A/N: Starbucks has rejected me as a barista (requiring no experience!) not once, not twice, not three times but instead eight times! In honor of that Penelope will be working at an independent coffee shop that has workers who are unionized. Also, is this a coffee shop au if the main focus is hot chocolate?
"Winter versus spring?" A voice called out. Penelope looked up from her phone to the new customer. "Winter gets the advantage given it's the current season."
"What can I get you?" Penelope asked. Maybe if she didn't engage, he would take the hint.
"How about your number?" The blonde man countered. Penelope rolled her eyes.
"That's not on the menu. Any coffee for you?"
"Hey! What's your problem? I was just being nice."
"If you don't want to order something, buddy, can you get out of the way of paying customers?" Another man asked.
Penelope looked at the new man with relieved eyes. Sometimes annoying men only responded to other men. They were the worst.
"I'll have a medium iced coffee with vanilla." The first man said.
"We don't have a medium size. You can get it in a 12-ounce or 16-ounce." Penelope was so annoyed. This man probably didn't even look at the board over her head.
"12-ounce." He muttered.
Penelope quotes the price to him and takes his money. He walked over to the pick-up counter and away from her. Thank goodness.
She grabbed an iced cup and filled it out with the shorthand for the order. Placing it in the nearly empty 'to make' pile, she turned back to the other guy.
"Thank you. I can tell he's the guy who would drag that out for a while. I appreciate you breaking it up."
"Of course! My sister has told me all about the problematic nature of asking someone out while they're working and can't escape or say 'no' as easily." He said, with a smile.
"Honestly, that's the bare minimum." Penelope sighed.
"Agreed!" He said.
Penelope smiled at him. "So what do you want?"
"Okay, this might sound strange, but my sister swears by the 'Pen's Ultimate Hot Chocolate Surprise' drink. Any chance they're on a secret menu that can be made today or do you know who Pen is so I can chase them down?" He said.
"Oh no. Eloise is your sister?" Penelope sighed.
"Got it in one!" He smiled at her in exasperation. "What's so special about these hot chocolate drinks?"
"Eloise lets me experiment with different ingredients in her hot chocolate. Since she doesn't drink caffeine, I always try to mix it up to keep it interesting for her. The owner found out and insisted on adding the core recipe to the rotating list of drinks we make. Fair warning, it's pricier than what you would pay for a regular one. Are you sure you want it?" She raised her eyebrow at him.
"I couldn't possibly turn that down. I have to try it."
"Your funeral." She muttered. "Don't say I didn't warn you. Any allergies I should know about?"
"Nope!" He quipped.
Penelope quoted him the price and shook her head at his excitement. Filling out the cup with shorthand, Penelope considered him. He was in a pair of jeans, a Henley top, and a leather jacket. Why did this handsome man have to be related to Eloise? That was basically an automatic out-of-bounds rule.
Checking there wasn't a line, Penelope popped her head into the back where the owner, Kate, was. "I'm making my 'Ultimate Hot Chocolate Surprise Drink,'" Penelope said using hand quotes to emphasize the name. "Do you want one?"
"Yes, ma'am. I'll keep an eye on the register while you and Edwina make the drinks." Kate said and followed her back to the front.
"Sounds good!"
Penelope set up shop next to where Edwina was making the iced latte. She pulled out two cups. Then she frowned.
"Edwina, do you want a Hot Chocolate Surprise?" Penelope knew she'd have to ask.
"Heck yes!" Edwina did a fist pump in excitement.
Penelope just pulled down a third cup. She'd made so many that she no longer enjoyed hot chocolate. It was a small price to pay to convince Eloise to come into the shop though.
Preparing a normal hot chocolate, Penelope reviewed the current various spices, flavors, and syrups as she warmed the milk. Following the base recipe, Penelope put a unique spin on the drink based on the ingredients that they had more than enough of. It wouldn't do to go for the items that were almost out.
Grabbing the leaf stencil, she gently placed it over the foam and then sprinkled some cocoa and cardamom on top.
Spinning, Penelope quickly topped the other two drinks. Handing the two off, she walked over to the pick-up counter. Thankfully, the blonde man was long gone. Kate returned to the back office.
"Eloise's brother!" Penelope called out as she set down her masterpiece.
"You could just call me Colin." He smiled at her.
"Tell me that again after you drink that monstrosity." Penelope nodded at the drink in his hand. "Good luck."
Returning to the front counter, she watched him take a seat out of the corner of her eye. He settled in and pulled out a laptop. Then he began typing.
He was not allowed to be a writer. That was just patently unfair. Pulling out her phone, Penelope texted Eloise.
A few seconds later it dinged. Yes, I sent my single, writer brother to get a hot chocolate from you. Make a move!
Eloise was a menace. Penelope was not looking forward to getting grilled by Eloise when she saw her next. Also, it seems Colin was not out-of-bounds according to Eloise.
After confirming that no one was about to walk up to the register, Penelope took a deep breath. Gathering her courage, she walked toward his table.
"How is it?" She asked.
"I would kill to drink this every day." He said determinedly.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that." She chuckled. "I mix up the ingredients every other time. So, while I can't promise you'll get the same thing every time you order it, it'll probably still be pretty good."
He took another sip, and then he kicked out the chair across from him. "You've probably been standing for hours, do you want to take a quick seat?"
Penelope tilted her head. She glanced at Edwina and the mostly empty cafe. Edwina gave her a quick thumbs up. Penelope sat down.
"So, what are you writing?" Penelope asked.
"Just some notes from my recent trip to Greece." He said with a sheepish smile. "Do you want to read some of it?"
"Hell yes! I've never been to Greece." Penelope made grabby motions at his computer.
Colin chuckled as he turned it around and let her read it. He focused on drinking his hot chocolate as he watched her read over his writing.
Then Colin reached the end of his hot chocolate. He turned around to walk to the garbage area and tossed out his cup.
Penelope started typing.
Colin turned back and noticed. He quickly walked back to the table.
"Woah! I didn't ask for edits!" Colin joked, pulling the computer away from her.
"Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't make any edits, I promise. I was so absorbed in your writing that I jotted my thoughts in the comments of the document." Penelope blushed. She couldn't believe that she had taken charge like that.
She barely even thought of it before she started adding compliments to the document. And, at the bottom, she had even left her phone number. Who was she? She had never been this forward before.
"Alright," He smiled at her though it wasn't as bright as his earlier smiles. "I've got to get going anyway. It was nice to meet you, Pen."
Penelope was kicking herself as Colin left. She had made it so awkward. He was probably never going to come back again.
Just before the end of her shift, Penelope felt her phone buzz in her pocket. Shaking her head, Penelope was sure Eloise was going to tell her that Colin wasn't interested.
Putting it off, Penelope tackled her last few responsibilities before heading to the back to grab her coat and leave. After walking through the door, Penelope grabbed her phone. Time to bite the bullet.
So, you really liked my writing, huh? An unknown number had texted her. Okay, she could do this. Penelope was confident and she could be flirty.
I'm obsessed. I would kill to read more of it. Penelope sent back.
Well, with my willingness to kill for another hot chocolate, I think we could make a deal. He replied.
Penelope saved his number to her phone. What did you have in mind? A hot chocolate/writing date?
Yes. The three dots appeared to show he was still typing. Penelope got to her car and got in. She cranked up the heat.
I hit send too soon. He sent a moment later. You're not still at work right? You know that you can fully say 'no' right? I'm not attempting to guilt you into a date.
Technically, I asked you for the date. But, yes. I know that I can say no. So hopefully, you understand that I mean it when I say 'yes' to you. Penelope typed out. She hit send before she thought about it. Smiling, she put the phone in the center console and drove home.
They might not have the details worked out yet, but Penelope and Colin had a date.
When she got home and pulled her phone out of the center console, there was a text waiting for her. Looking forward to it? How about tomorrow?
Penelope couldn't keep the smile from her face.
The End.
A/N: Here's another one that was mostly written just chilling in my writing folder. I didn't have the ending then, but now I
do! Hope you enjoy!