coffee down from the shelf and began loading up the machine.
“So, where’s the lucky guy?” I looked around in anticipation.
“Oh, Stephen went up to Milwaukee for the day to visit his mom.”
“Ah. Too bad.” Relief flooded through me, but I was also disappointed; I realized I’d been looking forward to just getting this meeting over with. “I was looking forward to meeting him. I thought you said he was from St. Paul?”
“He grew up there, but his parents got divorced, and his mom’s remarried and lives in Milwaukee. So he goes up there every couple of weeks to see her.”
“You didn’t go?”
“Nah, not this time. I’ve got plenty to do around here.”
I got up and moseyed around the room, looking at the wall art and books. A framed photo of two men standing next to each other. Both were well dressed and good looking. “Is one of these guys him?”
There was silence for a moment.
I looked up at her.
“Ah, yes, on the right,” she finally replied, sounding distracted. “And that’s his, um, best friend from college.”
“He looks like a nice guy.” I set the photo back on the shelf. “I don’t see any photos of you, though.”
“Hang on, I have to steam the milk,” she answered and let the hiss of the steam drown out the possibility of talking for a minute. “Speaking of college,” she said, once the steamer was off, “are you still in touch with anyone?”
“Yeah, a few people.” I walked back to the counter. “You remember Chip? He was president of the fraternity our sophomore year. He actually lives up in Lake Forest. Works in the city.”
“Yeah, I remember him. Lake Forest’s just north of here, right? I still don’t know the Chicago area all that well. Do you get to see him a lot?”
“Saw him for lunch the same day I ran into you at the coffee shop, actually. He says hi, by the way.” I smiled. “We don’t get to hang out as much as I’d like. He’s married now, just had a baby, in fact. Between his job and mine and his family, well, you know how it goes.” I shrugged.
“He was a nice guy. I never knew him all that well, but I remember liking him. I thought he was a good influence on you.” She grinned.
I laughed. “Well, he thought you were a good influence on me. Which of course, you were. Who knew I needed so much influencing?”
She smiled as she set two the frothy cups down on the table. I took the pastries out of the bag and placed them on a plate she put in front of me.
“How about you?” I asked. “Who are you still in touch with?”
We started gossiping about old friends and acquaintances. That took us through a couple cups of coffee and most of the pastries.
“I like to see a girl eat,” I said, watching Monica devour her second beignet. “I’m glad you’re not the type to worry about your figure.”
“Oh, I’ll lose it all as soon as I get back to Thailand. All the heat and walking—” she suddenly stopped and blushed. My God, she was so cute.
I pretended not to notice the blush. “Oh, is that where you’re going on your honeymoon? Pretty exotic. Everyone else I know gets a diamond ring and goes to Hawaii. I like that you guys are being different about it.”
Monica gave me an odd look, just staring at me as if she wanted to say something.
I grinned uncomfortably. “What?” I finally asked.
“What what?” she asked, startled.
“You were staring off into space.” I chuckled. “Thought I was the spacey one.”
“What are you doing for the rest of the day?” she suddenly asked.
“Oh, no real plans.”
“I have some errands to run downtown. Why don’t you come with me? You want to tag along and maybe we could get a late lunch?”
I smiled, pleased at the thought of spending more time with her. “Well, sure, that would be great. If you don’t think your man would mind.”
She shook her head. “He won’t mind. I’d like … I’d like to get know you again. I’d like us to be friends.”
I met her gaze
“So, where’s the lucky guy?” I looked around in anticipation.
“Oh, Stephen went up to Milwaukee for the day to visit his mom.”
“Ah. Too bad.” Relief flooded through me, but I was also disappointed; I realized I’d been looking forward to just getting this meeting over with. “I was looking forward to meeting him. I thought you said he was from St. Paul?”
“He grew up there, but his parents got divorced, and his mom’s remarried and lives in Milwaukee. So he goes up there every couple of weeks to see her.”
“You didn’t go?”
“Nah, not this time. I’ve got plenty to do around here.”
I got up and moseyed around the room, looking at the wall art and books. A framed photo of two men standing next to each other. Both were well dressed and good looking. “Is one of these guys him?”
There was silence for a moment.
I looked up at her.
“Ah, yes, on the right,” she finally replied, sounding distracted. “And that’s his, um, best friend from college.”
“He looks like a nice guy.” I set the photo back on the shelf. “I don’t see any photos of you, though.”
“Hang on, I have to steam the milk,” she answered and let the hiss of the steam drown out the possibility of talking for a minute. “Speaking of college,” she said, once the steamer was off, “are you still in touch with anyone?”
“Yeah, a few people.” I walked back to the counter. “You remember Chip? He was president of the fraternity our sophomore year. He actually lives up in Lake Forest. Works in the city.”
“Yeah, I remember him. Lake Forest’s just north of here, right? I still don’t know the Chicago area all that well. Do you get to see him a lot?”
“Saw him for lunch the same day I ran into you at the coffee shop, actually. He says hi, by the way.” I smiled. “We don’t get to hang out as much as I’d like. He’s married now, just had a baby, in fact. Between his job and mine and his family, well, you know how it goes.” I shrugged.
“He was a nice guy. I never knew him all that well, but I remember liking him. I thought he was a good influence on you.” She grinned.
I laughed. “Well, he thought you were a good influence on me. Which of course, you were. Who knew I needed so much influencing?”
She smiled as she set two the frothy cups down on the table. I took the pastries out of the bag and placed them on a plate she put in front of me.
“How about you?” I asked. “Who are you still in touch with?”
We started gossiping about old friends and acquaintances. That took us through a couple cups of coffee and most of the pastries.
“I like to see a girl eat,” I said, watching Monica devour her second beignet. “I’m glad you’re not the type to worry about your figure.”
“Oh, I’ll lose it all as soon as I get back to Thailand. All the heat and walking—” she suddenly stopped and blushed. My God, she was so cute.
I pretended not to notice the blush. “Oh, is that where you’re going on your honeymoon? Pretty exotic. Everyone else I know gets a diamond ring and goes to Hawaii. I like that you guys are being different about it.”
Monica gave me an odd look, just staring at me as if she wanted to say something.
I grinned uncomfortably. “What?” I finally asked.
“What what?” she asked, startled.
“You were staring off into space.” I chuckled. “Thought I was the spacey one.”
“What are you doing for the rest of the day?” she suddenly asked.
“Oh, no real plans.”
“I have some errands to run downtown. Why don’t you come with me? You want to tag along and maybe we could get a late lunch?”
I smiled, pleased at the thought of spending more time with her. “Well, sure, that would be great. If you don’t think your man would mind.”
She shook her head. “He won’t mind. I’d like … I’d like to get know you again. I’d like us to be friends.”
I met her gaze
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