Page 9 of Coach Me
“Because you don’t need it. Trust me, you have more than enough energy.”
The woman who was in front of us earlier steps to the side where the creamers are, and I step right up. Perfect, I just need this and Miles’s stuff and we can be on our way.
“But how does coffee not make you a dinosaur?” Miles asks with the genuine curiosity of any child.
The blonde next to me tries to stifle her laugh. Her laugh is much lighter than the barista’s, and I’m tempted to look her way, but I don’t have the time.
“It just does. Trust me, one day you’ll understand, son.”
I place my cup under the tap and turn the handle up. The coffee pours into my cup for exactly three seconds before it stops.
“Hell no, seriously?” I snap under my breath. I try the nozzle again but nothing. “Great, this is just great.”
“Here,” a feminine voice says as a full cup of coffee is set in front of me. “I’m not in a hurry. I can wait for them to refill.”
“I don’t think—” I start to argue but when I look at the woman in front of me, I stop. She’s beautiful. Long blonde hair, with bright blue eyes—hell, everything about her screams bright. She’s got on a light yellow sundress that fits her too damn well.
The minor drawback is that she has to be several years younger than me, but, damn, she’s stunning.
“Really, I don’t mind. I haven’t put any sugar or cream in it yet. I know you’re in a hurry, so please, take it.”
I check my watch for the time. Fuck, would it make me a huge dick for actually taking this girl’scoffee?
“Here you are, sweets.” The cleat chaser of a barista comes up with a smirk that isn’t nearly as bright as the blonde’s next to me. She hands over Miles’s stuff and takes one look at the girl next to me. Her smile falters for a moment before snapping back. “Be sure to use that number on the cup.” She turns to Miles next—because they all think he’s their in. “Bye, cutie.”
“I’m not cutie,” Miles grumbles. “My name is Miles.”
Blondie and I both snort small laughs, and when I meet her eyes she pulls her lips into a thin smile. I really like that smile. I also really like her laugh. Fuck, and this yellow dress she’s wearing?—
“I think I’m going to take your cup, actually.”
She quirks up an eyebrow. “Are you sure? You can pour it into your cup if you want.”
Ah, so she’s got jokes too.
“You know, I’m good on that.” I hand Miles his fruit cup, then reach for a lid to put on her cup.
“Need any cream or sugar?” she asks, turning away from me to look at the variety in front of her. “There’s regular cream, hazelnut?—”
“Two sugars would be great, please.”
“Got ya,” she says plainly. There’s no flirty tone with this girl, no sideways or up and down looks. In a way, it’s refreshing. I almost want to say she doesn’t even know who I am. Which is so fucking nice.
But, then again, I think I want this girl to flirt. I want to hear her laugh again. I want to change my fucking favorite color to whatever yellow she’s wearing right now.
When she turns back, I’m so damn tempted to ask for her name, but she doesn’t spare me a glance. She holds out the sugars to Miles. “Think you can handle these, Miles?”
He nods eagerly as he takes them from her hand. “I can handle it.”
Her bright smile comes back, but she doesn’t look at me. She simply takes my cup with the phone number that’s going 100 percent unused. “I’m going to let someone know they need more coffee. You guys have a good day, don’t want to be late.”
She finally sends me one quick smile. I should stop her, I want to stop her—but she’s right, we’re about to be so fucking late.
We pull into our parking spot at the terminal for the Blues chartered plane just minutes before we’re supposed to take off. I know I have zero time to spare, but I twist my coffee cup around and around in search of Blondie’s name but it’s nowhere to be found. Fuck.
“Okay, bud, you can unbuckle and I’ll be back there in a second.”
“Okie!” Miles cheers.
