Page 28 of Burning Obsession

Jake

Iwas so anxious I couldn’t sleep last night so I got up early, did a workout and showered and it was still only six am. We’re meeting at seven so I still have some time to kill.

Or I can just go and sit there and wait for him like a lovesick loser. Lovesick? Am I?

Nope, definitely not that. This is just an honest instant infatuation with a man. Something I haven’t had in a long time. I'm just meeting for coffee and conversation and from there I’ll see what’s going to happen. It may lead to an actual date or friendship.

There has to be something around here I need to do. Maybe, laundry. I’m sure there’s some dirty clothes in the hamper and now is a better time than any to do them. I can start the load and by the time I get back they’ll be more than ready to go into the dryer.

But that’s not what I do. Once I’m dressed, I bypass the laundry room and head straight to the door, picking up my wallet off the bookcase and slipping it in my back pocket. The last thing I get is my keys off the hook and I’m out of my apartment, with only Victor on my mind. So much so I don’t even remember getting to the café until I walk through the door.

My eyes roam the inside, moving from table to table then to the very short line at the counter. He’s not here yet. I step in line behind the woman in workout clothes. She must sense my presence and her head turns to look back at me. Her eyes take in my entire body, then she bats her lashes at me, unaware that she’s barking up the wrong tree. She has nothing I want.

“Good morning.” She steps closer to me, swaying her body slightly.

“It is,” I answer back, not bothering to add anything else to it. I’m not here for her, nor do I want to be.

She lifts her finger and starts twirling her hair with her finger. “They have the best coffee here. But I haven’t seen you here before. I’d be glad to give you a recommendation.” She steps even closer to me, her breasts rubbing against my arm as she places her hand on my chest.

Forward, eager and definitely not wanted by me. I take hold of her hand and remove it, then release my grip on her. “Not needed. I know exactly what I want. And before you offer anything else, I’m not interested.” Her eyes go wide in shock and her cheeks turn red. Fuck, I’m an ass. “It’s nothing against you, but I’m not attracted to women.” “Ma’am,” the young redhead at the counter calls and the woman in front of me quickly turns her back to me and steps up to the counter.

I want to apologize but decide not to. It’s not worth it. I didn’t misread the situation and there was no reason to let her carry on when she clearly doesn’t have a chance.

When it's my turn I step up to the counter, there’s a plan already in my head. One I devised yesterday. Last night we kept sending messages back and forth. Not all at the same time but randomly throughout the night. We took turns asking and answering questions about ourselves.

I kept mine basic, choosing to learn what he likes to drink. Which coffee he prefers. His favorite dessert. If he figured out what I was doing he never let on. Or, it could be because I mixed them in with other questions like what made him become an accountant? How does he like being self-employed? You know, the basics of getting to know you questions. He had the same ones for me. Well, not so much the coffee preference, but what made me become a firefighter. If I’m originally from here. If I have brothers or sisters. He told me how he has one sister who’s expecting and he can’t wait to be an uncle. The only part he hates is that he doesn’t live closer to her. I can get that.

“What can I get for you, sir?” The barista gives me a warm smile that spreads from ear to ear.

“Can I get a large Caramel Macchiato, with an extra shot of espresso?”

“Anything else?”

“Yes. Can I place an order for another coffee and pastry and have you bring it over when my…” I pause for a second hesitating as to what to call him. “...my date arrives?”

“Normally, the answer would be no.” Then she leans across the counter and whispers. “But why not. Just give me a wave and I’ll get it ready and bring them over.”

“You’re the best. I’m trying to impress him.”

“I’m sure you already do,” she laughs softly.

I quickly tell her his coffee order and some pastries to bring over when he arrives, pay her, then step to the side. Once I have my drink in hand, I turn and look over toward the corner I was in yesterday, thankful to find the table empty.

A win if you ask me. I was sweating thinking I’d have to kick anyone out of the chairs. The only plan I had going for me if it was occupied was pulling the firefighter card. I save lives for a living so giving up your chair for me is the least you could do. If that didn’t work the only other option was flexing my muscles.

Getting arrested as he walks in the door isn’t exactly the way I want our date to start. Sorry Victor, can you bail me out of jail? Somehow I think that’ll have him running in the opposite direction, far away from me.

I sit down in the chair facing the door and wait. My hands wrap around my coffee cup, soaking up the warmth, as my eyes stay locked on the door. My knees bounce nervously under the table.

All I can think about is how easy it was to talk to him through messages. But now we’ll be face to face. What if I stumble over all my words or say something stupid? What if a huge snot booger comes flying out of my nose and he sees it? Or I belch so loudly and it stinks?

“Get it together, Jake,” I mumble under my breath before picking up my phone and checking the time. We still have a little over ten minutes before we’re supposed to meet. I open my messages just to make sure he hasn’t canceled. But nothing. Just the good night message he sent me yesterday.

My fingertips tap against the edge of my cup in sync with the beat of the music playing through the speaker.

I glance down at my phone to see only a couple minutes have passed. Time seems to be frozen making sure my panic has plenty of time to marinate and grow.

In a matter of minutes, we’re going to be sitting across from each other. He’ll see every reaction I make and I’ll see his. I already know I’m going to do something stupid. It’s inevitable. What if he walks through that door and immediately has regrets?