks? She doesn’t own me.”

Morgan raised a brow at her. As if the expression, and the last several years of experience, ought to speak for itself. She clapped a hand on Gwen’s shoulder in sympathy. ”Well, good luck.”

“Thanks.” Gwen huffed. As they turned to head back towards the coffee shop, Nat looked up through the storefront window. She caught a glimpse of Gwen and her friend, and tried to catch her eye casually. Gwen was looking directly at her, and she winked when Nat met her gaze.

Nat’s pleasant smile grew and she gave her a small wave, causing more than one bookstore customer to turn and look out of the window.

“Come on.” Gwen said hurriedly, and ushered Morgan out of the view of the storefront. Gwen’s wide grin was met with looks of curiosity and she quickly followed Morgan’s pursuit of the coffee shop.

“No way I’m going back in there,” Morgan said, gesturing down the block at the front door of the cafe. Each business had a unique display of decor for the fall season, some of it quickly being overrun by fallen leaves on the windy autumn morning. She stuck a cigarette in her mouth and attempted to light it under her cupped hand in the strong breeze. Each failed flick of her lighter elicited a grumpier sound from her than the last. “I’m going to train with Ava,” she said with a lit cigarette between her lips, and her cold hands back in her pockets.

Gwen shook her head with a smile and made her way into the cafe, only one door down from the gym where Morgan was loitering. “Enjoy!” She said, before opening the door and returning to the warmth of the coffee shop.

Chapter Text

It had been a long day at the bookstore, and Nat was relieved to turn the lock on her front door and flip the sign in the window to ‘closed.’ She stretched the tiredness out of her bones slowly and methodically, turning towards her oldest friend seated in an armchair by the door with her left arm suspended in the air. She yawned softly and lowered her arms, feeling some renewed vigor in the weight of her shoulders.

Her friend looked up from her book and raised an eyebrow at her. “Tired?” she said the word with soft concern.

“Yes, but don’t concern yourself, Ava.” Nat smiled at her gratefully. She flicked on an antique glass table lamp and walked to a space in the nearest wall between bookshelves to turn off the overhead lights. The bookstore was instantly darker, cast in the dull light of twilight from the large storefront window. “I was up early for inventory this morning.”

“I would have helped you if I knew.” Ava sounded remorseful. She sat relaxed with her legs crossed and a book laying open in her lap, her immaculate posture and rigid shape looking a little out of place in the position.

“Please don’t trouble yourself. I actually had a delightful morning.” Nat smiled wistfully, remembering Gwen’s creative entry into the coffee shop and the conversation that they shared over her cup of tea. Her eyes sparkled at the memory of the easy banter and Gwen’s forwardness.

“Why are you smiling that widely over your inventory task?” She asked suspiciously. Her hand was still resting on the edge of the book she had been reading, her finger gently tucked beneath the page. Her focus was entirely on Nat.

Nat chuckled under her scrutiny. She stood before her by the door, picking up errant books from chairs and side tables left behind by patrons of the store. “I met a barista at the coffee shop down the block before I came in.” She strode across the main thoroughfare between shelves and displays and placed the pile of books on the center of the counter at the back of the store.

“Oh, yes, Morgan’s friend.” Ava sounded resigned before the conversation had even begun. She returned her attention to her book, turning the page rather pointedly.

Nat leaned down beside the counter and said, “you know Gwen?” She sounded hopeful. She rose and held a small wastebin in her grasp, filled primarily with to-go cups from Gwen’s coffee shop. She tried to hide the tone of interest in her voice, but it was obvious that she was more keen to learn details about Gwen than she had realized.

“We have met at the cafe, but I cannot say that I know her.” She sounded distracted as she scanned the page of her book. “She’s excellent at brewing coffee, but that is the extent of her personality that I have come to know.”

“How did you know that she was friends with Morgan?” Morgan was Ava’s longest standing client at the gym, and she occasionally visited the bookshop when it was quiet. Nat could see how her and Gwen would get along, equally brash and forward.

“Morgan told me this morning that her friend was interested in you.”

Nat tied the trash bag in the wastebin and plopped it back inside before walking over to take a seat in the chair next to Ava’s and leaning casually over the armrest. “Really?” She asked, feeling giddy emotions she hadn’t known in quite sometime.

Ava closed her book and gave Nat a reproachful glance. “I don’t think you should see her.”

Nat frowned and sat back in her chair. “Why not?” she asked.

“I presume you have met that detestable cafe manager?” Ava waited for Nat to give a sign of acknowledgement before continuing, “her and Gwen are involved.”

“The way she flirted this morning didn’t make it seem like she was… entangled” Nat struggled to find the right word, thinking back on Gwen’s flirtatious jokes and lingering stares and feeling a small thrill in her stomach.

“Perhaps that is telling of her character.” Ava said warily. She set her book down on the end table between their chairs and leaned towards Nat to place a hand on her shoulder. “That woman is vengeful,” her expression was dark as she mentioned Bobby. “I think it would be best if you avoid a foray with Gwen for your own sake. And for the sake of your business.”

Nat raised her eyebrows and leaned back further, out of Ava’s touch. “What do you think she would do to my business?”

“The bookstore and coffee shop maintain an amicable relationship, they are always marketing for you because that Bobby woman has an interest in you herself.” Ava paused and curled her hands into loose fists. “If she turns her ire on you, I fear there would be more severe consequences than an end to your working partnership.”

Nat considered that for a moment and said, “that may be true, but I trust that Gwen would have said something if she were in a relationship. In fact, she made comments at Bobby’s expense when we were together this morning.” Her legs shifted in her seat.

“Morgan complains about her often,” Ava asserted. “She told me of her friend’s interest so that she may successfully redirect her intentions.”

“And Morgan confirmed that they are committed to each other?”

Ava shrugged, not having asked into Bobby and Gwen’s history. “I suppose she didn’t.”

Nat smiled at that, feeling hopeful about her prospects. She had a faraway look in her eye that made Ava wary.

“You’re not going to take my advice, are you?” she asked.

Nat chuckled and said, “probably not,” looking at her friend apologetically.

“Well,” Ava began, taking a deep resigned breath, “I cannot tell you what to do with your life.” She placed a hand on Nat’s forearm and said, “I just want you to be happy.”

Nat beamed at Ava and said, “thank you, my friend,” patting her hand. She stood after Ava and walked her to the front door. “I’m going to take out the trash and head home.” She nodded at the bag in the bin by the counter.

Ava watched Nat unlock the front door and headed out into the night after saying “alright.” She nodded at Nat in goodbye and left for her vehicle. Leaves blew in a rush of wind behind her and Nat shivered in the brisk breeze, closing and latching the door hurriedly so as not to let the warmth of the shop fade into the windy chill of the evening.

She patted her pockets to check for her keys and wallet and made her way to the back of the store, so she could dump her trash on the way to the bus stop. She wrapped her scarf around her neck and stepped into the cold, shutting and locking the backdoor behind her and heading into the alley behind the strip.

–

Gwen yawned while tying up a large trashbag littering the floor of the kitchen by the backdoor. She had just completed another bus run, and the kitchen trash was so full it had been threatening to burst. It had been such a long day. Picking up hours for Bobby was sure to bolster her paycheck, but she could live without the sixteen hour shift.

“Why don’t you just go home?” Tina, the nightshift lead, asked her as she yawned for a second time after hoisting the bag up over her shoulder. “You look exhausted.”

“Another day, another dollar,” Gwen replied sarcastically and saluted Tina.

“I’m serious, Gwen, the shop’s not gonna implode without you or Bobby.” Tina smiled at her mischievously. She was covered in flour, having just finished preparing tomorrow’s pastries. She dusted off her hands and said, “I swear I will prevent the cafe from a tragic implosion in your absence,” placing a dusty hand over her heart.

“Are you sure you’ve got it under control?” Gwen asked, not wanting to burden her friend with closing on her own. She was waiting in the doorway with a giant bag of trash on her back, but felt suddenly energized at the prospect of returning home.

“Yeah, of course!” She replied enthusiastically. “There’s, like, two people in there,” she gestured to the mostly empty lobby with her thumb, “and we’re only open for another hour. I’m pretty sure I can handle mopping on my own, the kitchen is already pretty clean.”

“Okay,” Gwen smiled, “I’m convinced. Let me just take this trash out and I’ll clock out.”

She turned and stepped into the dark chill of the night, carefully closing the door behind her with her free hand. She hoisted the bag from her shoulder and over her head into the dumpster just outside of the door. The large bag hit the inside of the dumpster with a muffled crash.

She clapped her hands on her hips and took a deep breath of the cold night air. She wasn’t in anything but her t-shirt and an apron, but the chill felt good against her skin after a long day of bustling around the cafe. She looked up into the sky, hoping to find the moon in the dusky twilight.

She startled when she heard someone approaching from the other side of the dumpster. She was tempted to hurry back into the cafe to avoid interaction, wishing that her quiet moment of solitude wasn’t broken. But it was probably someone from next door just coming to throw out their trash, and she thought it wouldn’t be very neighborly of her to run away just because she happened to be outside at the same time as another person.

She peered around the dumpster and her expression lit up at the sight of Nat, holding a small trashbag and wearing a brown leather jacket over her green button down shirt.

Nat’s expression mirrored her own, her eyes crinkling in the corner. “Well, hello, Gwen.” She said pleasantly.

“Hello there,” she replied flirtatiously, giving Nat a little wave by curling her fingers. Ironically, she didn’t look as composed as she had when Nat found her this morning. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, and the apron that she wore was dirty from a long day of effort, peppered with flour and coffee stains.

“Taking a break?” Nat asked curiously.

“Nah, I’m actually about to head out,” she gestured towards the door of the coffee shop, “but I’m glad that I ran into you.” She smirked and took a step closer to Nat. “You make a habit of hanging out in dark alleys?”

She laughed as she plopped her small trash bag into the dumpster, meeting Gwen halfway and putting her hands into her pockets to avoid the cold that was creeping up her fingertips. “Not typically, but I could accuse you of the same.”

“I’ve been known to lurk in them occasionally,” Gwen looked up into Nat’s eyes challengingly. “For the right reasons.”

Nat’s eyes shone in response, suddenly overcome with the desire to loosen Gwen’s bun and twist her fingers in her long red hair. “And what reasons are those?”

“Meeting tall and beautiful strangers, for one.” She took another step towards Nat, making their difference in height quite clear.

Nat raised her eyebrows and smiled in response to Gwen’s challenge. “I wouldn’t call us strangers.”

“I suppose you’re right,” she said, taking a step backwards. She pulled a small notebook and pencil out of the pocket of her apron. She quickly scrawled something on the first sheet and ripped it off, handing it to Nat. “Let’s make that official then, shall we?”

Nat took the paper from Gwen and grinned when she saw a phone number scrawled on the page. She folded it in half and tucked it safely inside of her breast pocket, looking back up into Gwen’s eyes. What she found there sent a thrill through her body. She expelled a short breath, watching the steamy air pass between them. “Thanks for this,” she said earnestly.

“Give me a call, and then we’ll decide if you have anything to thank me for.”

Nat chuckled and patted her pocket. “I will be sure to do that.”

“Have a good night, Nat.” Gwen smiled mischievously at her, and began to turn back towards the backdoor of the coffee shop.

“You have already made it the best night.” Nat said genuinely, rocking back on her heels.

Gwen halted in her tracks and said, “I could make it even better,” smirking up at Nat.

Nat laughed and Gwen felt a distinct tickle in her throat, like she couldn’t bear to go another moment without kissing this beautiful woman. She put a hand on the door handle behind her back, to stop herself from acting on her impulses. “I’m certain that you could,” Nat said with a twinkle in her eye.

Gwen’s breath stopped before she chuckled.

“Until next time,” Nat added and waved before spinning on her heel and walking away.

Gwen whistled low to herself and headed back inside, hoping she could catch her breath again with some distance between the two of them.

Chapter Text

Gwen reached over and roughly snatched her phone off of her nightstand to stop the blaring alarm from sounding off in her apartment bedroom at 4:00 AM. She blearily forced her eyes open, unable to approximate the location of the ‘off’ button in her sleepy stupor. She was a self-described morning person, but even she had to admit that her morning shifts at the coffee shop were just too damn early. She dismissed her alarm and squinted at the notification menu displaying several texts that she had received after passing out shortly after her arrival home last night.

The message previews showed a text from Morgan, several from Bobby, and one from an unknown number. She felt a jolt of excitement and quickly opened the text from the unknown number, sitting up in bed and flicking on the lamp on her bedside table.

[Unknown] 9:17pm
Good evening, Gwen. This is Nat.

Gwen smiled to herself and began typing a response, before taking note of the time and thinking better of it. She didn't want to wake Nat if her sound was on. She saved Nat’s number in her phone and then begrudgingly opened the messages from Bobby, in case they were instructions for her opening shift.

[Bobby 🤢] 2:14am

Hello angel

[Bobby 🤢] 2:15am

how did the double go yesterday? I’ll be back this afternoon 😏

[Bobby 🤢] 2:15am

[Image] cant wait to catch up… hope ur thinking of me while ur all alone 😘

The final message included an obviously drunk selfie, smirking over a martini glass with her cleavage on display. Bobby had her free arm slung over some random woman seated next to her in the photo that looked even more intoxicated than she was. Gwen felt an overwhelming sense of discomfort creeping through her body. They had agreed on no drunk texts years ago after their breakup, but it was uncharacteristic of Bobby to follow any of the rules they had set.

She attempted to erase the image from her mind and opened the text from Morgan.

[Morgan] 2:30am

[Screenshot] I think your stupid ex gf accidentally drunk texted me instead of you.

An attached screenshot showed five consecutive messages asking if the recipient was awake, obviously seeking some kind of interaction verging on sexual. Thinking about it, those messages could have been intended for Morgan and not Gwen, but Gwen didn’t have the energy to give a shit. She was just irritated that Bobby couldn’t keep it to herself even when she was abroad. She was already dreading her return, even though she wouldn’t be back at work until tomorrow.

She sent a quick response to Morgan commiserating over her ex’s behavior and got out of bed. The rigamarole of her morning routine seemed to move a little faster, remembering the yet unanswered text from Nat in her phone. She had a spring in her step as she remembered the electrifying feeling of Nat standing close to her in the cold dark alley last night before she returned home. She couldn’t help but imagine what it must be like to feel her warm presence in even more compromising positions. The idea made her stomach flip, and she giggled out loud to herself in the bathroom mirror.

It had been so long since Gwen set her sights on someone new. Exempting her occasionally questionable tinder hookups, she felt generally uncomfortable opening up her life to new people. Despite their colossal breakup, Bobby had been a constant for so many years because the idea of branching out and committing to new people made Gwen feel unbearable instability. She hadn’t “dated” since college, unless you counted one night stands or whatever the fuck she had going on with her ex. She really shouldn’t count, seeing as Gwen could barely stand to have a conversation with her. With Bobby it was almost never about relinquishing control, but rather harnessing it.

After she brushed her teeth, Gwen threw on an easy outfit that she didn’t mind getting coffee stained and headed to work. She preferred to coordinate something that suited her style, but the hazards of cafe work were such that she didn’t want to ruin any of the nice items she had collected on her meager barista salary. She wore a sweater, coat, scarf, and mittens, remembering the late fall cold that was gripping the season. It was dark when she left for work in the morning and therefore abundantly chilly.

The city she moved to after college wasn’t quite as sleepy as the town she grew up in, but it was rare to have much traffic beside her as she made her way to the coffee shop in the dark hours of the morning. The days were getting ever colder as they approached the end of the year, which seemed to discourage most early risers from jaunting out into the brisk outdoors before the sun rose. The drive to work was boring, and she wondered if 5:00 AM was still too early to reply to Nat.

She stood outside of the front door to the cafe, this time with work keys in hand, and decided to throw caution to the wind. She pulled her phone out of her back pocket and quickly typed out a message to Nat saying, “Hello, gorgeous!” and hit send before she could think on it too seriously.

The morning passed uneventfully, though Farah kept teasing her for checking her phone for a response from Nat. None came. The situation put Gwen on edge, though she attributed a majority of that to Bobby’s gross messages and imminent return. She felt some relief when the first rays of dawn started to creep in over the trees and filtered into the front window of the coffee shop. The morning rush had long since died down, and Gwen was antsy to go on her lunch break.

“What's got you so worked up?” Farah asked, smiling mischievously at Gwen.

Gwen groaned and rubbed a hand over her face, “Bobby is coming back today. And Nat hasn’t texted me back.” She walked over to lean on the counter.

Farah chuckled at Gwen's dishevelment, finding the whole situation too amusing for her taste. “Don’t worry so much, I'm sure she's just busy.”

“You're probably right, but nothing on God's green earth can stop Bobby from harassing me, apparently.” She laid her crossed arms on the edge of the bar, drooping her head so that her forehead rested on her forearm.

“What do you mean?” Farah cocked her head in question while absently wiping a recently washed mug dry with a clean dish rag and placing it on the hanging display on the nearby wall.

Gwen pulled out her phone and showed Farah the drunk selfie she received in the night, not bothering to look up.

Farah laughed and said, “you gotta admit, trying to proposition you and make you jealous in the same message is kinda impressive.”

Gwen lifted her head and rolled her eyes. That was nothing new for Bobby. She had been trying to make Gwen jealous since they started seeing each other in college, and trying to proposition her for even longer. “Someone should give her a medal,” she replied sarcastically.

Farah laughed and held up a fist to her mouth as if she were holding a microphone, saying, “and the Biggest Jerk Award goes to Roberta Marks!”

Gwen smiled wide and stood to untie her apron before hanging it up on the underside of the counter. “I’m going to lunch!” she said as she waved at Farah, heading out of the store.

The bell above the front door tinkled as she swung it open. Not bothering to check her surroundings, Gwen stepped over the threshold and ran directly into Nat, who was entering the cafe.

“Nat!” Gwen exclaimed in surprise, wobbling on her feet.

Nat reached out to steady Gwen, her hands gently grasping both of her shoulders. “Hello, Gwen.” She smiled down at her charmingly. “Funny running into you here.”

Gwen giggled nervously and muttered, “literally,” on an exhaled breath. “Did you want a drink?”

Nat chuckled and said, “I came to see you,” the smoothness to her tone made Gwen swallow. She took note of Nat’s grasp on her upper arms, feeling her skin heat up under her sweater while considering the firm but gentle grip.

Her eyes lit up at Nat’s admission and she grinned up at her. “Will you join me for my break?”

Nat removed her hands from Gwen’s arms, not realizing that she had let her touch linger, and put her hands in the pockets of her leather jacket. Her eyes sparkled as she said, “I would be honored.”

“Excellent,” Gwen responded with a smirk. She gestured to a couple of empty seats outside of the cafe. The sun was shrouded in an overcast sky and none of the regulars bothered to stick around in the cold. But looking at the way Nat held her eye, Gwen was grateful for the chill in the air. She was sure her cheeks were flushed. “So, who mans the bookstore while you’re busy enchanting your local barista?”

“I’m pleased to hear that you are enchanted.” Nat smiled disarmingly. “I will have to run into you more often.”

“I hope you do,” Gwen met her gaze with a challenge in her expression.

Nat chuckled and replied, “I have a part-timer that helps me on the weekend days, but sometimes my friend Ava will watch over the store in between clients so that I may have a break.”

“Ava, the gym owner?” Gwen gestured to the gymnasium to the left of the cafe. “You didn’t strike me as the type to make friends with gym meatheads.”

Nat laughed genuinely and said, “you must not know her then. Her personality is very different from the typical personal trainer.” She removed her hands from her pockets and intertwined her fingers before Gwen on their shared table. “She is my oldest friend.” She gave Gwen a small smile, thinking of the bond she shared with Ava.

Gwen placed her hands on the table as well and watched as her pinky finger twitched, itching to touch Nat in some way. “How did you meet?”

“We were at school together, though she is older than me.” Nat continued to smile and said, “I was often ill, and Ava helped tutor me when I missed classes.”

Gwen attempted to school her surprise. “What was your favorite subject?” She was hungry for more information about the mysterious bookseller, and felt quite privileged to learn. She could only imagine Bobby’s jealousy, and the thought made her smile quietly.

Nat chuckled and said, “I’m quite fond of the written word, if you could not guess. I studied literature in college, but I have something of a proclivity for linguistics as well.”

“Do you speak other languages?” Gwen pressed, having difficulty keeping the excitement out of her tone.

“Why all the questions?” Nat asked after she laughed at Gwen’s eagerness, “I’m quite keen to learn more about you too, you know.”

“Well, I’m sure you understand that you are a little famous on this block.” Gwen smiled deviously, “You’ve earned a reputation for being secretive. Most don’t even know your name.”

“I’m quite uninteresting, truth be told.” She shrugged.

“I beg to differ,” Gwen smirked at her and leaned forward, “I find you utterly fascinating.”

Without realizing it, the two of them had leaned in towards each other, pulled into each other's orbit through an irresistible magnetism. Their hands were mere inches apart on the table’s surface and they both sat forward in their seats. Becoming aware of their proximity, Nat’s smile gleamed and she said, “I feel I am owed a question in return.”

Gwen's devilish smile didn't wane as she replied, “go ahead.”

“Are you free tomorrow night?”

Gwen chuckled, but bit back her reply when she felt a hand slide onto her shoulder from behind.

“I’m afraid she won't be,” Bobby crooned from behind Gwen, having sauntered onto the scene when she discovered her ex flirting with the attractive bookseller that worked on the same strip as the coffee shop. The two of them were so wrapped up in each other that they hadn't noticed her approach. “It’s a pleasure seeing you here, Nat,” she mewled. “Can I have Gwen whip something up for you?” her hand didn't stray from Gwen's shoulder.

Gwen leaned out of the touch and scowled up at Bobby. “What do you mean I'm not free? You don't get to decide that.”

“I’m afraid that, as your manager, I actually do.” Bobby sneered.

“I’m quite content, thank you. Though I’m not sure I appreciate you offering on Gwen's behalf.” Nat responded to Bobby's earlier question, gesturing at the company seated across from her.

“It's alright, Nat.” Gwen replied, rolling her eyes at Bobby. “She's used to dictating what I do with my time.”

“I am your boss, angel.” Bobby said, letting her emphasis linger on her old pet name for Gwen. “It’s my job to delegate.” She smiled ruefully.

“Speaking of, I better get back to my job.” Nat scooted back in her chair and stood, “I’ll be in touch,” she said to Gwen. She shoved her hands in her jacket pockets and said, “good day” to both of them, walking back towards the bookshop. As she turned, she gave Gwen a private smile that held every assurance she needed that she would hear from her soon.

Gwen waited until Nat was out of earshot to round on Bobby, “what the hell?” She asked. “I work your stupid opening shifts, so why are my evenings suddenly not free?”

Bobby smiled in satisfaction, seeing Gwen visibly irritated by her interference. “I just got off the phone with Hayley, and she can't come in for a while.” Bobby feigned remorse, “so it looks like you’ll be pulling doubles for the foreseeable future.”

“Fuck you!” Gwen said, standing up and heading for the cafe, not bothering to look at Bobby. “It's your fucking job to pick up the owner’s slack, not mine.” She flipped the bird behind her back and strode into the coffee shop.

Bobby entered after her. “My, my, Guinevere.” Bobby sneered, “it's not befitting of a good employee to talk like that to her manager.”

Gwen turned on her heel in the middle of the cafe lobby. The two of them had attracted an audience. Farah looked on from the counter, stopped in her tracks, watching out of curiosity. Several customers followed suit. “No, but it is exactly how you talk to a jealous, meddling ex.” She hissed the words under her breath, so that only Bobby could hear.

Bobby watched her trudge behind the counter with a smirk planted on her face. Gwen put her apron back on and disappeared into the kitchen, “I’m taking out the trash!” She called behind her. In a matter of moments, the sound of the backdoor slamming behind her echoed in the cafe. Bobby shrugged at her audience. Patrons returned to their coffees and laptops, and Farah returned to washing dishes.

Bobby made her way to the register to order, and Farah made sure to take her time reaching her. “Trouble in paradise?” She asked Bobby as she began inputting her regular order into the POS.

“There's always trouble where Gwen’s involved.” Bobby smirked.

“Uh-huh” was all Farah said as she walked over to start the espresso machine, ignoring whatever explanation was sure to follow.