Free Complicated by Dana Tyler Page B

burned out after making loads of money in the software industry and opened this place as a dream job. Joe is never here. A woman named Mary is the manager. A guy named Nate, who gets the afternoon shift, and I are the assistant managers. When I was hired, I was told we’d get to trade off having to open and close, but that hasn’t happened. Nate doesn’t do mornings. I’m noticing a lot of guys don’t “do” things the rest of us have to to. That thought irritates me, so I push it back and get to work.
    The coffee kicks in right as I click the “Open” sign. Despite my lack of sleep, I manage to take orders and make drinks without any mistakes for the next few hours. At least until Mr. Miserable shows up at his usual time, eight-fifteen.  
    His real name is Mr. Donovan or something but he’s always Mr. Miserable in my head. No matter what’s going on, he complains. He whines about the weather, whatever sports team is losing, everything. He also demands his vanilla latte be extra hot but even scalding the milk so it’s the temperature of molten magma isn’t hot enough for him.
    When he walks in the door, I tell my coworker Lori I need to run in back for more plastic cup lids. It’s a cheap move but if I have to face Mr. Miserable’s wall of cynicism, it might crumble any hope I have of keeping it together today.
    When I come back out front, I see Zach. He’s wearing the same leather jacket, but his clothes don’t look rumpled and he’s reapplied his eyeliner. I suddenly wish I’d spent the five minutes to put on makeup of my own this morning.
    “Your friend is here,” Lori says, pushing passed me. “I’m taking my break.”
    I walk to the register. “Hey.”  
    “Hey.” Zach gives me a sheepish smile.  
    “How did you find me?”  
    He flicks his lip ring with his tongue. “I ran into one of the band dudes on my way out and asked. He wouldn’t give me your number but he told me I could find you here.”  
    For a second I panic, worried that he spoke to David. But then the rational part of my brain jumps in. If it was David, it will serve him right to realize other guys are capable of liking me.  
    Zach mistakes my momentary freak out as being directed at him because he turns away and says, “This plan sounded way less creepy in my head.”  
    “It’s fine.”  
    “Not charming, though? Believe it or not, I’m usually very charming.”  
    I laugh. “It’s sweet.”  
    “I’ll take that.”  
    A customer walks in and Zach steps out of the way to let me take his order and make his drink. Lori returns. I tell her I have to step out for a second. She glances from Zach to me and gives me a look. “Just three minutes. I promise.”  
    Lori shrugs and pulls out the sudoku book she keeps beneath the register. She’s not suppose to have that on the floor, so it’s her way of saying she’ll let me break the rules if I return the favor.  
    Outside, the sky is slate gray like it might rain but it’s warm. “I didn’t mean to invade your work place.”  
    “It’s fine. It’s slow right now.” His ears are pierced with silver studs. He’s as good looking as he was last night. I’ve never thought of gothy pierced guys as my type but clearly it’s time to start. “And I’m glad to see you again.”  
    His smile widens. “Yeah, same. You seemed really cool. I mean, you still do.”  
    “So do you.”  
    He hands me a scrap of paper. “That’s my number. We should hang out sometime.”  
    “Yes. Absolutely.” I pull out my phone and type in his digits. I send him a text that says my name. His ringtone is a dragon’s roar.
    “It’s from a video game.”  
    “Quest World.”  
    “Yeah.” He brightens. “You play?”  
    “Used to. I quit while I was in school. I miss it though.” New customers walk into the coffee shop. Nothing Lori can’t handle but I can’t spend my shift outside flirting. “I should go. I’m still on the clock.”
    Zach says he’ll call