Thank you everyone who reviewed for the first chapter! Every review was lovely and I enjoyed reading every single one. Each one of these reviews made me even more determined to get this next chapter up as quickly as I could. So, without further ado, here's the next fluffy chapter of Espresso and Geraniums...


Espresso and Geraniums chapter 2:

"Man, you will not believe what just happened today!" Alex practically gushed, talking on the phone with his friend, Lafayette

Alex and Eliza had spent the entire day setting up Eliza's flowers on the left side of the now newly renovated coffee shop. In turn, they had also spent the entire day getting to know each other. Alex now knew three fundamental truths about Elizabeth Schuyler: one: she has two sisters, an older, Angelica, and a younger, Peggy. Two: she enjoys singing almost as much as she enjoys horticulture. And three: she loves anything bath and body works.

"Quoi?" Lafayette asks, speaking in his native french.

"You know the girl that moved into my shop today?" Alex asked.

"Oui."

"Well, her name is Eliza, she's beautiful, loves bath and body works, and I think that I might be in love with her," Alex sighs, thinking back on his day.

"But, mon amie, you have only just met her!" Lafayette sounded incredulous, Alex honestly had no clue why.

"If you had met her, you would understand that what I am saying is true," Alex said, passionately.

"You sound, how you say, infatuated, mon amie," Lafayette chuckled.

"Maybe," Alex sighed again, "but I would definitely like to get to know her better...and possibly take her out on a date," he added, almost as an afterthought.

"Well, good luck with that, but don't forget that you're supposed to meet up with Laurens, Mulligan, and I at the tavern tonight."

"Yeah, yeah, I won't forget...again," Alex said, hanging up the phone.

Alex flopped on his bed, mind racing with everything that had happened so far during the day. Suddenly, he sat up on his bed and grabbed his phone for the second time in three minutes, pulling up Eliza's newly added contact. His thumb hovered over the call button before he plucked up the courage and pressed the green button.

"Yeah, Eliza, hey...umm, well I was wondering if you might want to go out tonight?"


Eliza was frantic, searching through her entire closet (and Peggy's) for a suitable outfit for her date with Alexander that night. Was it a date? Eliza didn't know for sure. Alex made it sound like he wanted it to be a date, but, Eliza thought, at least she was going to look good even if it wasn't a date.

Eventually, after ten minutes, she gave up and called Angelica, asking for fashion advice.

"Oh honey, I'll be there in ten minutes, okay?" Angelica only lived four blocks away from Eliza and didn't have a car.

After anxiously waiting eleven minutes and forty eight seconds, not like she was counting or anything, Angelica showed up at Eliza's doorstep wearing a smile and holding a garment bag. Angelica immediately shoved it into Eliza's hands and pointed to the bathroom door.

"Now go put that on and show me how it looks!" Angelica said, sounding almost more excited at the prospect of playing dress up than Eliza was at going out with Alex.

Eliza glared at Angelica and headed for the bathroom, closing the door and unzipping the bag. Inside was a strapless, mint green dress with a ruffled bodice and belt. Eliza loved the retro look and stepped into it, zipping up the back (with more than just a little trouble.) She stepped out of the bathroom and looked at Angelica.

"Well, what do you think?"

"Oh my god, Betsey, this Alexander isn't going to know what hit him!" Angelica gushed, ushering Eliza back into the bathroom, "Now, sit down, I'm doing to do your makeup."

"Really Angie? I'm twenty-two years old, I think that I can do my own makeup," Eliza said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh hush now," Angelica said, picking up Eliza's mascara wand and getting to work, "you know that I'm better at you at makeup."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Eliza sighed, quieting down and letting Angelica work.

Ten minutes later, Angelica said "done" and Eliza opened up eyes and gasped. She didn't think she looked totally different or something cliche like that, but Eliza did think that she finally looked like someone who could finally grab the spotlight. Her eyes popped and she wore a pale pink lipstick that somehow simultaneously made her look cute and alluring. Eliza's hair was pulled back into her signature ponytail and was adorned with a diamond laurel headband.

Eliza smiled and turned toward Angelica, "Thank you so much for this, Angie."

"It's really no problem Betsey. Now, stop hanging around here and go get that boy!"

"I will," Eliza said, sounding as confident as she could without sounding nervous. Eliza turned toward the mirror one last time before picking up her purse and heading towards the tavern that Alex toward her to meet him at.

I really hope that this is a date…


Alex fiddled nervously with his beer glass, glancing at his watch and the tavern door every few seconds.

"What's got your panties in a twist, Ham?" John Laurens, Alex's best friend and partner in crime, asked, taking a large sip from his glass.

"Nothing, man," Alex said, not sounding entirely convincing.

"Yeah, what is with you," Alex's other friend, Hercules Mulligan, asked, "you've been jumpy all night and haven't stopped checking your for the past ten minutes! What are you waiting for?"

"More like whom has he been waiting for," Lafayette said, smirking at Alex.

"Ooh! Alex's got a girlfriend!" Laurens sang, nudging Hercules.

"Oh no! Our wittle Alex baby has finally left the nest," Hercules said in a baby voice.

"Okay, guys I swear to god-!" The door to the tavern opened and Alex trailed off when he noticed Eliza was at the door, and dear jesus, he thought that she had looked good yesterday, but today...da*n!

Eliza was wearing a short blue dress and her hair was pulled back to reveal her elegant neck. The dress didn't have straps and Alexander could see the slope of her shoulders and curves of her breasts. Eliza waved shyly when she saw him.

"You should close your mouth, Alexander," Lafayette scolded.

"Is that the girl who holds your affections, Alex?" Herc asked as Alex nodded, "Da*n! She's hot!" Alex glared at Hercules, but he couldn't disagree, she did look hot, and he couldn't believe that she was here for him.

Eliza finally arrived at his table and gave him a small smile, "Hey, Alex."

"Hello, Eliza," Alex said, taking her hand and giving it a small kiss, letting his lips linger longer than usual, "would you like to have a seat?"

"Oh yes! Thank you!" Eliza was blushing and it made Alex extremely happy. She sat down in the seat next to him and crossed her legs.

There was an awkward silence for the next few seconds before Lafayette said, "So you must be the Elizabeth that Alex has told me so much about."

"Ah, yes, but you may call me Eliza if you prefer," Eliza said shyly, rubbing her hands together, "that's what all of my friends call me."

"Well, then that's what I'll call you, mon petit poisson," Lafayette said, giving Eliza a smile.

"Yeah so these are my friends Eliza," Alex said and started pointing them out to her, "the one with the poofy hair and french accent that you just talked to is Lafayette, and the two that keep whispering behind my back are Hercules and John."

"It's so nice to meet all of you," Eliza said politely, smiling at each one of them in turn.

"Okay! Now that all these introductions are behind us, I'm going to go get us some drinks! What would you like, Eliza?" John asked, standing up from the table.

"Just a Pepsi would be great, thanks," Eliza said, blushing when she realized that everyone was looking at her funny, "I don't drink."

"That's fine," Alex nudged a starstruck Lafayette and Hercules, "that's fine, right guys?"

"I think I might be in love with you," Hercules whispered, and Eliza burst out laughing. Alex let out a small sigh of relief and smiled, thank god everyone is getting along.


The night had been going perfectly so far. Alex's friends were a little rowdy and Eliza had drank one too many Pepsi's, but she loved every minute of it. Finally, around midnight, Eliza could barely stay awake anymore and told everyone that she was going to head home.

"I'll walk you," Alex said immediately, standing up and waving goodbye to everyone.

When they got outside, Eliza realized that it was much colder now that the sun had gone down and that she had forgot to bring a coat. She shivered a little, having nothing to cover her shoulders or her arms, but Alex noticed and, ever the gentleman, took off his coat and wrapped it around Eliza, making sure that it was secure.

"Thank you," Eliza whispered, her breath fogging out in front of her. Alex just smiled lightly and grabbed her hand, beginning to walk again.

When they reached her apartment a couple of blocks later, they just stood outside her door staring at each other, neither wanting the night to end. Finally, Eliza leaned up and gave Alexander a light kiss on the cheek.

"I had a wonderful time tonight, Alex," she said, staring up at him from under her eyelashes.

"As did I, Eliza," he said, smiling down at her.

They stared at each other for a second longer before Alex finally said, "Well, I best be going. I will see you tomorrow at work, my dear Eliza." Eliza nodded and watched him walk down the stairs of her apartment, before she unlocked the door and walked inside, leaning against her front door.

He just called me 'my dear Eliza.'


Thank you again for everyone that reviewed for the first chapter! If you liked this chapter and want more (or even have something that you want to have happen) please send a review or message may way! I promise that I love and read every single review that you guys send me. With much love -brooktroutlittleriver