The Coffee Shop

by Lauren Hunter

  “Whatever I choose to do, I don’t want to do it because it’s expected of me. I want it to mean something, I want it to matter. And I want it to be my choice if and when I am ready, on my terms. And you are right, the moment people find out, there are these expectations and questions, and pressures.”

  He smiled and watched as she moved a step back.

  “Good night, Derrick.”

  “Good night, Annie.”

  She slowly closed the door, and for a while, he just stood there, remembering the kiss. Then he turned and left her building. Riding back to his penthouse, he couldn’t wait to see what his dreams had to tell him, after such an amazing night.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Derrick rolled over, sliding his hand across the bed to Annie’s side, but it was empty. Opening his eyes, he looked to see the sheets thrown back in disarray, the bed cold where she would normally be. “Annie?” Sitting up he looked to an empty room, clothes thrown over the back of the chair by the bed, the lamps on the bedside tables a different style. And he looked to the clock on his side. It was 8:00 a.m., and he could smell bacon cooking in the kitchen. “Bacon? 8:00 a.m.?”

  Climbing out of bed, he pulled on his robe and walked out into the kitchen. There at the stove was Annie cooking breakfast, and coming up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist. “I didn’t know you liked bacon. If you wanted bacon, all you had to do was ask me, and I could give you a little bacon right here.”

  She screamed, and Derrick jumped back.

  “What are you doing?”

  Turning sharply, Derrick looked behind him. There, standing in the middle of the living room was Annie, staring at him in dismay. “What the…?” He looked back to see a woman, about the same height and build as Annie, and with blonde hair, staring in horror at Derrick as she stood with a metal spatula clasped tightly in her hand. And if he didn’t know better he would have thought she was ready for battle the way she was holding it. “Who the hell are you?”

  “That’s Sharon, as if you didn’t know.” Coming over Annie patted her comfortingly on the shoulder. “It’s all right, Sharon, Mr. Sloane thought you were me. You can go back to work now.”

  “Yes, Miss Maddock.”

  Grabbing Annie by the arm, Derrick pulled her aside. “What’s going on? And just who is Sharon?” And then he looked down at her clothes. She was wearing one of those power suits he would see women wear. “And what the hell are you wearing, might I ask?”

  A perplexed expression crossed her face.

  “Derrick, are you all right?” She brought her hand to his forehead, and he pulled it away. “That’s Sharon. You hired her when I made VP. You felt we needed help with — ”

  “Wait, I hired her?”

  “Yes.”

  “When?” He tried to fathom all that he was seeing. “When did I do this?”

  “About a month ago.”

  “When you made VP?”

  “Yes. Seriously, Derrick, are you sure you’re okay?”

  “When did you start eating bacon? You never eat bacon. And what’s with the suit? You always hated those things.”

  “Okay, now I know there’s something wrong. I’m calling Brian.” Annie grabbed the phone, and she dialed. “Brian, I’m sorry to bother you so early, but could you please come over here? I think there’s something seriously wrong with Derrick. Well, he’s forgetting things. He forgot he hired Sharon and practically molested the poor woman in the kitchen, thinking she was me.” She paused and a look of anger crossed her face. “That is not funny I’ll have you know, Brian. Look, are you coming over here or not?” She paused again, as she listened to his answer. “Good. I’ll tell the doorman to let you come up.”

  “I’ll bet you and I are really popular with Denise, right about now.”

  Annie stared. “Derrick you’re scaring me. I’m going to cancel my business trip.”

  “Business trip?”

  A look of concern crossed her face. “Denise and Brian aren’t together anymore. And as for the business trip you claim to know nothing about, we discussed this.” She picked up the phone starting to dial, and Derrick grabbed it from her.

  “No, I’m fine. I just didn’t get much sleep last night, and I got up out of a dream too fast is all. I just got a little confused. I’m fine now.”

  She came close, looking up into his eyes. “You’re sure.”

  “Yes, I’ll be fine. Look, you’ve already called Brian to come over here. He’ll have a look at me, and we can spend the day together hanging out. How does that sound?” Her face relaxed, and she smiled at him

  “Yes, that sounds agreeable to me.”

  “Agreeable?” Since when do you use the word agreeable?

  “What?”

  “Nothing. Just teasing.”

  She shook her head.

  “Your breakfast’s ready, Miss Maddock.”

  “Thank you, Sharon.” Sitting at the kitchen table, she took a sip of her coffee. “Did you want to join me? I hadn’t asked Sharon to make you anything because you usually sleep in. But I can — ”

  “No, that’s fine. I’ll make myself something.”

  He walked back into the kitchen, Sharon frowning at him as he moved in her direction.

  “I think we both already know how Sharon feels about that, Derrick. If you need something, she will make you whatever you want. That is what she is being paid for, and very generously, I might add. So, let her do what we hired her for.”

  “Uh…that’s okay. I’ll just sit with you and have a coffee.”

  “Ah, aren’t you sweet.”

  “So, I’m still half asleep, you’re going to have to help me out a little bit here. Where was this business trip to?”

  “Toronto. Calaire, flight two one nine. I already told you that last week.”

  “Yes, well, you know me, in one ear and out the other.”

  “That doesn’t describe you at all. Derrick, you’re really starting to worry me.”

  “Don’t be.” He waved a hand through the air.

  “Your coffee, Mr. Sloane.”

  Derrick looked up to see Sharon setting a cup before him on the table. “You didn’t need to do that.”

  “Sharon,” Annie said.

  He could see her studying him. “Sharon.” He smiled.

  “Okay, that’s it. I’m staying.”

  “No!” Grabbing her by the shoulders, he pushed her back down into her chair. “I’ll take it easy, and I’ll be just fine.”

  “You promise?”

  “Yes.”

  She relaxed into her seat, and taking up a piece of her bacon, he took a bite.

  “Hey, get your own.”

  “Make me.” Her eyes narrowed, as if accepting the challenge, and he laughed holding up his hands in defeat. “All right, all right. Here. Here’s your bacon.” Putting the end of it in his mouth, he leaned down across the table offering it to her. Smiling she bit it, giving it a tug as she pulled him closer to her, and she kissed him.

  “You better make me an honest woman, one of these days, Mr. Sloane. We can’t have the world thinking me a fallen woman, now can we?”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  Playfully smacking him on the arm, she smiled. “You better. If you know what’s good for you.”

  The doorbell rang, and Sharon went to answer it.

  Derrick looked to the clock in the kitchen. “That can’t be Brian already.”

  “He only lives a couple of blocks from here.”

  “He moved? When did he move?” Seeing her studying him once again, he just smiled. “What I meant was, how slow he can be, first thing in the morning. Until he’s had his cup of coffee he’s useless. You know that.” He stood looking down on her. She looked so small sitting there at the table just then. And he was about to ask her if she had lost weight, but then he bit his tongue. “You finish your breakfast, and I’ll go greet Brian.” He stepped back from the table. “After all, we can’t have you late for your trip, now can we?
”

  “Coffee, I need coffee. You know I’m useless first thing in the morning until I’ve had my coffee.”

  “Good morning, Brian.” Brian narrowed his eyes as he stared across the room at Derrick, and Derrick took a step back. “Sharon, do get the man his coffee. We don’t want to be seeing headlines in tomorrow morning’s paper: Doctor commits murder because he didn’t get his morning coffee.”

  Crossing his arms, he watched as Brian took the cup, as if some precious offering. Holding it delicately within his grasp as he drank its contents, his eyes closed as if in some ritualistic prayer to the coffee bean god.

  Giggling, Annie stood, taking her plate to the sink. “Good morning, Brian.”

  He held up a hand, motioning for her to wait, and opening his eyes he turned. “Good morning, Annie.”

  “Oh, so it’s okay to speak now is it?”

  Brian looked at Derrick. “When you call me at eight in the morning on a Saturday?”

  Derrick held up his hands. “Enough said.”

  “Brian, do have a look at him, if you will please, he — ”

  Kissing her full on the lips, Derrick then slowly pulled away.

  “He is saying the strangest — ”

  Grabbing her around the waist, he kissed her again, this time pulling her along in the direction of the door.

  “Derrick, I can’t talk while you’re kissing me.”

  “Exactly!” And he kissed her again. Reaching down he grabbed her suitcase, and opened the door.

  “Oh, now what do you think you are doing?”

  “I’m going to carry your case down to the limo.”

  “In your bathrobe? I think not! No, I can handle this.” She extended the suitcase’s pull handle, and grabbing her purse, she slung it over her shoulder, wheeling the case after her out the door.

  “If you insist. But don’t say I didn’t offer.”

  “You really are the sweetest thing.” She smiled. “How did I get so lucky?”

  “That’s my line. You should know better than to steal someone else’s line. Not good form, my dear. Just not good at all.”

  “If you insist.”

  “Now there you go doing it again. Honestly, what am I going to do with you?”

  She shrugged.

  He grinned, looking her up and down. “Well, give me a moment and I’ll think of something.”

  “Okay, enough of that.” She laughed, giving him one last kiss, and closed the door behind her.

  Turning back, he saw Brian staring at him from across the room. The coffee cup still tight within his grasp. “Do give our harried guest another cup of that coffee, if you would, Sharon.” He watched as she poured him another cup, Brian then taking another long drink. “You can take the rest of the weekend off, Sharon.”

  “Sir?”

  “I’ll be just fine on my own. When Miss Maddock gets back I’ll have her call you.” She continued to stare as if she didn’t know what to do with herself. “Don’t worry, you’ll still get paid even though you’re not here.”

  “Now there’s a job I’d like to have. Let me be your cook.”

  “Yes, well, being a cook requires that you can actually cook.”

  “Was that some kind of crack about my cooking?”

  “If it walks like a duck…” Brian’s eyes narrowed, and Derrick laughed.

  “Very well, sir. If you really feel that you won’t be needing me.” Slowly, Sharon went to the closet and took out her purse. Slipping it over her shoulder, she went to the front door. “Good bye then, sir.”

  “Good bye, Sharon.”

  Smiling, Derrick watched as she closed the door. “God, I thought she’d never leave.”

  “What the hell is going on? Why is Annie calling me to come over here to have a look at you at eight on a Saturday morning?”

  “I’ve seriously altered the timeline.”

  “Okay, now there’s a sentence you don’t hear every day.”

  He had blurted it before he even thought to check to see if Brian had any idea what he was talking about in this loop. And he tensed not daring to look to see his expression.

  “I gather from the way you’re sitting there you are probably wondering if I’m ‘in the loop,’ so to speak.”

  Derrick sighed. “Every time I see I have altered the timeline, I have no idea if I’ve told you about any of this, or even talked to you, for that matter.”

  “Yeah, we talked. It was Annie that managed to get us back together.”

  “Let me guess, she arranged to have us meet without us realizing the other would be there.” Brian nodded. “And I told you about the whole alternate timeline thing?” He waved his hand before him.

  “Yep.”

  “And you?”

  “Thought you had completely lost it? Uh-hmm.”

  “And now?”

  “Relax, Derrick. It’s okay.”

  “There’s that patronizing tone again. Why do I get the feeling the men in white coats are on their way up here as we speak?”

  “You have no idea how tempted I was to hire a couple of guys from the hospital to drop by. The look on your face alone would have been worth the cost.”

  “Yep, that sounds like something you’d do all right.”

  “No, seriously, Derrick, it’s all right. As I said, ‘I’m in the loop.’” He laughed. “God, I love saying that.” He laughed again. “But what is this all about? What’s got Annie so freaked out? Or should I be saying, what’s got you so freaked out?”

  “Last I dreamed, you were not living two blocks away, Annie never wore suits or tied her hair back. And VP? That wasn’t even part of her vocabulary. When I suggested she tap into her unused potential that is not what I had in mind.”

  “Wait, wait, wait, wait! You told her what?”

  Derrick buried his head in his hands. “I know, I know, it was stupid.”

  Brian was laughing so hard he was having a hard time breathing.

  “It wasn’t like that. I could see this incredibly intelligent woman with so much untapped — ”

  “Potential?”

  “Yes. Okay. Yes.”

  “And you thought, she was wasting it?”

  Derrick didn’t say anything.

  Brian started laughing again.

  “You know, you finding my misery so hilarious isn’t helping just right now.”

  “No, but it’s helping me. This was worth being dragged out of bed at eight on a Saturday. Let me guess, she didn’t take it the way you had hoped she would.”

  “No, you could say it didn’t go as I had…”

  “And she probably, oh threw you out?”

  “I told you this already, didn’t I?”

  “No, but I know you, and if I were Annie that’s what I would have done. Oh, but you fixed it, didn’t you.”

  “I thought I had.”

  “And next thing you know you wake up to this.”

  “Look, when I made that suggestion I was envisioning her going into research, or something.”

  “What difference does it make, as long as she is happy?”

  “But is she? I mean just look at her for God’s sake? Who is she anymore? The hair, the clothes, leaving on business trips.”

  The truth finally dawned on him

  “Oh, dear God. We were walking on the beach, and I said something about looking out for the little guy, and she told me she wanted to be exactly like me.”

  “She did?”

  Brian laughed, and Derrick glared at him. “Hey, it’s not that funny.”

  “Oh but it is. This is downright hilarious!”

  “All right, all right, laugh it up. But I’m curious, whatever happened to you and Denise?”

  Brian immediately stopped laughing. “Oh, low blow, even for you.”

  “You seem to forget, I have no idea what has happened over this last timeline. So fill me in. I’m all ears.” Brian gave him a none-of-your-business, look. “Okay, then let me guess. She got serious, as they all eventually do, a
nd you bailed. Or no, you did just enough to make her want to break up with you. That way you make her think it was her idea. Oh, you really are an evil genius.”

  “You know, you really can be an ass.”

  “What, because I know you? Hey I’m not the one pulling that crap on those women.”

  “No, you just tell them they’re not living up to their potential. Oh, yes, what you’ve done is so much better than what I’ve done, by far.”

  “I was trying to help Annie.”

  “And I was helping Denise.”

  “By making her realize life with you was a waste of time?”

  “Yes, if you must know.”

  “And you didn’t think to mention this to her the moment you met? I’m sure there are all sorts of women that feel exactly the way you do about commitment, and would be perfectly happy with an empty relationship full of meaningless sex.”

  “You think?”

  “Brian!”

  “Hey, I’m not the one living with the woman from corporate hell.”

  “Now I never said that. I love Annie, I am just…”

  “In a stated of complete shock?”

  “You could say that.”

  Taking his cup with him, Brian walked into the living room and sat upon the couch. “All right, so you’ve altered the timeline.” He sat back. “Okay, now that’s a sentence I never thought I’d ever say.”

  Sitting at the opposite end of the couch, Derrick stared at the carpet under his feet. “How am I going to fix this?”

  “Look, who says it needs fixing?”

  Derrick stared at Brian from across the couch.

  “No, listen to me. She’s a big girl. She can make her own decisions. That she decided to become the person she is now, that was all up to her.”

  “But it was what I said, what I did, that caused her to feel the way she did to change the way she does and sees things. This is my fault.”

  “Fault? Okay I’m getting the distinct impression you’re not completely on board with this new Annie.” He thought about what he had just said. “Are you telling me you don’t like her?”

  “What? I love her. How can you say that?”