To say that John Noble loved his job would be...an overstatement. A corner coffee shop would not have been his first choice in career when he was younger, in fact, he thought it was a job only reserved for high schoolers and recent college graduates, but life had thrown him a few surprising curveballs that had meant he settled.

A recently retired military man, John had done a few tours in the royal navy and hadn't had much experience in anything besides as he had gone straight in after his AS levels. Not many places would hire him without his A levels, and as his parents had recently passed away and left their estate to his sister, Donna and him, he was too busy to study for his tests.

He had to find a way of making a living somehow, as he didn't want to live in his parents' house forever. Too many sad memories in the place, and besides, there would be another family that would find it far more beneficial than the thirty-seven year old bachelor. His sister had suggested this place to him as she saw it on her way to the office she was temping at this month, and saw there was a help wanted sign in the window.

The owner was a randy American man named Jack who was younger than him by a few years, and had only asked him a few simple questions before proclaiming John Noble hired. It had nothing to do with qualifications, he found out, and more to do with the fact that the owner like a bit of a drink and didn't want to come in early with a hangover. A perfect situation for John, as he was used to being an early riser from his years in the navy.

The Fresh Roast was a dingy venue with a much too bright neon sign, a first business venture opportunity that the American had seized at without taking much look at the fine print. The space was small, dimly lit, and in need of a good scrubbing. Still, Jack had managed to make do with what he had by adding some solid wooden tables and chairs for customers to sip their beverages at; a decent wi-fi connection for the students and the business go-ers; a cheerful wallpaper; and some good coffee.

So, every day at five a.m. he arrived to the coffee shop and unlocked the doors. He brewed a fresh pot of coffee for himself and made sure all the supplies were well stocked. Today had been a normal day of operations: the usuals coming in for their hazelnut lattes, the mothers stopping off for their childrens' steamed milk before school, and the students needing the blackest coffee available to deal with their lack of sleep.

It was here that John laid eyes on the most beautiful woman that had ever crossed his sights. The spotty flourescents framed her blonde waves, giving her a surprising ethereal glow. She was dressed in a soft brown leather jacket over a mustard yellow top, and her warm brown eyes sparkled when she greeted him.

"Hello!" he greeted her more cheerfully than the usual paying customer, with a daft grin gracing his lips. "What can I get for you?"

"Latte, please," she requested in a voice tone that matched her warm eyes. "Lord knows I'll need it."

"Where are you headin' off to at this hour?" he asked conversationally, ringing up her purchase.

She sighed. "I have an eight o' clock clinical at the hospital."

"Student?" he asked.

"Yeah, down at University of London," she told him. Her gaze held him for a moment before he cleared his throat.

"That'll be 3 pounds. And can I get a name?"

"It's Rose," she told him, grinning as she handed over the notes. "Thanks, John."

He was about to ask how she knew his name, before he remembered he was wearing a bloody nametag on his apron. "Do you like it?" he asked instead.

"What?" she asked. "The clinical?"

"Yeah."

"Oh! Yeah, I mean, I wanted to be a doctor. I want to help save people after my dad died," Rose said. "Ya gonna give me the change?" she joked, motioning to where John still clenched the pound notes in his fist.

"Yes!" he exclaimed, hitting the register button to make the drawer spring open and he sighed when it jammed again. John sighed. "Hang on, it'll just be a mo'. This happens sometimes."

He reached inside his apron pocket where he kept a screwdriver to jimmy the sides of the drawer to catch the latches. He bent down to see what he was doing, twisting the tool side to side when suddenly he heard a pop! and had the unfortunate pleasure of the drawer smashing into his already obtrusive nose.

Rose gasped. "Are you alright?"

John popped up with a grin, waggling his fingers at her. "Yeah. Just clipped me barely," he lied smoothly as the pain in his nose roared through his ears and he silently cursed any god that would listen about this god-forsaken place.

With a nod of determination, he placed the pound notes into the drawer and quickly did the math in his head of her change, before thrusting it happily towards her. "Right, Rose. I'll have that latte right out for you if you want to wait on the other side of the counter. Thanks."

"No, thank you," she said sincerely. "Are you sure you're alright?" she asked, her eyes holding deep concern and her lips pursing slightly. "Maybe you should get some ice. It looks really red, mate."

"It's really fine," he told her again, before turning on his heel and silently kicking himself for the embarrassment he caused himself. What was he playing at? He was behaving like a school boy with his first crush. Just ask her out- just

"Excuse me?" came a snide voice from behind him. "If you're quite done flirting with that woman, I'd like to use this coupon."

"I'll be with you in just a mo'," he promised, while shuddering internally at the word 'coupon'. Coupons were more trouble than they were worth, and he usually ended up getting frustrated and giving up at any attempt to reason with the customer.

John quickly started steaming the milk required for Rose's latte and poured the coffee into a to-go cup he hastily labeled with her name on it, scrawling a tiny smiley face on her cup before shaking his head at his own stupidity and crossing it out in a mad scribble.

He poured the steamed milk into the cup and set it down in front of her patient, smiling face. He was about to say something else before the woman at the register cleared her throat impatiently, grating on his nerves. With a shrug of his shoulder and a mumbled "Sorry", he turned his attention away from her and towards the coupon lady.

With the best smile he could muster, John asked, "What is the coupon, ma'am?"

She thrust a crumpled, water stained, and slightly torn piece of paper in his face so close to him that his eyes crossed trying to read what it said. Her hand brushed against his injured nose, and he had to breath deeply to keep himself from cursing out loud. He gently reached up to grab the paper and move it to a reasonable distance to read it, only to wonder who he had pissed off for this woman to be trying to use a two years past expiration date coupon.

"Ma'am," he said as politely as he could, "I'm afraid I can't accept this."

"Why not?" she roared. "I bet if I was that young blonde woman you would have accepted it!" She sniffed, her nose upturned in the air.

"Actually," John said calmly. "I wouldn't. It's two years past expiration."

"Well, that's hardly my fault is it?" she continued with a huff. "Didn't know you existed, did I, until just last week?"

"Be that as it may, I can't take it." John placed it onto the counter top. "But, I would be happy to make you a coffee."

"I don't want it if it's not free!" she shouted. "Where is your manager? Let me speak to him!"

"My manager would tell you the same thing," he told her. "He isn't in right now."

"What sort of place is he running here?!" she demanded. "Leaving a man like you in charge of his business while he's off galivanting, no doubt-"

It was here John Noble lost his temper, and spent the next thirty minutes in heated debate that he knew would probably get them a bloody awful Yelp review. Stupid technology. By the time the lady had left, Rose was gone.