No Time For Coffee
Clementine swung open the door to the coffee shop and stood
against it while a woman carrying a small baby exited first. When her
eyes finally adjusted to the lighting inside she recognized a familiar face
from the conference but just couldn’t remember his name. Was it Jeff or
Jackie? Whoever he was she had already decided that he was a nice enough
guy and not too shabby. A little taller than normal with straight brown hair
almost into his eyes his demeanor told her he was someone she could
trust. Some women might even call him handsome.
She sauntered up to the bar stool adjacent to him and casually perched herself
on the cracked red leather seat being extra careful not to disturb him in his
conversation. A few moments later he turned in her direction and
immediately sent her a smile that lit up his entire face and made Clementine’s
heart skip a beat. His piercing green eyes were gorgeous!
“Hi. I’m Jeffrey Lopez,” the man said extending his hand for a handshake.
Returning his handshake Clementine said in a voice so timid she hardly
recognized it as her own, “Clementine Johnson.”
“So Clementine, why are you not out taking a tour of the city?” Jeffrey asked
sweeping and pointing his hand towards the outside in one smooth motion.
“I’m supposed to meet someone. And you?” Clementine asked gaining her
confidence.
“I saw it all two years ago.” Jeffrey replied indifferently.
“Well, I haven’t but this was the only time I could feasibly slip away.”
“Sounds like an important meeting.”
“It is.”
“Do you want to tell me about it?”
In response to the not so subtle question from Jeffrey, Clementine looked down
at her watch giving herself a few seconds to gauge how much she should tell him
and to see how much time she had left before Mr. Applegate would be entering
the coffee shop. Realizing she could spare a few minutes she raised her
head again and flashing him one of her radiant smiles Clementine said,
“Okay. I am here to meet a lawyer named Mr. Applegate. He is
interested in meeting my best friend.”
Now leaning towards Clementine with both elbows on the table and his hands
clasped together under his chin Jeffrey looked straight at Clementine and said,
“Does she know you are meeting him first?”
“Not yet.”
Cutting her off, Jeffrey as calmly as possible whispered, “Don’t
look now but he may have just entered.”
Clementine’s head
whipped around and in that instant she knew not only was he Mr. Applegate but
also that she couldn’t trust him. He was too old for Shelley!
Breaking into her thoughts Jeffrey whispered, “Does he know who
he is looking for?”
“Only a woman with a red scarf.”
“Well then, why don’t you remove it before he sees you.”
Clementine stuffed it
into her purse at the same moment the man looked their direction. She
chose to ignore the pleading look in the man’s eyes as if he knew she was the
one he came to meet.
Rising to leave, Clementine grabbed Jeffrey’s elbow and said a little
forcefully, “Come on Jeffrey. Let’s get out of here. Can we please
find another place to chat and eat lunch?”
“But you didn’t have a cup of coffee yet!”
Jerking her head in the man’s direction twice Clementine replied, “That doesn’t
matter. I need to get out of here. NOW.”
“Ok. Ok. You are in
luck. I know just the place.” At that, both Clementine and Jeffrey
gathered their belongings before exiting together, sidestepping around the man
distracted with ordering his decaf vanilla latte with soy.
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