You're the magic that holds the sky up
From the ground.
You're the breath that blows these cool winds
round and round.
After dinner, Ben dropped Ruby back off at her house. It was about 8:00 and she took
her mom’s car to the small coffee shop where Zac worked. She parked next to it and got
out of the car pulling the sleeves of her white wool sweater over her hands as she walked
to the door. She pushed open the door to the practically empty coffee shop and knew Zac
was working when she heard Grateful Dead coming through the speakers in the ceiling.
He was leaning on the counter reading when he heard the bell. “Hey you,” he
smiled.
“Hey baby,” she said coming up to the counter he was standing behind. She
leaned forward and gave him a kiss. “How’s work?”
“Slow,” he said. “You want me to make you something?”
“Hmm,” she thought while she looked up at the menu. “A single irish cream latte
with skim milk, but with a double shot of irish cream,” she told him.
“Alright,” he turned around to fill a shot of espresso.
“No-” she said changing her mind. “Make that a double latte but only one shot of
irish cream.”
“Double latte,” Zac nodded.
“Actually... make it a cappuccino but not too much foam. And only one shot of
espresso,” she explained. “And do you have whipped cream?”
Zac turned around resting his hands loosely on his hips letting out a exaggerated
sigh. “You don’t even like skim milk.”
She laughed and leaned forward on the counter. “You’re so cute when you’re
frustrated. Actually I just want peach tea.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “You’re such a tease.” He took a big navy blue mug
from the shelf and filled it with hot water.
************************************
“Hey, you know that Friends episode where Ross and Rachel make the list of
celebrities they get to sleep with?” Ruby asked placing her feet on the coffee table in front
of the couch she was sitting on.
“Mm hmm,” Zac nodded taking a few glasses off one of the tables and wiping it
with a rag.
“What five celebrities would you sleep with?” She wondered before taking another
sip of her tea.
“Um,” he laughed placing the glasses in the sink behind the counter. “Let’s see.”
“And if you say Britney Spears, I’m never sleeping with you again,” she told him.
“Ew, she’s trashy. I’d say... Sarah Michelle Gellar, Natalie Portman, that chick
from American Beauty..”
“Mena Suvari?” She raised one eyebrow.
“Yeah,” he smiled. “Um.. oh Brooke Shields when she was in The Blue Lagoon,
and um, Jacinda from The Real World in London, ya know, the model,” he finished.
“Is Jacinda a celebrity?” She asked.
Zac shrugged his shoulders. “Sure. Why not?”
“Brooke Shields?” She laughed.
“Hey now. Let me have my list,” he came around the counter and sat on the couch
next to her. “What about you? And if you say Justin Timberlake, I’m never sleeping with
you again.”
“Hmm.. that’s tough. Only five, huh?” She grinned leaning against him. “Dave
Matthews, Joshua Jackson from Dawson’s Creek, um...Ryan Phillipe, oh Jared Leto.
Remember Jordan Catalano from My So-Called Life?”
“Mm hmm,” he nodded.
“And... Paul McCartney,” she finished.
“He’s like old,” Zac raised one eyebrow.
“Yeah but I’d sleep with him back in like, 1962,” she explained.
“Ah ha. I see. I guess you’ll just have to settle for me,” he said wrapping his arm
around her shoulders.
“I wouldn’t give you up for any of them,” she said leaning her head on his
shoulder.
“Aww,” he kissed her head. “You lie.”
Just then a few customers came in and Zac got up making his way behind the
counter. Ruby took a small napkin from the table and a pen from her purse.
Hey sexy-
You’re the hottest coffee shop employee I’ve ever seen. Every time you steam
that milk it gives me naughty mental pictures of you licking caramel syrup off my body. I
want you on the counter right now. Get rid of that stupid girlfriend of yours and call me.
875-0093.
She took a 10 dollar bill from her wallet and folded it around the napkin. As the
customers sat down at a table to wait for their drinks, she walked up to the counter and
dropped the napkin and the money in the tip jar.
“Bye Zachary,” she said.
“Wait. You’re leaving?” He turned around while he was foaming the milk.
“Yeah. I’m gonna head home.”
“Okay. Well I’ll call you tomorrow,” he told her.
“Alright,” she walked around the counter to him and placed a kiss on his cheek.
“Bye,” she whispered.
*************************************
“Don’t even think I’m keeping the 10 dollars you gave me last night,” Zac smiled
while he jogged down the stairs holding the cordless phone.
“What are you talking about?” Ruby asked innocently while she searched through
her closet holding a towel wrapped around her showered body.
“Oh, right. It must be that other girl that wants me to lick caramel off her body,”
he said opening the refridgerator.
“Oh *that*. Well you’re keeping the 10 dollars. Fill up your gas tank or
something,” she said.
“I’ll fill up my gas tank and then I’ll take you out to dinner,” he suggested.
“Hey that sounds good to me,” she smiled picking out a camel colored heavy knit
turtleneck sweater. “You don’t have to work?”
“Nope. How about I pick you up in an hour?”
“Alright. But don’t eat,” she laughed. “I can hear you eating.”
“What are you talking about?” He asked with a mouthful of carrot sticks. “I’ll still
be hungry.”
“Okay. Well let me get ready. I’ll see you in an hour,” she said.
“Yep. See ya.”
chapter 10.
