Page 19 of Picture Us

Rose convinced herself it was because Drew was a good professional contact. It never hurt to have friends in the business. But before she could dissect her motives, the train was screeching to a halt at the Delancey-Essex Station.

As she walked, she realized it was still before noon. Maybe a cup of coffee would make Drew more tolerable.

Rose stopped in front of a Starbucks, about to grab the door handle when something stopped her. Pulling out her phone, Rose googled the coffee shop she had seen on Drew’s cup. It was only a block out of the way… plus, she could avoid the inevitable lecture Drew would give her if she brought big-box-store coffee.

She certainly wasn’t in the mood for more of Drew’s judgy looks.

“This is ridiculous.” Rose groaned as she walked away from Starbucks and toward C&B.

When she approached the hole-in-the-wall shop, Rose almost missed the entrance completely.

As soon as the door opened, a bell above the door announced her entrance. A peppy barista smiled at her, “Hey, how are you?”

Rose smiled back and tapped her fingers on the counter. “I’m good, thanks. How are you?”

The barista nodded and shrugged. “Livin’ la vida loca. What can I get for you?”

“This is going to be odd,” Rose stuttered as she looked up at the Barista’s nametag, “Jess, do you happen to have a regular customer with light brown hair, photographer, stunning hazel eyes?”

Stunning hazel eyes? Get over yourself.Rose stopped herself from straight up describing Drew’s bulging biceps.

Jess laughed. “Drew?”

“That’s the one,” Rose giggled, “Do you happen to remember their order?”

Wrinkling their eyebrows, Jess paused before saying, “Sure, but I have to ask: are you planning on poisoning them?”

Rose tucked her hair behind her ear with a laugh. “No, though I can’t say I haven’t thought about it. Could I get one of what they ordered and one oat milk latte, no whip?”

Jess smiled and put the order into the system. “You got it.”

Once Rose paid, Jess shook her head and laughed to herself. Rose couldn’t help but ask, “What’s so funny?”

“I probably shouldn’t,” Jess considered, “I just never thought Drew would have someone coming to pick up coffee for them. They can be… hard to read.”

Rose looked up to the ceiling and then back down to the smiling Jess. With a wink, Rose confessed, “Honestly, I’m trying to win them over. But I will find you and end you if you ever mention that to them.”

Jess used her hand to zip her mouth and lock the secret away.

By the time they had finished chatting, the drinks were done.

With a cardboard carrier in hand, Rose waved to Jess. “Thanks for your help! Have a nice day!”

Rose turned and left the shop, speed walking the last couple blocks to Drew’s place. As soon as her finger met the cold, metal doorbell, she was buzzed into the building.

Maybe I’m not the only eager one.

After an intense trek up the worst steps she’d ever climbed, Rose knocked on the door, not waiting to catch her breath.

She had barely lowered her fist from the door when it was swinging open.

“You said an hour,” Drew snipped.

Rose shoved the coffee into Drew’s hands. “Yeah, from Brooklyn, which really means two hours. Especially with coffee.”

Drew blinked at the cup in their hand, raising an eyebrow before taking a sip and opening the door for Rose. “Let’s get to work then.”

It was so typical that Drew wouldn’t say thanks. Or that they wouldn’t even acknowledge that she had gone out of her way to get it from Drew’s regular shop.

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