Convincing
"Your money." AJ said, walking into Punk's place the next morning where he and Daryl were opening up. She had an envelope with the money for the milk they'd used, as promised.
"How do you know how much I pay?" Punk questioned, cleaning out the coffee machine with his back to her whilst Daryl walked back into the kitchen to get more fresh croissants.
"Well I figured it'd be about the same as us." AJ rolled her eyes.
"You use an eighty-year-old farmer for your milk delivery. I get mine from out of town, to make sure it always gets to me." Punk scoffed, "I highly doubt we pay the same." He said, turning around to her for a second, taking a quick glance and turning back around.
It was a quick glance, but enough to see her standing there, all defiant with her long dark hair down her back. She wore jorts and a t-shirt with a plaid shirt tied around her waist. She was beautiful. He wasn't blind.
"Why don't you just take the money?" AJ shook her head.
"Just sit it down." Punk said, busying himself with the coffee machine.
"You're not even going to thank me for the cookie?" AJ folded her arms, "I baked that fresh, you know."
"You shouldn't have." Punk said, turning back around to her, taking the envelope which she'd sat down on the counter and opening it up.
"People travel from very far away to get those cookies. They're practically famous. They're guava." She said.
"They were ok." Punk nodded. He felt like he couldn't tell her how good they really were. He didn't want to feed her ego, "This isn't nearly enough, by the way." He looked at the money in the envelope, "But it's fine." He shook his head.
"You know… you could have just let us have the milk as a kind gesture. For free." She said, angered by his sharpness.
"A kind gesture?" Punk questioned.
"Yes. I gather you're probably unfamiliar with the term." She shook her head, looking around his shop, "Why do you have a fireplace in here?" She scoffed.
"It came with the place. Couldn't be bothered removing it." Punk said, "Can I help you with anything else?" He asked her, "You're not getting any more milk."
"Our delivery came." AJ snapped. She was a little infuriated that he was being so short and blunt with her when she'd made the effort to thank him in a semi-nice way, what with baking him a cookie and leaving a note. Now she wished she hadn't bothered.
"Do you really get all your ingredients locally?" Punk asked her. He'd heard Daryl mention it before.
"Yes. It's nice to support other businesses." AJ said.
"It is." Punk said, "But I guess that doesn't apply to me?" He asked.
"What is up your ass today?" AJ screwed her face up. The more she stood in his presence the more she wanted to throw one of the croissants at his face.
"Excuse me?" Punk said.
"You loved my cookie. Admit it. You just can't face praising me." AJ said.
"It was an alright cookie. I've had better." Punk nodded, taking some mugs out of the dishwasher.
"Lies." AJ said.
"Are we done here? I have to open up soon." Punk said, watching as she turned around and stormed off without another word. He rolled his eyes, mostly at himself for staring at her jorts for longer than he should have as she walked off.
"What am I writing on the board today?" Daryl asked, coming out from the back.
"You got any inside information about what kind of specials they do over there?" Punk asked him, nodding across the street to The Brewberry Café, "You said your mom goes a lot."
"Nothing that I can think of." Daryl said, "They did a cinnamon bun latte the other day. My mom said it was good. And a raspberry matcha."
"Put those on the board." Punk nodded.
"Is that a good idea?" Daryl asked with concern.
"I want to be as busy as we were yesterday, every day." Punk said, "And that's impossible with that place across the road. It's like a damn cult over there." He shook his head.
"Are you feeling alright?" Daryl asked, "Is this all because you enjoyed her cookie?"
"No." Punk scoffed, "I just want us to better ourselves every day. Have this place constantly busy, the way it is over there." He nodded, "And hey, maybe we'll try your open-mic night."
"Really?" Daryl grinned excitedly.
"Sure." Punk shrugged.
He wasn't sure if it was the visit from Sophie, but he'd gone to bed last night feeling pretty small. A bit like a failure. Seeing her again reminded him of everything that happened. The shame of it all. The embarrassment of losing his job. He suddenly felt foolish for moving away and opening up a coffee shop of all things. Like he'd ran away from all his problems and crawled into a small hole. He wanted this shop to be successful and he believed it could be with a little more determination.
"I take it you haven't seen his board today." Shiv said nervously, starting her shift in the afternoon with AJ who was busy making a cappuccino to go for a customer.
"No. What does it say? He's in a foul mood." AJ shook her head, "Here you go." She smiled to the customer, handing them the coffee cup.
"All of his specials today are basically from our menu." Shiv said.
"What?!" AJ said a little too loudly.
She stormed out from behind the counter, rushing out of the coffee shop and staring across at Punk's display board, which was in fact a copy and paste of their own specials from last week.
"What does it say on the bottom?" Shiv asked.
"Open-mic night, next Monday." AJ read, "Open-mic night?" She turned to Shiv.
"Who the hell in this town would go to that?" Shiv scoffed.
"The same freaks that got a boner for Chocolate Fountain." AJ shook her head, walking back into her coffee shop angrily, making her way behind the counter and into the back.
"He's just being a dick." Shiv said, "Don't stoop to his level."
"He's trying to take our customers, Shiv." AJ shook her head, "I finally felt like we made it here. Like we were untouchable. Like nothing could ruin what we've built." She said, "And then he comes along."
"We're still successful, April." Shiv said, "We're busy from opening to closing. This coffee shop has done so much for this town. Before this, there was nowhere to come and hang out with your friends. And the way you support the farmers and the green grocers… all the charity events you cater for and all The Fair's we've done… he'll never come close to it." Shiv shook her head as AJ sighed, quickly wiping a tear from her cheek, hoping Shiv didn't notice it.
"I feel like he's trying to make it personal with me." AJ shook her head, "I know I got carried away with stealing his board and… whatever." She rolled her eyes, "But he's actively trying to screw us."
"Fuck him." Shiv said, "The best thing you can do is ignore him. It's 2pm on a Wednesday and we've got a full house out front. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. I promise." Shiv nodded as AJ sighed.
She sometimes forgot Shiv was only eighteen. She was definitely much older than her years that was for sure.
"Thanks, Shiv." AJ said, "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't let it bother me so much. You all must be sick of hearing me go on about it."
"It's because you care." Shiv nodded, "And that's why this place is so great." She said, "We are not about to let a man make us feel like shit, are we?" She put her hands on her hips as AJ laughed a little.
"No." AJ said, "No, we're not."
"Good." Shiv said, "Now what can I do today to convince you to come to my party?" She smiled.
"Shiv." AJ rolled her eyes.
"Please. I want you there. I never see you let your hair down and Lyla told me I should keep annoying you about coming." Shiv shrugged.
"Of course she did." AJ shook her head.
"Becca will be there. And so will lots of people from the town." Shiv said, "At least think about it. Since I'm such a good life coach for you." She nodded as AJ chuckled.
"Let's just get back to work." AJ smiled.
"Who would have thought those matcha things would have gone down so well." Punk said, standing in the kitchen after closing time with Daryl as they cleaned down the surfaces.
"What is matcha anyway?" Daryl asked, "And why is it green?"
"It's tea I think." Punk said, "Hey, answer me this. Why does your generation take pictures of their coffees these days?"
"You sound seventy years old." Daryl said.
"I'm genuinely curious." Punk admitted.
"I don't know. I've never taken a picture of my coffee." Daryl shrugged, "For social media, I suppose."
"Very strange." Punk said.
"Hey, I forgot to ask. Can I get away early this Friday? There's a party." Daryl said, "Shiv. You know the girl who works across the road? She's got a bomb ass house, and her parents are away so she's having a party."
"Sure." Punk said, not bothered in the slightest by his request.
"It's kind of a free for all. You could come if you want." Daryl said.
"To a high school party?" Punk asked with horror.
"It's not a high school party." Daryl said, "Lots of people from the town are going. My mom is even going." He said.
"This place is so fucking weird." Punk shook his head.
"It'd be a good chance for you to mingle with people. Maybe you'd make a friend that isn't me." He said, "Or if you're looking for that rebound girl-"
"I'm not." Punk snapped.
"It'd also be a good chance for you to see what kind of things the town are interested in from this place. And we could advertise our open-mic night." Daryl said as Punk thought about it. It wasn't a terrible idea.
"I don't know." Punk shook his head.
"Think about it." Daryl nodded, "Might help you feel less isolated if you get to know some people."
"I'm thirty-seven. I'm over getting to know people." Punk shook his head.
"Don't be such a grump." Daryl said, "Think about it. Even if it's from a business point of view."
"I'll think about it." Punk said, mostly to shut Daryl up.
A/N: Thanks again for the reviews! I love reading them. Just a little FYI: I'm going on a little vacation tomorrow, so I won't be able to get any more chapters up until possibly Tuesday. So sorry as I know it's frustrating having to wait on chapters. But I promise Tuesday there will be an update! Lots of love.