A Chance Encounter

The last stream of milk swirled into the coffee as Valentian sighed, wiping down the espresso machine. It had been an exhausting shift at the cafe and she could feel a headache coming on from the long day spent on her feet. All she wanted was to collapse into bed with a hot bubble bath and a trashy romance novel.

Just one more thing to do before leaving, she thought as she rang up the final customer's order. "Have a good night!" she called, eager to lock up and head home.

She had just begun wiping down the counters when the bell above the door chimed, signaling another entry. Pulling off her gloves with a sigh, Valentian turned to greet the customer. "Sorry, we're actually closed for the..."

Her voice trailed off as warm brown eyes met hers from across the room. A handsome man stood in the doorway, framed by the fading sunlight, his wavy brown hair windswept. He gave her an apologetic smile that caused gentle laugh lines to crease around his eyes.

"I promise I'll be quick," he said in a soft, pleasant tone. "Just need a little pick-me-up for the drive home, if it's not too much trouble."

Something in his gentle demeanor caught Valentian off guard, erasing her urge to hurry him out the door. "Of course, what can I get started for you?" she asked, moving behind the counter.

"Just a medium americano, please." He walked over, fishing out his wallet. "I'm Frankie, by the way."

As Valentian worked the espresso machine, steaming the milk, her previous exhaustion seemed to melt away. There was something calming in Frankie's presence. "Valentian," she replied with a small smile.

Their eyes met again as she passed him the coffee. This time, neither looked away. An unexpected spark passed between them, warming Valentian more than the steam had. Looking for an excuse to continue their interaction, she asked, "Long day at the office?"

Frankie laughed softly. "You could say that. I'm an architect - it's rewarding but definitely not the most thrilling work sometimes."

His genuine passion for his career, even discussing the less exciting parts, drew Valentian in. Before she knew it, they had been chatting for over half an hour as the sky outside darkened. Only when Frankie glanced at his watch did she realize how late it had become.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to keep you so long after closing," Frankie said sincerely as they reluctantly made their way to the door.

Valentian couldn't remember the last time a conversation had flowed so easily. Her distraction must have shown on her face because Frankie spoke again hesitantly. "I know it's forward but...would you like to get dinner sometime? There's a great Italian place not far from here."

Her automatic refusal died on her lips. Glancing into his hopeful eyes, Valentian realized with surprise that she wanted very much to see him again. "I'd like that," she said, finding herself smiling back.

As they exchanged numbers at the door, Valentian couldn't ignore the fluttering in her stomach or the unfamiliar skip in her step. Closing up the cafe, she replayed their conversation, wondering at the strange magic of the chance encounter with Michael and the promise of their upcoming date...