"It's already been paid for, ma'am. Someone in line ahead of you told me to charge it to their tab."
The confused look on my face makes her giggle. "Next!" She waves the person behind me forward.
Oh my gosh, he probably just meant to buy me one drink. He likely didn't intend to buy three drinks and half a dozen bagels. I feel terrible.
I quickly walk down to the pick-up station where I last saw him standing to thank him and apologize. When I get there, I find he's gone, and my heart deflates a little. That was so sweet of him. He must be a regular here if he has a tab. I'm surprised I haven't seen him here before.
I really hope I run into him again, preferably when I'm more put together. I laugh to myself, wondering if he'll even recognize me.
"Louisa," a worker calls out to let me know my order is ready. I grab the drink carrier and box of bagels and head back to the apartment, still thinking about that beautiful man and all the things I'd kill for him to do to me.
As I’m unlockingthe door to the apartment, I can hear the TV on, so I know the girls must be awake. I'm greeted by two barely functioning lumps on the couch and a very spoiled Pepin snuggled between them. "You guys will not believe what just happened to me at Mad Hatter’s." They both perk up slightly at the smell of coffee and the sound of a good story.
"Here, I got coffee for you guys. What kind of bagel do you want? I can throw them in the toaster for you." I hand out their drinks and display the bagels for them to choose from.
Iris leans forward and picks out a cinnamon and sugar bagel. "Have I ever told you you're the best sister, Lou?"
"She really is," B says with her mouth full of blueberry bagel. I guess she didn't care to wait for the toaster or the cream cheese. "So what happened at the coffee shop?"
I stand up and walk into the kitchen to prepare a bagel for Iris and myself. "I met a guy."
High-pitched squeals come from the living room, and I know I just got their hopes up only to let them down.
"Don't get too excited. I didn't get his number, and I'm not even totally sure I heard his name correctly. I think it was Mark or-"
"Matt?" B cuts me off.
"Could be, but I honestly can't remember what he said because I was too distracted by how hot he was." The girls start to giggle. Wait. "How did you know his name might have been Matt?"
I walk into the living room to figure out what they're giggling about. I almost run into B when turning the corner because she was on her way into the kitchen to find me. She stops abruptly and shakes her disposable coffee cup in my face.
I can't believe what I'm seeing. Written in marker on the side of B's cup is the name 'Matt' and a phone number. It's written in the same girly handwriting as the coffee order, so he must have had the barista put it on one of my cups when he paid for my order. I can only imagine how he described me to her: ‘I want to pay for the girl who looks like a hot mess in the dumb bear sweatshirt.’
All I can do is stand there, staring. B shakes me. "You have to text him!"
"I don't know. Maybe he was just doing it as a joke. He was talking to someone else after he ordered. I bet they were in on it together."
Iris rolls her eyes from the couch and says, "You're beingridiculous, Lou. He wouldn't have given you his phone number if he didn't want you to reach out."
"He also paid for our whole order."
"Okay, see. He definitely wants to get in your pants." That's some very B logic right there.
I finally grab the cup from her hand and put the number in my phone so she can finish her coffee. I put him in my contacts as 'Matt Mad Hatter' because I have several Matts in my phone, and I don't want to embarrass myself by texting the wrong one.
"Should I text or call him?"
"I don't know. How old was he?" B asks.
"I would guess early to mid 30's, but I'm not totally sure. He looked like aman, not a boy, if that makes sense. He was dressed well and had one of those nice wool peacoats. And he had this deep voice with a sultry British accent." I'm getting wet just thinking about it all over again.
"Then definitely call him," B advises. "If he were younger or seemed less mature, I'd maybe suggest texting, but what you're describing seems like a phone call kind of guy. Plus, then we'll get to hear that sultry voice of his."
"You donotget to listen in on our conversation."
"Oh come on, Lou. That's no fun. You can't tease us like that. Iris and I can be here to coach you so you don't say something stupid."
I flinch at the thought of messing this up. I suddenly get nervous about hearing his voice again. "Fine. But keep your mouths shut. If you need to tell me something, hit the mute button so he doesn't find out someone else is here with me." They’re both so giddy right now you would barely believe that 5 minutes ago, they were violently hung over.
