Chapter 7: Intentional-ish Encounters and Lingering Awkwardness
999 Words
The small bell above the door jingled as Sarah stepped inside the clinic. She had promised herself that today would be casual—no hidden motives, no awkwardness. Just a quick drop-off of some coffee for the hardworking staff.
It wasn’t a big deal. She had been doing this since she took over the café from Kenji, making it a habit to drop by local businesses for an occasional pick-me-up. The thought of Ethan Vance—her unexpected, but undeniably captivating, acquaintance—wasn’t on her mind. Well, not much.
"Hey, Emma!" Sarah waved at the receptionist, trying to sound cheerful as she made her way over. "I brought some coffee for the team. I thought you might like a little treat today."
Emma looked up, barely registering any surprise at this familiar gesture. "Thanks, Sarah," she said with a smile, taking the coffee cups Sarah had prepared. "I’ll let everyone know. Though, Dr. Vance is gonna stick to his usual tea."
Sarah chuckled awkwardly, feeling herself tense a bit. "Yeah, I’m not expecting him to switch over to coffee any time soon." She quickly added, “But it’s for everyone else, really.”
The sudden sound of footsteps from behind her made Sarah turn, and she found herself face-to-face with Ethan. Of course, there he was—his ever-steady presence both comforting and unnerving at the same time.
"Sarah," he greeted with a small but genuine smile. He glanced at the coffee cups in her hands, then back at her. "I didn’t expect to see you today. Taking a break from the café?"
"Not really," Sarah replied, attempting to keep her tone light. "Just thought I’d check in—make sure the staff's staying caffeinated." She offered him an awkward grin. "You know, keeping the clinic running smoothly."
He raised an eyebrow. "I see," he said, his voice smooth. "Well, I’m sure they’ll appreciate it."
Sarah nodded, feeling the tension between them that always seemed to grow in moments like these. She could sense Ethan’s eyes studying her, and despite her best efforts to keep things relaxed, she felt herself growing warmer.
"I, uh, thought about getting some tea, but I guess coffee wouldn’t hurt," he said with a playful tilt of his head, drawing Sarah’s attention. "Do you always bring coffee around? Or is this an exception?"
This was her chance to keep things cool. Maybe if she didn’t let her nerves get the better of her, she could make it out of this interaction without feeling like an awkward mess.
Before Sarah could respond, a voice echoed through the hallway, interrupting her thoughts.
"Mom! Mom!"
There he was—Leo, running towards her with the kind of energy only a six-year-old could muster. His face lit up when he spotted Ethan, and without hesitation, Leo bounced right up to him.
"Look, Dr. Ethan’s here!" Leo said with his signature exuberance, pointing directly at the man as if they were old friends.
Sarah winced slightly, mortified that her son was so shamelessly breaking the tension she'd been trying to manage.
"Hi, Leo," Ethan greeted, crouching down to meet him at eye level. "What’s up?"
Leo beamed. "Dr. Ethan! Why don’t you have coffee with my mommy here? She’s always giving out free coffee!"
Sarah, nearly choking on her embarrassment, immediately wanted to find a hole to crawl into. "Leo," she muttered, barely able to keep her voice from cracking. "We talked about this. Don’t make things awkward."
But Leo was oblivious to his mother’s distress, continuing his enthusiastic chatter. "Dr. Ethan’s my friend now! You should drink coffee with us, okay?"
Ethan smiled at Leo, clearly unbothered by the interaction. "That’s very kind of you, Leo, but I think I’ll take a rain check on the coffee today." He stood up and ruffled Leo’s hair. "Maybe another time."
Leo didn’t seem disappointed in the least. "Okay!" he said, running off in the opposite direction, no doubt to continue causing his usual whirlwind of chaos elsewhere in the clinic.
Sarah let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She glanced at Ethan, who was still looking at her with that same, unreadable expression. Did he find this charming? Or just really awkward?
"Thanks, Sarah," Emma called out from the reception desk. "I’ll make sure everyone gets their coffee."
"Great, thanks!" Sarah said quickly, eager to make a swift exit from the scene before things got more uncomfortable.
But Ethan wasn’t done yet. "You know," he said softly, his eyes locking with hers again, "I think I do owe you that coffee. Maybe tomorrow?"
Sarah’s heart skipped a beat at the invitation, even though it didn’t come across as overtly flirtatious. There was something unspoken there. Something she wasn’t quite sure how to interpret.
She bit her lip, her mind racing. "Sure, that sounds good," she replied, trying to sound casual. "But only if you can handle a coffee as strong as the one I brought today."
Ethan chuckled, and for a moment, Sarah allowed herself to enjoy the warmth of his smile. Maybe, just maybe, things were beginning to shift. But that could be wishful thinking, right?
Later, as Sarah closed up the café for the night, she found herself thinking about the brief interaction with Ethan. Her phone buzzed, and she glanced down to find a message from him.
Thanks for the coffee earlier today. If you’re free tomorrow, I’ll swing by the café for a proper cup. We’ll skip the awkwardness this time.
Sarah couldn’t help but smile at the message, her heart fluttering ever so slightly. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but she was starting to wonder if maybe, just maybe, there was something more to these encounters than just coffee.
"Alright, Sarah," she muttered to herself as she locked the café door. "You’ve got this. No more overthinking."
She wasn’t sure if she was convincing herself or trying to convince him, but she definitely wasn’t ready to back out now.
- Writer
