Title: Coffee Shop
Author: Greer
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Song/lyrics belong to Landon Pigg.
Synopsis: Sequel to 'The One You Settle For' or stand alone multi-chapter. Martin and Samantha rebuild their relationship. Strictly M/S and about as sappy as a fic can get.
Spoilers: AU post season 4. Ignores the insanity that became the later seasons.
'I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling for you.
Yes, there's a chance that I've fallen quite hard over you.'
A regular Sunday in Kenosha, Wisconsin is not generally considered to be an exciting event. The day often passes with little or no excitement and often those hours are spent simply in anticipation of the approaching week, with the younger residents in particular all willing the sun to set so that life may begin again and their boredom might be abated.
As a result, Samantha Spade had never really liked Sundays; they were long, slow, arduous days, when life as we know it ceased and the world was temporarily suspended in an eerie state of quiet and calm. It was a feeling from childhood she had never quite been able to shake; although she now barely flinched at the sight of a tomato and had resolutely conquered her once childish fear of the dark, her dislike of the seventh day had never quite been overcome.
Which is why it was highly unusual to find her walking down the side walk on this blustery October Sunday, with a smile on her face and a bounce in her step.
For the third time in as many weeks, Samantha had a date and as she jogged briskly across the street at the changing of the lights, a tellingly sappy smile teased her lips.
Spying the now familiar coffee shop across the street, Samantha paused on the edge of the sidewalk and waited until it was safe to cross, noticing once again just how quaint and pretty the surrounding tree-lined streets were. Arriving safely on the other side of the street, she paused as her cell phone vibrated urgently in her pocket and she hastily retrieved the device and flipped it open, finding a 'new message' alert flashing impatiently back at her.
'Are you standing me up? xx'
Her cold fingers struggled to manoeuvre across the tiny buttons and she laughed softly at the impatience of her date and dropped her phone back into her pocket, her cold hands soon also seeking refuge in the folds of the warm fabric. She had admittedly been running a little late that morning, detained by gossiping neighbors and slow subways, all in all, she was glad she had made it only fifteen minutes later than agreed.
Pausing to attempt to contain the somewhat idiotic grin she felt had overcome her, Sam stilled in the doorway of the coffee shop and peered through the glass to the table in the far corner. Somehow, that had now become 'their' table and each week they found themselves seated in the same place, enjoying the romantic ambience of the dimly lit booth where they were free to talk and merely wallow in the old-fashioned, romantic ambience of the coffee shop.
The place had a distinct charm and appeal, appearing almost like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting with its traditional dark green paintwork and frontage, old mahogany bar and impossibly friendly proprietors, who welcomed them each Sunday with warm smiles and greetings in gentle Italian accents preserved from their long-ago youth.
It was very easy to forget about the bustling city alive and well only mere blocks away and Samantha found herself falling under the spell of the old coffee shop as well as it's inhabitants.
She pushed the door open slowly, a small bell announcing her arrival and she let the door close behind her with a gentle thud. Making her way across the small room, she found a pair of familiar blue eyes greeting her and she smiled apologetically at her lateness.
"Hey," she breathed, finally reaching the table and placing her purse down onto the polished wooden tabletop as Martin stood to embrace her, "sorry I'm late."
"That's okay," he smiled good-naturedly, used to her sometimes errant time-keeping skills, "although I was just about to take solace in a slice of that chocolate cake."
She followed his gaze to the counter where a freshly made, three layer chocolate cake was being carved up by the owner and nodded in agreement, "It does look good."
"So do you," he arched an eyebrow and leant in to kiss her cheek, his hand lingering on her waist as she blushed at his comment and smiled up at him shyly. For all her dealings with less than suitable men in the past, Samantha never appeared comfortable receiving compliments, something Martin hoped would one day be remedied.
"I try," she shrugged, placing her palm to his cheek and taking a few moments to share an affectionate smile with him. Uncharacteristically for Samantha, it was these small moments she had come to appreciate more than anything else and for the first time, she acknowledged that small thrill of excitement and electricity each time he took her hand.
"The usual?" Martin queried, watching her take her coat off and settle into the chair opposite his, his eyes lingering over the soft waves of blonde hair that cascaded down her shoulders and the red blush of her windswept cheeks. He sighed as his stomach dipped in a familiar feeling of longing and he couldn't help but reach out and lightly graze her cheek, passing the gesture off as simply a ploy to seek her attention.
"Hmm," she frowned and appeared to weigh up her options, "surprise me."
"You hate surprises," he countered in amusement, jamming his hands in his pockets in preparation for a long wait. Apparently it wasn't just Samantha's love life that gave her pause for thought.
"That's true," she conceded, grinning as she added playfully, "So... surprise me with some of that chocolate cake."
"Okay," he chuckled and headed dutifully over toward the counter, leaning on the wooden surface as he scanned the array of old black and white photographs on the wall behind the counter that depicted the couple who owned the coffee shop throughout their life. Faces young and old peered back at him, with the last fifty years or so apparently depicted in the images. Martin stopped at one particular photograph and smiled at the image of the man he presumed to be the now slightly rotund and white haired owner. The young man's proud smile was captured perfectly in the photograph as his arm linked that of a beautiful, young, dark haired woman beside him dressed in a long white gown with flowers in her hair.
"She was a beauty, huh?"
Martin blinked suddenly and looked up at the man, now some forty years older, although the smile on his face displayed the same pride and adoration as he spoke about his bride five decades later.
"All the boys in the village had their sights set on my Sofia," he narrowed his eyes as he spoke, the traces of a grin never far from his lips, "but she picked me. You know why?"
Martin shook his head and smiled, glancing to the edge of the counter were the woman in question, now some forty years older and arguably fifty pounds heavier was busily polishing teaspoons.
"Because I was the best dancer," the owner announced proudly, displaying his prowess with a small flurry of footwork and a dramatic raising of his arm, "light on my feet! I whirled her around that dance floor and we were married a month later."
Martin laughed at the story and the enthusiasm of the teller, noticing the irritated glances Sofia shot her husband as he regaled yet another customer with their life story.
"That was fifty two years ago! Five children, nineteen grandchildren...two great-grandchildren," he announced proudly, nodding his head as he stated, "and I wouldn't change a day of it, no, not one."
Martin smiled, genuinely appreciating the sentimentality so clearly displayed in the older man's words.
Sofia bustled impatiently along the counter and smiled apologetically at Martin before looking up sternly at her husband in what appeared to be a well-rehearsed gesture, "Francesco! Take the poor boy's order!"
Francesco watched his wife sigh dramatically and disappear back off into the kitchen, before a mischievous smile twitched at his lips and he shrugged, apparently reconsidering his previous statement, "Well, maybe a day or two here and there."
Martin laughed and nodded his head in understanding, promptly relaying his order as the owner busily constructed a tray of two steaming cappuccinos, a slice of chocolate cake and a banoffee muffin.
"Thought I was going to have to issue an amber-alert," Sam smiled, watching Martin place the tray down onto the table and take a seat opposite her. He nodded and laughed in agreement, glancing up just in time to see Sofia patting her husband's whiskered cheeks and pressing a brief yet affectionate kiss to his lips.
Samantha followed his gaze and smiled at the tender display, watching Martin out of the corner of her eye and suddenly finding herself hoping that she would be there beside him to watch the years slowly take their toll on his handsome face.
"You know," she began, helping him rearrange the coffee cups and small plates on the table between them, "this is my favorite part of the week."
Martin looked up at her in surprise and tried to dispel the lingering traces of surprise he felt at such an admission, "Mine too, Sam," he nodded, reaching out and lacing his fingers through hers as he took hold of her hand and smiled across at her.
"Marty, is that a non-fat muffin?" she wrinkled her nose, appalled he would even consider such a thing when a triple layer, chocolate sponge, chocolate mousse, chocolate sprinkled, cake was on offer.
Martin grinned and gestured to his waistline, "Thought I'd go for the healthier option."
She laughed at his comment and rolled her eyes as she reached for a fork and toyed with a curl of chocolate on the top of the cake, "Okay, but I think you're really missing out here." An empty crinkled sugar sachet skimmed the tip of her nose in response and she giggled at the mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He looked happy and relaxed and she hoped she was at least part of the reason for the newly returned glint in his blue eyes.
Sam was surprised at how much she enjoyed dating, never having really experienced it in the past. None of her relationships had ever really belonged in the realms of the traditional and most had been ill-advised to say the least. Samantha had never really been in an actual relationship before and so these Sunday morning coffee dates had been suggested to ease her into the concept of dating. Since their impromptu heart to heart outside Martin's NA meeting had ended in this very coffee shop, it had been decided that each Sunday, they would meet there to work on rebuilding their fragile relationship. Neither could have predicted how easy and comfortable the transition could have been and although their conversation had been stilted to begin with and dictated by the serious discussions they must have, they now saw these dates as a chance to just spend time with each other away from the grind of work and daily living. This was their escape, a chance to fall in love all over again free from the restrictions and fears either might have felt in the past.
Things were moving slowly this time – they had to. But now, things were headed in an altogether different direction and it was with open and happier hearts that they both now approached their relationship.
"So, that was quite an undercover performance, huh?" Martin chuckled, suddenly thinking back to Danny and Elena's heated clinch in the strip club the evening before.
Sam nodded and took a sip of her coffee, unwilling to let go of his hand and deciding that eating her cake and drinking her coffee would have to be accomplished with her one remaining free hand.
"I know," she smirked, thinking back on all the teasing she and Martin had suffered and how sweet the prospect of revenge now seemed, "but.. no shop talk."
"Sorry," Martin grinned, momentarily forgetting the one and only rule of their weekly encounters. They had all week to discuss work and work related issues, the weekend was to be set aside for nothing but them.
"So, I was thinking," Sam began uncertainly, ignoring his teasing 'uh-oh' and stirring her coffee as she avoided his gaze, "there's a movie theater a couple of blocks away that's playing old movies tonight. I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go with me?" she smiled up at him persuasively, her heart pounding in her chest as she secretly prayed he wouldn't reject her impromptu invitation.
Martin narrowed his eyes and appeared to think over her offer, "Please tell me these movies don't involve steamboats, seven brothers or singing cowboys?" Memories of his childhood and being forced to watch old musicals with his cousins suddenly left him with an overpowering sense of dread. He would do anything for Samantha, even suffer through the serenades of Howard Keel and Doris Day. That if nothing else unequivocally proved that he was still very much in love with her.
Sam arched a finely plucked eyebrow and smiled at him wryly, "Martin, do I seem like an MGM Musicals kind of girl?" she raised a forkful of chocolate cake to her lips and awaited his reply.
He laughed and shook his head apologetically, suddenly squeezing her hand tightly and scooting his chair a little closer to hers, "I'd like that," he nodded, "if you're good I'll even throw in some popcorn."
Sam smiled and swallowed a mouthful of cake, realising she had probably already exceeded her daily sugar intake with the few bites she had eaten.
"Sure you don't want some?" she teased, lifting a forkful of the rich dessert to his lips and grinning as he laughed and shook his head resolutely. She leant in closer, enjoying the flirtatious banter between them that had now reappeared both in and away from the office. The
"I'm trying to exercise a little willpower here," he smiled and redirected her hand toward her own mouth, enjoying the feel of his hand enclosed around hers as he brushed his thumb over her soft skin and she lowered the fork slowly back down to her plate.
Martin frowned at the suddenly serious expression that overcame her and he wondered if perhaps he had said or done something wrong.
Samantha chewed on her bottom lip nervously and looked up to hold his gaze, her hand fluttering up slowly to rest against his cheek, "I'm really proud of you, Martin."
It took him a few moments to realise that she was referring to his addiction and subsequent recovery, "Thank you," he replied softly, placing his hand over hers and leaning further in to her touch, their eyes remaining locked in an unwavering gaze, "but I think I have you to thank for that."
"No, you don't," she shook her head, smiling sadly as she thought about the pain and anguish he had had to overcome, "I have so many regrets, Martin," she said quietly, staring down pensively at the table top, "if I'd only told you how I..."
"Shhh," he shook his head and pressed his lips against her forehead in a gentle kiss. He lifted her chin and smiled, they had already talked about the past and all the regrets and fears that they carried with them, "this is about the future now, Sam. Let's just leave the past where it is."
Sam nodded through a watery smile and searched out his hand once again, sighing in relief when she felt his arm slide around her and pull her closer.
"Now, eat your chocolate cake," he smiled kindly and tapped the edge of the plate, glancing down at his shoulder in surprise as Samantha leant back against him and scooted closer and they once again fell into an easy conversation.
The strains of an old ballad began to drift across the room, blanketing their quiet chatter within its soft, melodic waves and as one couple found each other for a well-rehearsed dance from their younger days, another couple continued to rediscover a love they thought had been lost.
Thanks for reading, reviews are appreciated. :)