Vampires, Zombies and Ghosts, Volume 1: Read on the Run: An Anthology of Short Stories by Catherine Valenti; R. J. Meldrum; Larry Hinkle

Author:Catherine Valenti; R. J. Meldrum; Larry Hinkle [Hinkle, Catherine Valenti; R. J. Meldrum; Larry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-10-29T06:33:54+00:00

♦♦♦

The alarm clock blared at five a.m. and Abigail knocked a cup, a book, and a stack of crackers off the small night stand, trying to stop the horrid screeching.

“Okay, okay,” she grumbled as she sat up on the side of her bed. She slipped on her robe on her way into the bathroom. A hot shower would help wake her up.

Why did she have to be a barista? She detested early mornings. She should have been a bartender.

The hot water pounded over her bare skin in the narrow shower stall. She stood there relishing the hot massaging water. The steam opened up her nostrils and she inhaled deeply, then looked curiously around the room. There was a strong smell, sweet, and floral. A perfume, but none she recognized. And then it was gone. She turned the shower off and stepped out, wrapping a towel around her. She sniffed the air in each direction, but the sweet perfume was gone.

Hair pulled back, face washed, teeth brushed, everything on her list checked off, Abigail locked the door to her apartment and walked three blocks to the small coffee shop. She was ready to start work.

Caffeine.

Abigail drank a large cappuccino and sighed. She could carry on now. The morning was busy with customers standing in line waiting for their shot of soul revival in a cup. She really did love her job.

“Caramel macchiato, large.”

The voice belonged to a man with eyes of chocolate brown, blond hair, and his skin was… oh she wanted to touch his face!

“Did you hear me?” he asked.

“Sorry, yes, large caramel macchiato coming right up.” Abigail caught her breath. “Your name?” she held a black marker and a cup in her hand.

“JT.” He smiled revealing luscious dimples that made her knees go weak.

“JT” she repeated as she scribbled the initials on the side of the cup, then turned to fill his order. She wished she could pour herself in the cup. She finished the drink then stepped to the end of the counter and called his name.

The young man stepped up and brushed his fingers over hers as he took the cup. “I’ve seen you on campus, haven’t I?”

As if her face wasn’t red enough with all her freckles, it warmed with a blush that filled in the gaps. “Yes, I’ve seen you too.”

Every morning for the next week, JT strolled into the coffee shop and Abigail made him a caramel macchiato, large. Every morning he gently brushed his fingers over hers as he took the cup from her hands. Every morning he left her breathless, wanting more.

And every night, she dreamt of more.

Friday morning, JT stood in line for his morning macchiato. Abigail was helping another customer and one of the other baristas greeted him at the counter. “What’ll ya’ have?” she asked.

“Um…” JT turned around and looked at the guy in line behind him. “You go ahead, I’m not sure.” JT continued to let others get in front of him until Abigail was free to take his order.

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