“Black, no sugar, no milk, please.”

The barista nods as she jots down my order and I fish in my purse for my wallet.

_Ugh, where is it? _

My face reddens as it dawns on me that I left it at home, tucked in my fancy clutch I brought on last night’s date - the worst first date in history. What a joke. I should’ve left the damn wallet at home, at least then he would have paid for my dinner.

“I am so sorry,” I say keeping my voice low, “but I don’t have my wallet on me.”

Before the barista can respond, I hear a

male voice behind me, “I’ve got it.”

I turn to face a tall handsome man about my age, the same guy I’ve totally been crushing on for weeks at this coffee shop.

“Oh, you don’t have to,” I muster.

“It’s not a problem at all, the black coffee though, not sure how I feel about that,” he says with a wink, taping his card then turning towards a table for two. The barista gives me a knowing look and I thank her for the coffee before walking out the front door.

The crisp autumn air hits me as I collect my thoughts. I pass a few storefronts, their windows lined with an assortment of pumpkins and fall mums, before I stop dead in my tracks.

_This is my opportunity… I need to get back in there! _

I spin around abruptly and collide with a young woman admiring the pumpkins, my black coffee sloshing out of the cup and across her white knit sweater.

“OH SHIT! I’m so sorry!”

“Oh my god, no it’s ok, it’s fine, I swear,” she says with a pressed smile.

I apologize once more before she waves me off and I put on a brisk walk back to the coffee shop.

Adrenaline pumps through my chest as I pull on the door handle, the doorbell announcing my arrival. As I navigate between the tightly packed tables, he looks up and waves, I shyly return the greeting. I see him stand up as I close the distance between us, and as I open my mouth to speak, he reaches past me to shake the hand of a beautiful women wearing a white knit sweater with a coffee stain across it.

“Hello I’m…” He pauses mid introduction, noticing me staring at them, and they both turn to give me a questioning look.

“I…sorry to interrupt,” I stammer, feeling my cheeks heat up again. “I just realized I never thanked you for the coffee.”

He opens his mouth to say something, but I turn away before I hear his response, not glancing back. I guess it’s time to find a new coffee shop.