Robert was an idiot he knew that who else would purposely go out their way every day for a year to see a complete stranger. Well, stranger probably wasn’t the right word. Aaron Dingle, he knew of him, knew he lived back in the village, knew he was mates with his sister but the two never properly met. So there he was day 367, give or take a couple of days, sat in the small café tucked away in the corner with his americano staring at the entrance willing it to open.
“He’s not do in for another hour,” Robert heard as he took a sip of his drink. He looked over to the woman who was wiping down the table next to him.
“What?” He asked after gulping down the lukewarm coffee.
The brunette smirked, “The scrapper, Aaron,” she clarified.
“Don’t know what you’re on about,” he lied, turning his attention back to his Americano.
The brunette chuckled, grabbing a discarded mug from another table.
“Wait,” Robert called after her. She turned back, the smirk still painted across her face. “How did you know….”
“Well seeing as the first time you came in here you told me my coffee was utter shit and demanded your money back, I figured there had to be another reason for you coming back for more,” she explained. “And the fact that you’re not very subtle, you practically start drooling when he walks through the door.”
“What? I do not,” he replied defensively.
“Another Americano while you wait?” She asked ignoring his last response. Robert hesitated at first before nodding his head in response.
“Give us a sec, I’ll bring it over,” she told him before making her way back to the counter.
An hour had passed and still nothing, Robert had pulled his laptop out in his wait trying to get some work done, hoping the distraction would ease the stress of waiting.
“Hm,” he heard looking up to see the brunette standing by his table. “He must be running late,” she commented. “He’s usually finishing up his last run right about now,” she added checking the time.
Robert frowned, “Stalker,” he muttered before turning back to his laptop.
The brunette laughed, “Coming from the man who's been coming here every day just to see a man he barely knows,” she replied taking a seat across from him.
“Shouldn't you be working?”
“Who said I’m not?”
“Wouldn’t your boss have something to say about you harassing the customers?”
“Would you like to speak to my boss?”
“Maybe I would,” Robert replied. The woman reached over closing his laptop before holding out her hand to shake Robert’s hand.
“Jessica Johnson,” she replied. “Owner of this fine establishment, what seems to be the problem?” She added.
“You own this place?”
“Well part owner, my dad, and Uncle opened this place years back, when I uncle got ill I had money to spend and well here I am,” she explained. “Anyways, enough about me, so are ya going to do it?”
“Do what?” Robert questioned.
“Order something other than an Americano,” she replied sarcastically. “Ask Aaron out ya idiot!”
“Oh,” he replied. “I’ve not-“
“Not thought about it?” She laughed. “Don’t give me that crap, what are you afraid he won’t fancy you as much as you fancy him?”
“Please, have you see me?”
“Arrogant much?” She laughed. “I imagine you could win him over with that.” Robert rolled his eyes. “It’s a little more complicated them him fancying me,” he replied.
“And that would be?”
“He’s… he’s not a complete stranger alright, he’s mates with my little sister,” he explained.
“Right, and you’ve been stalking him here at my café because…”
“I don’t get back to the village that much… I go like once a month to have dinner with my step-mum and sister,” he tried arguing.
“Is that what helps you sleep at night?”
“I should just go,” he argued grabbing his laptop, placing it in his bag that was sat on the ground next to his chair.
“It's your lost then,” she replied getting up from the table. “But if you ask me you don’t seem like the type to just give up… just think about it, what are you gonna lose by asking him?” She questioned. “Worst case scenario he says no,” she finally added before making her way back to the counter. “There he is,” Robert heard looking up to see Aaron making his way into the café. “You sir are twenty minutes late,” Jessica replied. “Was about to send a search party out to find ya,” she added. Aaron frowned. “That fine gentleman over there…” she went on pointing over to Robert. “..even offered to be the leader of it.” Aaron looked over at Robert who looked like a deer caught up in headlights. “ I wasn’t… ” he stammered.
“Right,” Aaron replied turning back to the brunette.
“Joking, obviously,” she replied smirking. “You want your usual?”
“No, just a black coffee,” he replied. “please,” he added last second.
Robert glared at the woman as she turned to pour Aaron his coffee in a to-go cup.
“Black coffee?” She questioned handing the cup over. “Someone must be havin’ a bad day.”
Aaron sighed as he pulled his wallet from his pocket. “My truck broke down,” he explained. pulling a card out to pay. “had to wait for my mate to come ‘rescue’ me, made me late for everything else today” he explained.
“Oh and you still found time to come see little old me,” she teased as the receipt printed.
“More like I was gonna throttle someone if I didn’t stop and take a breather,” he replied.
Robert made his way over with his mug in hand, deciding to make his move. Jessica was right what was the worse that could happen? He was lost in thought when he felt it the other man crashing into him.
“Oi, you flipping muppet,” Aaron nearly yelled as the coffee spilled. “Haven’t you heard of personal space.”
Robert stared at the younger man.
“As if this day couldn’t get any worse,” Aaron muttered to himself. “I have to go through the rest of my day like this now,” he went on looking down at his shirt covered in coffee. “Thanks to you.”
“Let me get you another coffee,” Jessica replied turning to grab another to-go cup.
“What not got anything to say?” Aaron questioned the older man noticing he was still staring.
“Marry me,” Robert muttered, the words slipping from his lips.
“What?” Aaron questioned.
“Oh shit, you heard that?” Robert replied, eyes wide. “I… that’s not… I’m…”
“Are you okay?” Aaron questioned with a frown.
Robert looked back at Jessica, who was biting back a laugh.
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean-“
“What you didn’t mean to propose to me? Or you didn’t mean to make me spill coffee all over myself?”
“Both.”
Aaron laughed, “Right, then,” he replied taking the second coffee from Jessica. “With that, I’m just gonna … go. now,” he said pointing towards the door. “Before this gets really awkward,” he explained.
“Wait!” Robert exclaimed stopping Aaron. Aaron turned back confused. “Look, I-“
“Don’t I know you?” Aaron questioned after studying Robert’s face, realizing he looked familiar.
“Yeah, actually,” he replied.
“You’re Vic’s brother aren’t you?”
‘Ye-yeah,” he replied nodding his head.
Aaron laughed, “Wow, so that makes that proposal even more awkward,” he stated.
“I don’t know where that came from I’m sorry,” Robert explained.
“Relax, I’m just winding you up,” Aaron replied.
“Right.”
“So… was there anything else?” He questioned Robert. “Because I do have a lot on,” he explained.
“What?”
“You told me to wait…”
“Oh, yeah right…” Robert replied. ‘Now or never,’ he thought to himself. “I’m gonna be in the village next week, dinner with Diane and Vic” he explained.
“Okay?”
“…I was wondering if I could buy you a drink in the pub…” he trailed off. “You know to make up for the mess that just happened.”
“Are you asking me out?” Aaron questioned. “Aren’t you married?”
“Divorced. A year now.”
“Sorry,” Aaron muttered not knowing what else to say.
“It’s fine,” Robert replied. The two fell silent for a moment. “So?” Robert questioned. “Pint? Next week?”
“…We’ll have to see if I’m around won’t we?” Aaron replied with a wink before turning to leave the café.
“Was that a yes?” Robert questioned almost in shock.
“Guess you’ll have to wait and see,” Jessica replied making her way around the counter with a mop in hand, handing it over to Robert.
“What’s this for?”
“To clean up the mess,” she replied pointing at the coffee spill. “Oh and I expect an invite to the wedding,” she replied with a smirk as Robert took the mop.
