It still seemed strange to him, having a job, working for money. He never thought of himself as pampered, but when Jareth made it clear that he had contributed all that he was willing to and Brennan was forced to seek employment, he had to admit that he had led a fairly easy life.
He had discovered that working in a coffee shop suited him surprisingly well… and if he slipped in a little subtle magic now and again, it smoothed things out nicely.
He saw her the first time while he was working: raven hair, dark liquid eyes and a smile that made his world glow. She gave her name for her order… Sarah.
Stopping for coffee in the morning was just a fact of life for Sarah. Yes, she could have made her own at home, but there was something decadent about having someone else make her coffee. Besides, they had an espresso machine and that, at least, was still very much outside of her small student budget… especially with additional mouths to feed.
The new barista was undoubtedly dreamy; dark hair a touch long and cheekbones that would make a model weep. He stuttered and stared the first time he helped her.
After her third visit, she worked up the courage to blurt, "Would you like to get a coffee with me sometime?" before immediately blushing a deep red. "I mean, when you're not working."
He seemed surprised for a moment, but then gave her a dazzling smile. "I would love to."
Coffee led to dinner. Sarah had never met anyone quite like Brennan and he seemed to find even the most mundane details of her life interesting.
As they were lingering over their dessert, Brennan confessed, " I would like to see you again."
"Outside of my morning coffee order, I assume," she mused, licking a dollop of whipped cream from her spoon with a smirk.
"Yes," he responded, cocking his head to the side.
Sarah smiled, surprised at how comfortable she felt with him. "Why don't I make dinner Friday night?" With Ludo and Sir Didymus in residence, she knew she was taking a chance, but found that she couldn't resist. Bringing Brennan further into her life just felt right.
His grin melted any doubts she might have had. "I would love that."
When Friday night came, Sarah felt harried and stressed out. While she had her homemade lasagna in the oven right on schedule, eight or so outfit changes and multiple makeup redos had set her back.
She ran her hands distractedly through her hair as she studied the living room again to make sure everything looked in order. "My lady, everything appears to be perfectly in place," Didymus soothed, patting the side of her leg where he stood next to her.
Ludo nodded awkwardly, adding, "Sawah pwetty."
Sarah gave them an agitated smile. "Thanks. I don't know what I'm so nervous about." A knock on the door turned her smile into a look of panic. "Hide!" she hissed.
She flung open the hall closet, pulling a startled Ludo by one hairy arm. "Hurry!" she whispered. She snatched Didymus up and set him on the shelf above where Ludo was sardined into the small space. "Not a peep, don't forget!" She shut the door and turned back to the front door, smoothing her dress and taking a deep breath to calm herself.
After a quick check in the decorative mirror by the door that her makeup still looked alright, Sarah opened the door with a sunny smile in place.
Brennan smiled back in return. "Wow," he breathed, "you look beautiful."
Her smile deepened further. "Thank you." From the kitchen a timer shrilled. "The food is ready!" Sarah gestured Brennan into the room. "Please make yourself at home, I'll just run and get the lasagna out of the oven."
She stepped into the kitchen as he slipped his jacket off. Quickly grabbing a pot holder she removed the lasagna and garlic bread from the oven and shut it off. Filling two glasses with iced tea, she stepped back into the living room just as Brennan reached for the knob on the hall closet, jacket in the other hand. "NO!" she shouted.
But it was too late. He was staring into the closet with an expression that Sarah could not read.