David was almost done with his run and his whole body felt like it was on fire. It had been a pleasant surprise to bump into Ellie. He had been trying to figure out a way to talk to her alone for weeks. Six months ago David moved to Minneapolis from a suburb of Phoenix to complete his medical residency. His work required long hours, so it wasn’t a big surprise that he had a serious caffeine addiction. After trying several coffee shops on his route to the hospital, one day he had stumbled upon Ellie’s Coffee Isle.
It was a charming shop and David had instantly felt at home. The staff had been cheerful and pleasant, and the coffee itself was outstanding. David found himself drawn to the shop day after day. David hadn’t gotten to know many people since his move, and he liked that the people behind the counter recognized him and knew his favorite drinks by memory.
It was shortly after he started going there that he figured out the owner was a serious young woman who seemed to be trying to hide behind the espresso machine. She had long brown hair and dark brown eyes. She was petite, which was a feature that always appealed to David, who was 6’2”. While her physical beauty attracted him, it was the emptiness in her eyes that truly made him notice her. She went through the motions on autopilot, and until today David hadn’t even known if she truly knew who he was, even though he visited the shop almost every day.
If David was honest with himself, it was Ellie who drew him day after day to the coffee shop. Even though he knew that she was the boss, he tried a few times to crack a joke while he waited for his drink. She always seemed distracted and would respond with an incoherent mumble. He watched her interact with some of the staff, though, and he could see that she was intelligent. She just didn’t seem interested in interacting with anyone else outside her immediate bubble.
One of the employees, Linda, took pity on David one day after observing his attempt to draw Ellie into a conversation for the hundredth time with no success. She took him aside and explained a little bit about Ellie’s “situation.” He found out Ellie was newly single, and a bit of mess after her divorce. Her vulnerability made her even more attractive. It was in his nature to want to fix and care for wounded people.
David looked up as he crossed the road to his street, and it was as if his thoughts had willed Linda Jordan into being; there she was walking toward him. David raised his hand in greeting. “Linda, hello,” he said, breathing heavily. His run complete, he stopped and put his hands on his hips. “I was just thinking about you. I just saw Ellie too. It is pretty crazy running into both of you on the same day outside the coffee shop.”
“David.” She seemed delighted to see him. “How nice to see you! I was just taking my morning walk. Can you join me for a few blocks? I’d feel better being out alone once I get to the lake. There are a lot more people there.”
David wondered why she was out walking alone at all then, but he didn’t want to seem like a jerk by telling her that was actually the opposite direction of the way he was headed, so he nodded. Worst case he’d have a long cool-down, which was still okay. He didn’t want to get stiff. He noticed that Linda didn’t seem dressed for going out on a walk. She was wearing a pair of navy blue pants and a fitted matching pullover. Her shoes were ballet flats. She looked ready for a yoga class, not a stroll around the lake.
As they set off toward the lake, Linda looked at him with a sly grin on her face. “You say you saw Ellie? How wonderful! How is she? Did you have a chance to get to know her a bit better?”
David had gathered from their first conversation about Ellie a few months ago that Linda was playing matchmaker with her boss, but he didn’t mind too much. When you were single these days, you could use all the help you could get.
“She was out walking her dog,” he said, “She seemed like she was in a hurry. I did ask her to have a coffee with me, though, the next time I’m in the shop.”
“Good for you, David!” Linda exclaimed, “Our little Ellie is a bit shy, but she’ll come around. I just know you two will get along famously. I can’t even tell you how long it’s been since she’s had someone in her life that was good for her.”
David hated to admit that he was intrigued, but Linda had created the opening. “Really? I know you mentioned that she got divorced recently.”
“Yes.” Linda pursed her lips and shook her head. She looked around as if someone might overhear them. Then she whispered, “What a nasty situation. Jacob was quite the womanizer.”
David shook his head. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Ellie was devastated even though we all know it was for the best,” Linda said. “He had a drinking problem too.”
David wanted to know more, but felt like he was invading Ellie’s privacy by learning about her past through secondhand channels. And the more he learned about Ellie’s past, the more protective he felt, which felt so strange but at the same time so right.
He glanced at his watch. “Oh, Linda, I’m sorry. I’ve got to go,” he said. “But look, here’s the lake path.” He was glad he didn’t have to think up an excuse to pull himself away.
Luckily Linda didn’t seem to mind his abruptness. “Of course, dear, thank you for humoring me,” she said as she waved a hand at him. “I’ll see you later.”
David waved and started a quick walk toward home.
He didn’t see Linda turn and watch him thoughtfully with a wicked grin on her face.