Five Dollar Mocha-
He was back. Of course he would be; it was six-thirty, he was early. But there wasn't a day he didn't appear. In his hand is a bouquet of roses. Her heart immediately skips about four beats, but she calms herself down as she hands a woman her change. There is a possibility—a tiny possibility, but one nonetheless—that the flowers are for her.

It still amazes her that she's fallen for someone whose name she doesn't even know. There are six customers in the line before him; six people between them. Six people before she starts stammering and looking like a fool. All six people order and pay much too fast. She doesn't have enough time to think of what she will say to him. He stands before her, not saying anything. There's no reason to; she knows what he wants.

"They look beautiful." She glances at his hand so he knows what she is speaking of.

"Really? Thanks; I just picked them up a few minutes ago."

"Are they for your girlfriend?" she asks without realizing. Instantly she feels uncomfortable.

"Yeah." The silence lasts for a few seconds.

"You know, you have thirteen roses in your hand," she finally says, attempting small talk as she forces her heartbeat to quiet. She punches 4-9-8 on her keypad by instinct, but looks at her fingers so she doesn't start staring into his eyes.

"I know." He gives her another one of those smiles that melt her insides. She almost forgets to not get her hopes up. Instead she smiles back. "Do you take credit cards?" he asks. "I spent all my cash."

She says yes, wondering if he had spent it on the flowers. He pulls a blue card from his wallet and places it in her hand, his fingers lingering on her palm. She slides it through the card-reader and looks at its back as she watches him sign the electronic screen. Michael Vaughn it reads, in hurried handwriting. She returns it to him, and he slides away as she turns so he doesn't see her blush as he touches her hand.

When she looks back to the line of customers, a dozen roses are set carefully across the small counter. She immediately looks up to thank him, but his back retreats through the glass door. The next customer is an impatient man, pretending to politely ask her to remove the flowers. She does so quickly, her mood lifted by the Valentine's Day surprise.