I want to thank the baristas at my local Starbucks (who will never find out about this story) for being the original inspiration for this story, not to mention the countless Venti coffees they brewed so I could write.

A HUGE thanks goes to Dunna for being my beta. She pushed me out of the proverbial nest kicking and screaming. This first chapter is really much more her work than mine, and she knows it.

Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and its characters. I just really love them.

Chapter One-Hung Over

Ugh.

The sunlight filtering through the window hurts my eyes so I scrunch them closed tightly and move to the other side. That hurts too. I have a splitting headache and my whole body aches. I exhale slowly. That hurts too.

Dear God please kill me.

I lie in bed for a few minutes trying to get accustomed to the sunlight and I allow my mind to wander.

Last night was too much. I am much too hung over to remember every single detail but I remember enough. I knew I should've stopped after that fifth drink, I used to be able to hold my liquor but clearly I am not 22 anymore. The body doesn't lie.

I sigh.

Slowly I get up from bed and head to the bathroom to wash my face, a preemptive strike to hold off the nausea. It seems to work.

After taming the bird's nest my hair transformed into overnight I head out of my room in search for a much needed pain relief and a cup of coffee.

I succeed with the Advil but fail with the coffee. Being hung over has made me forget I don't keep any in my house; I only drink from my local coffee shop. I sigh once more, cursing the standard white machine sitting on my counter taking up space.

A shrilling noise nearly manages to split my skull open and I dumbly look around for the source of the little motherfucker.

"Hello?" I ask a little more aggressively than necessary.

"WHASSAH?" Alice answers in her annoyingly chipper voice. Sometimes I hate her.

"Seriously Alice? What time is it, how on earth are you awake so early?"

"It's 2 pm, Bella."

Damn.

"You wanna do lunch?" My stomach lurches at the mere mention of food.

"No."

"Movies?"

"No."

"Coffee?"

"Oh God, yes!" I finally concede.

"Pick you up in 30 minutes?" I wholeheartedly agree.

I go back to the bathroom and relish in the delights of a hot shower. Once I'm out I'm feeling halfway human again.

I head toward my room to get dressed and notice something lying on my dresser. A closer inspection reveals a note.

Bella:

I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye. I tried to wake you up but was not very successful. I had a great time last night and I hope you did too. See you soon.

E.

555-1245-3312

Now I'm awake and alert. More images of last night invade my mind: Eye fucking across the club, rubbing myself against a firm, solid body on the dance floor, stumbling inside my apartment in a heated embrace. Ripping his shirt off and pushing him on the bed. Then, trying desperately to get in a beneficial position…

Oh God, I had sex last night.

Bad sex.

He was younger than me, I remember that much, his face is blurred, and then the fog begins to clear. Smoldering green eyes begin to cut through the fog, and my body reacts just as the fog rolls back in. He must have been really something for me to lose all sense of myself like that, but God was he bad. Maybe it was his first time. That would explain why he groped my boobs like he'd never seen a pair before. Why he huffed and puffed on top of me with exertion. His erratic thrusts gave his excitement away. This cannot be real. Did I seriously grind with a stranger in public and then bring him back to my house? I move my hand to my head and the bump left there from hitting the headboard, it is a sad reminder of my terrible night. So, yes, all that really happened.

My eyes move toward the trashcan and for the first time since waking up I sigh in relief. Purple condom wrapper, the kind I keep in the medicine cabinet "for emergencies" at Alice's suggestion. Okay, last night was the only emergency I've had in the year and a half since my divorce, but… Divorce. Fucking Jacob, this is all his fault. I wouldn't have been drinking myself into oblivion if he hadn't invited me to his fucking wedding. Who invites their ex wife to their wedding? Who goes back to a woman's apartment to have sex without bringing a condom? Wow, I can pick 'em.

I glance toward the clock and realize I have less than ten minutes before Alice arrives so I grab the first set of clothes I can find, brush my teeth at lightning speed and start heading out of my apartment before stopping for some reason to glance back at the note.

Alice calls me to alert me she's downstairs so I quickly shove the note inside my pocket, grab my purse and head outside.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~

"So?" Is the first thing Alice asks upon seeing me.

"So what?"

"How was it?" Her tone leaves no room for interpretation. "Rosalie called me last night and told me you were making out with a guy on the dance floor so don't 'what?' me-spill."

So I explain and in return Alice fills some my mental blanks from the Rosalie commentary she received. I apparently noticed E the second he walked into the club, and he seemed to do the same thing. According to Rosalie, he stared for a while then strutted over to our table offered to buy me a drink, and to keep me smiling all night long. The rest is history. Did he really say he'd keep me smiling all night? And I fell for it?

"Are you gonna call him?" She asks as we walk through the coffee house doors and take our place in line. Luckily it's short; I'm in desperate need of caffeine.

"No."

"Why not?" I'm not sure why so I stay quiet.

"Hey guys, why can I get for you today?" The bubbly blond I recognize as Jessica, asks in a friendly voice. We order our regulars, Skinny Caramel Macchiato, stirred, for me. Skinny Vanilla Latte for Alice. We pay and head to the side to wait for our drinks.

"I don't know, it'd be weird to call a guy up when I can't even remember exactly what he looks like." I finally admit.

"Bella, you slept with the guy while you were drunk half out of your mind, I think weird's already been covered. Rose said she would have stopped you, but you were really into that guy. And we all agree that you needed a good lay." She answers while rolling her eyes.

I desperately shush her and shoot a furtive glance toward the guy making our drinks. He seems not to have heard, thankfully.

"Can we talk about this later?" I plead. Bless the Heavens, she agrees.

Our drinks are called and we step up to the counter joyously, at least in my case.

"Hi." Barista Guy says in a timid voice. I look up and have to stifle a gasp. He's gorgeous. Where did he come from? I know all the employees here, but this guy is different.

"How are you?" New guy persists.

Still I'm unable to form a coherent sentence. Latent inebriation and New Guy's inhuman beauty impede my speech. His eyes hold a bit of trepidation but his lips turn up in a little smile.

"You don't recognize me?" His question confuses me.

"It's Edward. I- we- last- um." He stays quiet for a minute and looks away quickly. "I cut off my hair." He usually wears a hat and I finally see it. Yes, Edward the friendly coffee guy I see almost every day. His beautiful bronze locks are gone, but the odd color remains. Not surprisingly I feel my cheeks start to heat up. How can a good haircut make such a difference?

Edward. Barista Edward. As if I needed one more reason to lust after him, he is part of the reason I don't keep coffee in my house. The line and daily expenses are a small price to pay for some harmless flirty attention.

I mumble out an apology and his expression changes, he seems expectant, which once again confuses me.

His piercing green eyes do not leave mine for the longest time and I feel a tingle rake through my body. Green eyes, body tingling-imposing fog. I need this coffee like ten minutes ago.

We're broken out of our reverie by him getting tapped on the back to be reminded that more drinks need making.

"See you later." He says offering a dazzling smile. I respond with a shy one.

Alice, of course, does not miss our interaction and pulls me away to save me from even more public embarrassment.

"What was that?" She asks once we're far enough away.

I can't help but glance at him again. "What was what?" I play coy.

"He's a kid, Bella." I knew that, I've always known that. I don't know Edward's age but I can easily tell he is in his early twenties while I… am not.

"It's harmless flirting Alice, it's nothing."

"It didn't look like nothing." She counters. "You like him."

"He's a child, Alice. He's nice to look at and he jokes around with me every time I come in, but that's it. There's nothing going on and there never will be." I clarify. But I glance back to him just in time to see him staring with curiosity in eyes-what? Oh God, I'm pathetic. "Besides, I had enough adventure last night."

"Hardly Bella, did you even come?"

"ALICE!" I shriek, which earns us a few looks from fellow coffee drinkers. And from Edward.

"Did you?" She asks, unfazed.

I stay quiet, I can't remember.

"I don't remember. " I admit shamefully. I am never drinking again.

"You don't remember? Let me see that note again." For some unknown reason I hand it over. She reads it carefully, her brow furrowed in thought. I take the few minutes to steal a glance at Edward again, the rush has died and now he's wiping down the counter, biceps flexing. He seemed to have sensed my stare because he looks up cautiously and sees me gawking. I quickly divert my gaze and meet Alice's determined gaze. I am too flustered from having been caught to stop her actions, she's pulling out her phone and dialing the number at the bottom of the note.

"You need this, Bella, even bad sex is better than ogling Baby Barista over there." She finishes dialing and brings the phone to my ear before I can say or do anything.

"Ali-" I start to protest before the word dies in my mouth as a ringing is heard incredibly nearby. Alice and I turn in unison to look back behind the counter.

I stare stupefied as Edward pulls his phone out of his pocket all the while looking my way. "Hello Bella," his sweet, velvet voice breathes in my ear.

Oh fuck.

I'd love to hear from you if you're inclined to review. Be gentle-it's my first time.