by Amy DeMeritt
“I can help you with the coffee, but you would have to speak to our owner about any events you want have here. Do you have a preference on the roast for your coffee?”
“Dark, please. You wouldn’t be able to answer just a couple quick question?” I look behind her and check how deep my line is and then look back at her again. “I have at least ten people behind you. If you can hang out till I can get the line down, then yes, I can try to answer your questions, but I need to get these folks out the door first.”
She looks at her watch and then nods her head. “Ok, do you have a number I can call in case I need to leave before you’re able to help me?” I hand her a business card and her black coffee and she takes a seat at a nearby table.
It’s at least thirty minutes later when the line starts to die down. She’s later than she had planned, but my very last customer in line is Bailey. I smile really big when I see her and work fast to get the two customers ahead of her served and out of my line.
When she steps forward, she reaches across the counter and takes my hand. “Good morning, babe. You have an admirer today.” I laugh and look at her confused. “Who? You?” She shakes her head. “The blonde haired, blue eyed woman sitting to your right.” I look over at who she’s talking about and laugh, shaking my head. “No, she’s been waiting for a while to ask some questions about holding an event here. Can you stay for a bit? It shouldn’t take me too long to answer her questions.” She nods her head. “Yeah, I can stay for a little bit.”
“Good. Friday usual?” She smiles and shakes her head. “Surprise me with something new.”
“You know, to a barista that statement is like saying to your lover, ‘do whatever you want to my body’.” Bailey laughs and licks her lips leaning forward slightly, and whispers, “Piper, tonight you can do whatever you want to my body.”
Before I can respond, Naomi walks by and giggles, saying, “I heard that.” Bailey doesn’t blush and just continues to look at me with a happy smile with desire sitting just below the surface.
I turn and make Bailey a drink I have dubbed a “Raspberry Chocolate Truffle” cappuccino. It’s something I came up with experimenting one day. It’s thick and rich, but not overly sweet. I set it down in front of her with a buttery croissant and wait for her verdict. When Bailey takes a sip, she closes her eyes and releases a small moan.
“Oh my god. This is amazing. I think I’m going to start letting you pick my coffee every morning. I better let you get to that woman over there. She has not taken her eyes off you since I came in here.”
“Ok, I’ll try to be quick.”
I walk over to the woman that has been patiently waiting. “I’m sorry you had to wait so long. I will try to answer your questions, but if you want to book time and space for an event you will have to discuss and arrange that with the shop’s owner.” She nods her head. “I understand. Will you sit for a minute?”
I take a seat and I notice her glance passed me in the direction of where Bailey is sitting, waiting for me. When her eyes meet mine, she smiles warmly, but she’s quiet for a few moments. Too many moments.
“What questions can I try to answer for you?”
“I am planning a kind of ‘coming out’ meet-up with a group of women. I’m sending them on a bit of journey to find me and I would like this to be the final destination point. I want to be able to leave a credit card for them to order whatever they want before I arrive.”
My heart starts racing. Something about this scenario sounds too familiar and too personal, but I don’t know why. I have a pretty good memory and I know I have never met this woman in my life.
“We typically don’t hold a credit card. You can pay in advance for how much you believe your tab will run up and then we can refund the difference or charge the difference if it goes over your initial deposit. How many guests do you need space for?”
“I’m still narrowing down the list of ‘ambassadors’, but I plan on eight to ten.”
“That’s not a problem and you won’t need to make any special arrangements for that many guests. If you go over fifteen, we will need to make arrangements for your group.”
“How many day’s-notice do you need for the deposit?”
“We don’t need any notice for that. You can make the deposit the same day if you want. Do you know when you plan to host the get-together?”
“Next Friday afternoon.”
“Ok. We have a shift change at 3pm so I’ll make sure the staff is aware of your plans so you don’t have any issues regardless of what time you come in. Anything else I can help you with?” I push my chair out and prepare to stand. She suddenly looks nervous. “I uh, have a hunch about something that I wonder if you could clear up for me.”
I look at her confused and just wait. She turns her phone on and swipes through a couple screens and then pushes her phone forward. I look at the screen and feel the blood drain from my face, my heart is beating so fast that it is pounding in my ears, and I feel like I am going to faint. I slowly look up at her and she has a small smile on her face.
“You were number one on my guest list, but you haven’t responded to my emails.” Well, now I know for sure who the sender is of all the mystery emails that Naomi has been deleting for me.
“You are…”
“The ‘coward’? Yes, this is me in the flesh with the mask of the digital world stripped.”
I just stare at her a moment, remembering three years of avidly readings her thoughts, wishes, pains, and desires. I should feel something like excitement or maybe even joy in this moment, but that spot in my heart that she had held for three years has been fully emptied of her.
I turn and look at Bailey. At the same moment, as if sensing my gaze, she looks up from her laptop and smiles lovingly at me. I smile and feel my heart burst with emotion for her. I turn back to, well, I don’t know her real name, but I turn to face the “Controversial Lesbian”.
“I’m glad you finally found the courage to unmask for your readers. I hope your meet-up with your fans goes well.” I stand up and she quickly reaches for my hand. “Piper, will you ever give me a chance to clear my name?”
“I don’t even know your name for you to clear it.”
“Angela Burke.” I gently pull my hand free from hers. “Nice to meet you, Angela Burke. Do you always drink your coffee black?” She looks at me confused and doesn’t answer. “Still working on that unmasking thing, huh?”
“What? No, I just wasn’t expecting that question. Yes, I always drink my coffee black.”
“Why?”
“Of all the questions you could ask me, you want to know why I prefer black coffee to a cappuccino or latte?”
“Yes, because it reveals a lot about a person.”
“I like black coffee the best because, well, how can I really know it’s a good quality cup of coffee if its masked by cream, sugar, and other flavors?”
“If you taste the coffee, and it’s no good, do you throw it out, drink it anyway, or doctor it?”
“Throw it out. I drink coffee mainly for the flavor, not the caffeine.”
“That’s a shame. Do you always limit yourself in life?”
“Do you always talk in riddles?” I smile and laugh a little bit. “My mom accuses me of that sometimes. Well, you don’t have to answer because I am pretty sure I already know. It’s more of a question for you to think about. Maybe I’ll see you next Friday, Angela.”
She looks at me confused as I start to walk away again. My eyes lock with Baileys and I smile affectionately at her. She smiles back, but then her eyes look passed me and her smile fades and she looks confused and concerned. Before I can react, Angela spins me around and holds both of my shoulders firmly.
“You are very frustrating; you know that? You can’t just call someone a ‘coward’ and force them to examine themselves so deeply and then disappear like that. It was not easy coming to the decision to unmask and you didn’t make it any easier by dropping off the planet after that dose
of truth you forced me swallow. Do you know how hard it was tracking you down? Why won’t you just talk to me?”
I’m shocked speechless. She shakes her head and releases my shoulders. “Silence. Of course. Deaf ears and silent tongues is all this world can offer face to face when any real depth is at stake. I expected more from you.” She turns and grabs her phone off the table and then looks back at me again. “Thanks for proving this ‘self-absorbed’ blogger correct. It makes the past couple week long battle less relevant and now I don’t need to go through with the extravagant unmasking plans I made.”
“Angela, what do you want from me?”
“An honest conversation. It doesn’t have to be right now because I know you are working, but I want to be able to talk to you face to face.”
“Why?”
“You cared about my words enough to read them for three years. And you cared enough to be honest with me when no one else would be. I want to show you the parts of me you’ve been missing.”
“But why do you want me to know you?” She exhales in a very frustrated way. “Do I need a particular reason?”
“Yeah, you do. Not to be harsh, but I shut the door on you when I posted that comment. I don’t see a good enough reason to reopen that door. I’m happy that you’re finally going to give your readers a chance to know you and give yourself a chance to have the kind of people you need in your life. But I don’t see a reason for either of us to open that door between us.”
“Why did you close the door without giving me a chance to prove you wrong about me? Are you that unforgiving of someone’s faults that you wouldn’t even give me a chance to change?”
“No, I am not unforgiving at all, but you were not good for me, Angela.” Her frustration and disappointment quickly is replaced with understanding. “Oh. So, when you said ‘infatuation’ you didn’t just mean in a ‘fan’ way? I’m even more sorry now that I disappointed you so much.”
“Don’t be. It was the push I needed to allow something amazing to happen in my real life as it was the push you needed to allow something amazing to happen in yours. Whatever your plan is to meet your followers, do it and embrace them.”
“Will I see you next Friday?”
“If your group meets before 3pm, then yes.”
“Great, see you then.” She starts to turn to leave, but then turns back. “Piper, I’m sorry for whatever pain my anonymity caused you.” I smile and shake my head. “Don’t worry about it.”
When I turn to go sit with Bailey, I look to the counter to make sure Naomi’s ok. She’s standing with her back against the back counter watching me with her arms crossed on her chest and a concerned look on her face. I walk over to the front counter and she walks forward to stand in front of me as if she’s about to take my order.
“Naomi, don’t give me that look. I promise it wasn’t what you think. Not exactly, anyway. I’ll explain it to you in a little bit. Are you ok right now? Do I have time to explain to Bailey what just happened?”
“Yes, go over there right now because the girl is probably freaking out. Whatever that was, it did not look good.”
I sit down across from Bailey and she slowly closes the lid on her laptop. Her face is blank, but her eyes look concerned.
“Should I be worried?” I smile and shake my head. “Not at all, but I would like to explain if you have time.” Bailey reaches across the table and takes my hand in hers, before saying, “I’m not leaving here till you do, Piper.”
Chapter Twelve
Angela, or the “Controversial Lesbian” as I have known her for the past three years, had been the primary reason for at least two “almost serious” relationships to perish. Thankfully, she did not send Bailey and I’s relationship into that same rubbish bin.
After Angela left, and I was explaining to Bailey the feelings I had developed for the blogger, I could tell that Bailey was concerned. Her concern quickly disappeared, however, when I told her about my comment to the blog post and that I resolved never to follow the blog again. Even to the point that I had been allowing Naomi to read and delete emails that I suspected were from Angela, but didn’t really know for sure.
Bailey asked me if the fact that she was also a writer is why I asked her out – like it would fulfil the fantasy of having the blogger in the flesh if I could be with someone that could write well. I honestly hadn’t even considered that comparison before she brought it up because they both write in completely different styles and channels.
I know that final post from Angela sat sour on my tongue when I read it, but it was mainly because I was falling for Bailey – quickly. Bailey was quickly moving into my heart and there just wasn’t space for someone that would always remain an enigma and had too many conflicting personality traits. Even now that I have seen her face to face, as pretty as she is, I have no desire to know her any more.
When I hit the landing outside her apartment for our date night, Bailey is leaning against the open doorframe to her unit with her arms crossed and a warm smile on her face. Seeing her makes that amazing firework explosion I experienced in my heart earlier to erupt in my chest again.
I quickly close the distance between us and Bailey’s face spreads into a wide grin as I grab her hips and gently push her inside. Bailey wraps her arms around my neck and guides my back against the wall. She kicks the door closed with her foot and engages me in a kiss that sets my heart ablaze with so much emotion that I’m certain it could be visible in my eyes if they were open.
When she pulls back, she’s smiling in a happy way, but her smile gets bigger when she looks in my eyes.
“Bailey, I love you.”
The words spring up out of my heart and fly out of mouth before I can even consider keeping them contained a little longer to make sure she feels the same way. But then again – that is the reality of being an open book. It’s all out there, completely uncontained and without reservation.
Bailey smiles affectionately, just looking in my eyes for a moment, and then gently kisses my lips, before saying, “You had to beat me to asking you out and now you had to beat me to saying those three beautiful words first, didn’t you? Are you always so verbally bursting when your emotions are high?”
“Yes. I haven’t decided if that’s a fault or a quality. I guess it kind of depends on your response to those three words.” Bailey smiles and shakes her head. “It’s definitely a wonderful quality. And of course I love you, Piper. I’m pretty sure you knew that at the coffee shop today. Didn’t you?” I smile and laugh a little. “In my mind I walked over to you, pulled you up from your chair, kissed you passionately, and then we both said I love you.” Bailey smiles really big and says, “I thought so.”
“Are you free tomorrow?” She smiles and starts pulling me inside, towards the kitchen. “I wasn’t, but you are an excellent reason to clear my schedule. What do you have in mind?”
“I love how easily you can make me look goofy.” Bailey turns to look at my wide grin and laughs. “I love that goofy grin.” She gently kisses my lips and then turns to open her fridge, before asking, “So, what are we doing?”
“Are you sure you can change your plans so easily?” Bailey turns with an armful of food to make dinner and a content smile on her face. “I’m sure, Piper. I didn’t have any major plans.”
“Ok. Well, in that case, I’d like to take you to that waterfall in Green Pine Forest.”
“Is that where you take all the girls after you tell them you love them?” She’s smiling in a teasing way, but there’s a hint of doubtful curiosity playing at the corner of her mouth and eyes. I smile and shake my head. “I’ve never brought anyone there before. I only ever go alone.”
“You really want to take me to your private sanctuary?”
“Ok, mushy admission warning.”
She smiles really big and laughs a little as she puts down the carrots she was just about to start peeling so she can give me her full attention.
“I feel like you are becoming my water
.”
Bailey smiles really big, walks around the kitchen island, and grabs my hips, pulling me in close to her. She looks in my eyes a moment and then gently kisses my lips.
“Piper, how do you know how to say so much in so few words? Even the tattoos on your beautiful body tell such detailed stories, but are so small. I feel like you just recited a long beautiful poem to me.”
I can feel my face is baring a goofy cheeky smile and I just can’t tame it at all. Bailey giggles a little and presses her lips to mine, making our mouths dance together in a beautiful way. After a few moments, Bailey slowly pulls back with her eyes still closed and takes a deep breath and smiles. When she opens her eyes, they are glistening in a happy aroused way.
“It’s funny. I’ve always been an open book – anything someone wants to know, I freely divulge. But with you, Bailey, you get me without me having to say much at all. It’s like you are holding my book and reading it yourself instead of me having to read it to you.”
“You know I am major sap for this mushy stuff. Are you trying to get me to take you to my bedroom before we even have dinner?”
Again, my face splits into a grin so wide that I’d be a good contestant for a “scaled-battle” with the Grand Canyon. I laugh a little and shake my head.
“I won’t object to any change in the order of things tonight, but you already have dinner started. Which smells amazing by the way.”
Bailey slightly bites her bottom lip as she presses her body impossibly closer to mine. She palms her hand through my hair and quietly breathes into my ear, “I can’t wait to take you to my bedroom and give you full reign over my body.”
My knees slightly weaken and I moan at the suggestive words and the breathy desire filled coo that is still lingering in my ear in a deliciously electrifying way.
Bailey slowly pulls away smiling and turns back to the counter to finish preparing dinner. When she gets back to the opposite side of the kitchen island, she glances at me with her sweet closed lip smile that always makes my heart jitter like a stomping bunny foot.