When the Coldest Heart Fell

Elena was twenty-five and completely ordinary. At least, according to herself. She worked at a small café tucked between a bookstore and a flower shop. She lived with her mother and younger brother in a modest apartment and spent most of her salary helping with household expenses. She owned no designer clothes. She attended no glamorous parties. And celebrity gossip bored her to death. Which was precisely why, on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, Elena made a terrible mistake. "Excuse me." Elena looked up. A tall man wearing a black cap, mask, and dark coat stood in front of the counter. "Yes?" "Coffee." Elena stared at him. He stared back. Several seconds passed. Finally, she asked, "What kind?" His eyebrows pulled together. "Coffee." "I gathered that." Nobody spoke to Adrian Velez this way. Nobody. Behind him, his manager nearly stopped breathing. Elena pointed toward the menu. "We have about twelve kinds of coffee. You're going to have to be more specific." Adrian slowly removed his sunglasses. The café became silent. Someone near the window gasped. "Oh my God." Elena glanced around. Then back at him. "What?" Adrian studied her face. Nothing. No excitement. No nervousness. No recognition. "You don't know who I am?" Elena frowned. "Should I?" His manager covered his mouth, desperately trying not to laugh. Adrian's jaw tightened. "Americano. Black." "See?" Elena smiled. "That wasn't so difficult." Adrian stared at her. She turned around and began preparing his drink as though she hadn't just insulted one of the country's biggest celebrities. He should have been annoyed. Instead, for reasons he couldn't explain, Adrian found himself watching her. There was nothing extraordinary about her clothes. Her hair was tied carelessly behind her head. She wasn't wearing expensive makeup. Yet when she smiled at an elderly customer standing beside the counter, her entire face changed. Warm. Bright. Genuine. Something unfamiliar tightened inside Adrian's chest. He immediately disliked the feeling. Elena returned with his drink. "Americano. No sugar." She placed it in front of him. Adrian reached for his wallet. "No need," Elena said. He stopped. "Why?" "You waited almost twenty minutes because our machine malfunctioned." "I can afford coffee." "I'm sure you can." His eyes narrowed. "Then let me pay." "No." "I'm paying." "And I'm telling you it's free." Adrian leaned closer. "I don't accept charity." Instead of becoming intimidated, Elena leaned forward too. "And I don't argue with customers." His manager turned away because his shoulders had begun shaking with silent laughter. Adrian's eyes became dangerous. "You are arguing with me right now." Elena paused. "Good point." For one brief second, Adrian almost smiled. Almost. Then someone shouted his name outside. "ADRIAN!" Dozens of people suddenly rushed toward the café windows. Adrian's expression changed immediately. The warmth disappeared. His entire body became tense. Elena looked from the screaming crowd to him. Then understanding dawned. "Oh." Adrian gave her a humorless glance. "Finally." "You're famous." "Apparently. Elena studied him carefully. Then she said something Adrian would remember for years. "So?" He blinked. "So?" "You're still the stubborn customer who wouldn't tell me what coffee he wanted." For perhaps the first time in Adrian Velez's carefully controlled life... He didn't know what to say. _______________