A coffeeshop Philindaisy au!
“Daisy, baby, stop please,” Melinda called out as her five-year-old daughter started skipping ahead on the sidewalk, halting with a pout right before a stoplight.
“Don’t cross the street without me, alright?” Melinda chastised. Daisy frowned and started bouncing in place, waiting impatiently for her mother to catch up so they could cross. “But you’re so slow,” she complained, dragging out the word dramatically.
Melinda chuckled and took her daughter’s hand before allowing Daisy to drag her across the street. “Wow, you really want that hot chocolate, don’t you.”
“You promised, Mommy!” Daisy exclaimed. “‘Cos I was good at the lib-ary.”
Melinda sighed and smiled at her daughter swinging their arms back and forth. Once they reached the sidewalk, she let go of her mother’s hand and started skipping ahead.
“Baby, hold on. You passed the cafe.”
Daisy frowned and whirled around as Melinda checked with Google Maps to make sure she was in the right place before stopping in front of a cozy cafe. “In here,” Melinda prompted, holding the glass door open for her daughter and following her inside.
Lined with vines and string lights, the atmosphere of the cafe was cozy and warm, with a smell of coffee and citrus filling the air. Seeing no line, Daisy bounded up to the front counter, pouting when she was too short to see over it. She reached her tiny hands up and tapped them on the top of the counter impatiently.
A man in a black apron and wire-rimmed glasses came out from the back area wiping his hands on a towel, grinning as he saw little fingers trailing the edge of the marble. “Hello, little one,” he said kindly, leaning on the counter and then looking up to Melinda. “Welcome to Bright Bites. I’m Phil; I’ll be helping you today. What’s her name?”
Melinda felt her breath catch as she met the bright blue eyes, but quickly covered it up with a light cough before smiling brightly. “Hello. Her name’s Daisy. I’m Melinda,” she supplied, before realizing that he’d only asked for her daughter’s name. She quickly covered up her words by asking, “You’re the manager?”
“Owner, actually,” he answered brightly. “I gave the kids that work here the day off; they could use it. Finals week for universities, you know.” Melinda sighed internally. She hoped she hadn’t offended him by assuming he wasn’t the owner. She probably hadn’t, but still. “What would you like?”
“A hot chocolate, please,” Daisy piped up, standing on her tippy toes so that her eyes were peeking up at Phil. She smiled happily. “You’re pretty.”
Phil chuckled as he started making Daisy her hot chocolate. “Thank you very much,” he answered, visibly amused.
Melinda had to agree with her daughter’s blunt and unfiltered compliment. In truth, he was pretty. He had blue eyes that sparkled and a smile that lit up the room- Damn, she was getting sappy, and she didn’t like it. She hadn’t been cheesy about a man like this in years. She must’ve been getting old and soft.
Melinda shook her head. “I don’t drink coffee.”
“She don’t drink coffee!” Daisy confirmed.
“We have tea,” he suggested, and his smile was so earnest that she returned it and shrugged. “Sure, thanks.”
“Let me guess… you’d like a hibiscus tea?” he asked, filling up a mug with hot chocolate.
“Yes, please,” she answered, a little surprised that he guessed her favorite tea. Daisy was too.
“Are you a mind reader? Mommy drinks hib- hib- hibissus every day.” Daisy stumbled a little over the words before grinning widely at Phil.
