In which there is a coffee date.
[Cowritten with momslittlethief.]
Haley sat at the window table of the coffee shop, sipping her cup of coffee quietly while she waited. She didn't know what it was about this guy, but there was something about him that just -- got under her skin. It didn't happen often, and it was making her more curious than not, so she was willing to play this out, see how it went. If it went well, then there was a possibility of a second date. If it went badly -- then she could get out. No harm, no foul.
Cole headed down the sidewalk, pushing his fingers back through his hair. He wasn't sure what to make of the whole thing either. Usually a girl was interested or not. This one didn't seem interested, and yet she still kind of said she was. So he was going in half-cocked, so to speak, uncertain what the situation was.
He went inside and glanced around a bit, til he saw her sitting by the window. He went to the register first to order his coffee.
She watched him as he came in, letting him go to the counter as she sipped her drink, her fingers drumming softly on the edge of the table, but unlike most people where she wasn't just drumming out some random rhythm -- she was playing the chords to the piece she was working on back at her house. When all else fails, go back to music. That was where things tended to be the most soothing.
Cole got his coffee and smiled at the young girl behind the counter, pressing a few ones into the tip jar, then he headed Haley's way. He settled into the chair across from her and watched her quietly for a moment, before smiling. "Hi."
She looked up at the sound of his voice before returning the smile. "Hi."
"Let me take a moment to be formal." He held out his hand to her. "Cole Westen."
"Haley Flack," she said with a nod, extending the hand that had been playing to him and shaking it gently. "Nice to meet you."
"You too," he said, giving her hand a light squeeze.
She let go after a moment, before nodding over to his cup. "Good coffee?"
"Mmm, it's good. For an American coffee shop."
"You have a preference on country of origin?" she asked, a little amused.
"Not that so much as...some countries just have better coffee. Then again, I've been spending a lot of time in South American coffee shops. I may have just been spoiled."
"South America?" she asked, raising a curious eyebrow at that. "Where have you traveled to?"
He shrugged. "Here and there. Depends where my work sends me."
"And what kind of work do you do, exactly?"
"Antiques," he nodded.
"Antiques. So you travel around looking for these things and selling them?" She was trying to find a subject that would get him to talk a bit more as oppose for her just asking pointed questions, but she was afraid she was being a bit to specific. Or maybe he was just that tight lipped. Who knew.
"For the most part," he nodded. "Sometimes certain museums or estates will have pieces go up for sale, so I'll go see what they have. Sometimes a client will hire me to find something...a little specific for them. It's more about knowing what I'm looking at and knowing people."
"And you think you know people pretty well?"
"No, I mean..having contacts. Knowing who might have what I'm looking for, or who would know where to tell me to look."
"Ahh -- I see," she nodded slowly. "Yeah, that makes a bit more sense."
He nodded too, sipping at his coffee.
"So how do you go about making these contacts?"
"Meet people through people. Started off knowing a lot of my mom's old contacts..people they knew."
"So your mom does the same job?"
"Yeah, I kinda learned it from her."
"You two must be pretty close."
The corner of his lips turned up a bit at that, but he shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, kinda."
"Must be nice," she sighed. "Being that close with your mom."
"You're not?"
She shook her head slightly. "My mom died when I was about a year old. I never really knew her."
His eyes fell closed and he shook his head. "Wow, I'm sorry. I think you even told me that...sorry to hear it, though."
She shook her head. "It's okay. I've got my dad, and everyone he works with. That was all the parenting I ever needed."
"That's good," he nodded. "I'm sure they're good people to have around."
"Very," she said with a nod. "They made up for the parts that my dad couldn't cover. Which is helpful when it's just you and your dad."
"I imagine so. My dad and I get along and everything, but...I'm not sure I'd be the same person if it had been just me and him."
"Now is that a good or a bad thing for me?" she asked teasingly, leaning in slightly.
He smiled and moved his arm to rest on the table, his fingers just barely moving to brush her arm. "I'm hoping good, but you'll have to let me know."
"Guess I will," she smirked back.
"So tell me more about you," he said softly, his thumb against her arm.
"Well, I grew up here in the city," she said with a nod. "Dad was a cop, so I pretty much get away with whatever I wanted, within reason."
He grinned. "Oh I think I'd like to hear more about that."
"I wasn't bad," she said, shaking her head. "I just didn't really have a curfew because Dad was busy working. So I wound up going to a lot of places he probably wouldn't want me going."
"Like where?"
"Jazz clubs with a fake ID, down to the not-so-savory ends of town -- that kind of thing."
"Mmm, jazz clubs I get. Why the bad end of town?" His head tilted a bit as he watched her. He wasn't mocking, he was truly interested.
"That's where all the culture is," she said with a sigh. "My friend would invite me to these parties, I just wanted to -- experience everything."
He nodded slowly. "I get that. Did you enjoy it?"
"I did. Until I got caught by my Aunt Kaile when she came to break up one of the parties I was at. She managed to get me out of getting arrested, but not out of hearing the riot act from my father."
Cole winced. "That sucks. I take it no more parties?"
"No more parties. Not until I graduated and went to college. Then he really stopped having any say."
"So did you get the party girl out of your system?"
"In some respects. I got serious about what I wanted to do, so I buckled down and did it."
"I respect that," he nodded. "I like to have fun myself, but there's still a certain amount of...adult I have to be. Which really sucks at times."
"I dunno. I kind of like being an adult sometimes."
"Which parts?"
"The reponsibility. Bein' out on my own."
"Oh I love being on my own. Having my own space. I could spend days locked up in my apartment."
"Days? Really? And what would you do for these days?"
A little grin spread on his lips. "Well...depends if I was alone or not."
"I figured," she said, shaking his head.
He shrugged. "Or..I'd do business from home. Play the piano some. Just...relax in general."
"You play the piano?"
"A little bit. Mostly for fun. My uncle taught me."
She nodded a bit. "I'm a music teacher at one of the high schools."
He raised a brow. "And they don't mistake you for a student?"
She raised one right back. "I'm not that young looking."
"Take it as a compliment," he said with a small smile.
"I'm not that old either," she sighed, shaking her head.
He shrugged slightly. "But you are beautiful."
She ducked her head slightly, a bit of a blush coloring her cheeks. "That is a compliment I can take."
"Good, because I mean it."
"Thank you," she said with a nod.
"You're welcome."
"No what else about your family? I know you have parents, but brothers and sisters?"
"Two sisters. Both older. One more of a pain in the ass than the other."
"Well, that must have been interesting when you were growing up."
"It wasn't so bad. I was the baby, so they mostly hung out together. But I pulled pranks on them all the time." He grinned.
"I'm sure they loved you for that one."
"Probably not too much."
"But at least you had fun, right?"
"Oh, I had lots of fun," he nodded with a grin.
"And that's the important part," she nodded.
"Guess so."
She nodded a bit, before taking another sip of her coffee.
He fell quiet as well, waiting for something to pop into his head.
Family, work -- she wasn't sure what else there was to cover. She paused for a minute in thought, just trying to work.
Cole couldn't really come up with anything either. At least nothing along the small talk end of things.
Which made things a little frustrating. "So. How was your day?"
"Pretty uneventful. And yours?"
"'Bout the same. My car is threatening to die on me."
"That can't be good. Have you gotten it looked at?"
"I've got a friend in the city who works on cars and he's having a look at it now, but -- no guarantee that I'll be able to afford getting it fixed."
"Good thing you've got the subways," he nodded.
"And taxis," she said with a nod. "I live in the perfect place for public transportation."
He smiled slightly. "Lucky you."
"Apparently so," she said with a nod. "What does suck is when I have to leave the city. Then I have to car pool."
He watched her and thought a beat or two before shrugging. "If you ever need a lift somewhere.."
She tilted her head to the side slightly. "Seriously?"
"Why not? I've got a car, you might not soon. I think we've proven we get along well enough." He nodded. "Seriously."
"Thank you," she said with a nod. "I appreciate that."
"And maybe you can just make it up to me sometime by having dinner with me."
"I think that would be the least I could do," she nodded, before pausing. "Would I be able to fit a cello in the backseat?"
He raised a brow at that. "Possibly? I guess we'd have to try."
She nodded slightly. "I'm holding a friend's cello for him and I said I'd give back to him at the next gig -- which usually happens to be out of town in the Hamptons."
"When is that going to be?"
"This weekend? I'm playing at a jazz club in East Hampton."
He sighed. "I'm supposed to be away for a few days for business, but...I think I should be back by midday Friday."
"Gig is on Saturday. Sounds perfect."
"Just let me know where it is so I can book myself a room nearby."
"I'll text you the details."
"Sounds good," he nodded, sipping his coffee again.
"Good," she nodded.
He finished off his coffee and looked a his empty cup, then up to her. "So has coffee gone well enough to warrant getting some food next?"
She paused, before glancing down at her watch. "I would but it's getting a little late. I need to be up early tomorrow."
He nodded. "Next time."
"Next time," she nodded, before starting to get up. "I'll text you about the details for the gig."
"Okay." He stood with her politely and reached out to give her hand a squeeze. "It was really great finally meeting you."
"You too," she said with a nod as she squeezed his hand back, before starting to head towards the door.
He watched her exit, then sat back down at the table and watched out the window as she walked away.
Haley sat at the window table of the coffee shop, sipping her cup of coffee quietly while she waited. She didn't know what it was about this guy, but there was something about him that just -- got under her skin. It didn't happen often, and it was making her more curious than not, so she was willing to play this out, see how it went. If it went well, then there was a possibility of a second date. If it went badly -- then she could get out. No harm, no foul.
Cole headed down the sidewalk, pushing his fingers back through his hair. He wasn't sure what to make of the whole thing either. Usually a girl was interested or not. This one didn't seem interested, and yet she still kind of said she was. So he was going in half-cocked, so to speak, uncertain what the situation was.
He went inside and glanced around a bit, til he saw her sitting by the window. He went to the register first to order his coffee.
She watched him as he came in, letting him go to the counter as she sipped her drink, her fingers drumming softly on the edge of the table, but unlike most people where she wasn't just drumming out some random rhythm -- she was playing the chords to the piece she was working on back at her house. When all else fails, go back to music. That was where things tended to be the most soothing.
Cole got his coffee and smiled at the young girl behind the counter, pressing a few ones into the tip jar, then he headed Haley's way. He settled into the chair across from her and watched her quietly for a moment, before smiling. "Hi."
She looked up at the sound of his voice before returning the smile. "Hi."
"Let me take a moment to be formal." He held out his hand to her. "Cole Westen."
"Haley Flack," she said with a nod, extending the hand that had been playing to him and shaking it gently. "Nice to meet you."
"You too," he said, giving her hand a light squeeze.
She let go after a moment, before nodding over to his cup. "Good coffee?"
"Mmm, it's good. For an American coffee shop."
"You have a preference on country of origin?" she asked, a little amused.
"Not that so much as...some countries just have better coffee. Then again, I've been spending a lot of time in South American coffee shops. I may have just been spoiled."
"South America?" she asked, raising a curious eyebrow at that. "Where have you traveled to?"
He shrugged. "Here and there. Depends where my work sends me."
"And what kind of work do you do, exactly?"
"Antiques," he nodded.
"Antiques. So you travel around looking for these things and selling them?" She was trying to find a subject that would get him to talk a bit more as oppose for her just asking pointed questions, but she was afraid she was being a bit to specific. Or maybe he was just that tight lipped. Who knew.
"For the most part," he nodded. "Sometimes certain museums or estates will have pieces go up for sale, so I'll go see what they have. Sometimes a client will hire me to find something...a little specific for them. It's more about knowing what I'm looking at and knowing people."
"And you think you know people pretty well?"
"No, I mean..having contacts. Knowing who might have what I'm looking for, or who would know where to tell me to look."
"Ahh -- I see," she nodded slowly. "Yeah, that makes a bit more sense."
He nodded too, sipping at his coffee.
"So how do you go about making these contacts?"
"Meet people through people. Started off knowing a lot of my mom's old contacts..people they knew."
"So your mom does the same job?"
"Yeah, I kinda learned it from her."
"You two must be pretty close."
The corner of his lips turned up a bit at that, but he shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, kinda."
"Must be nice," she sighed. "Being that close with your mom."
"You're not?"
She shook her head slightly. "My mom died when I was about a year old. I never really knew her."
His eyes fell closed and he shook his head. "Wow, I'm sorry. I think you even told me that...sorry to hear it, though."
She shook her head. "It's okay. I've got my dad, and everyone he works with. That was all the parenting I ever needed."
"That's good," he nodded. "I'm sure they're good people to have around."
"Very," she said with a nod. "They made up for the parts that my dad couldn't cover. Which is helpful when it's just you and your dad."
"I imagine so. My dad and I get along and everything, but...I'm not sure I'd be the same person if it had been just me and him."
"Now is that a good or a bad thing for me?" she asked teasingly, leaning in slightly.
He smiled and moved his arm to rest on the table, his fingers just barely moving to brush her arm. "I'm hoping good, but you'll have to let me know."
"Guess I will," she smirked back.
"So tell me more about you," he said softly, his thumb against her arm.
"Well, I grew up here in the city," she said with a nod. "Dad was a cop, so I pretty much get away with whatever I wanted, within reason."
He grinned. "Oh I think I'd like to hear more about that."
"I wasn't bad," she said, shaking her head. "I just didn't really have a curfew because Dad was busy working. So I wound up going to a lot of places he probably wouldn't want me going."
"Like where?"
"Jazz clubs with a fake ID, down to the not-so-savory ends of town -- that kind of thing."
"Mmm, jazz clubs I get. Why the bad end of town?" His head tilted a bit as he watched her. He wasn't mocking, he was truly interested.
"That's where all the culture is," she said with a sigh. "My friend would invite me to these parties, I just wanted to -- experience everything."
He nodded slowly. "I get that. Did you enjoy it?"
"I did. Until I got caught by my Aunt Kaile when she came to break up one of the parties I was at. She managed to get me out of getting arrested, but not out of hearing the riot act from my father."
Cole winced. "That sucks. I take it no more parties?"
"No more parties. Not until I graduated and went to college. Then he really stopped having any say."
"So did you get the party girl out of your system?"
"In some respects. I got serious about what I wanted to do, so I buckled down and did it."
"I respect that," he nodded. "I like to have fun myself, but there's still a certain amount of...adult I have to be. Which really sucks at times."
"I dunno. I kind of like being an adult sometimes."
"Which parts?"
"The reponsibility. Bein' out on my own."
"Oh I love being on my own. Having my own space. I could spend days locked up in my apartment."
"Days? Really? And what would you do for these days?"
A little grin spread on his lips. "Well...depends if I was alone or not."
"I figured," she said, shaking his head.
He shrugged. "Or..I'd do business from home. Play the piano some. Just...relax in general."
"You play the piano?"
"A little bit. Mostly for fun. My uncle taught me."
She nodded a bit. "I'm a music teacher at one of the high schools."
He raised a brow. "And they don't mistake you for a student?"
She raised one right back. "I'm not that young looking."
"Take it as a compliment," he said with a small smile.
"I'm not that old either," she sighed, shaking her head.
He shrugged slightly. "But you are beautiful."
She ducked her head slightly, a bit of a blush coloring her cheeks. "That is a compliment I can take."
"Good, because I mean it."
"Thank you," she said with a nod.
"You're welcome."
"No what else about your family? I know you have parents, but brothers and sisters?"
"Two sisters. Both older. One more of a pain in the ass than the other."
"Well, that must have been interesting when you were growing up."
"It wasn't so bad. I was the baby, so they mostly hung out together. But I pulled pranks on them all the time." He grinned.
"I'm sure they loved you for that one."
"Probably not too much."
"But at least you had fun, right?"
"Oh, I had lots of fun," he nodded with a grin.
"And that's the important part," she nodded.
"Guess so."
She nodded a bit, before taking another sip of her coffee.
He fell quiet as well, waiting for something to pop into his head.
Family, work -- she wasn't sure what else there was to cover. She paused for a minute in thought, just trying to work.
Cole couldn't really come up with anything either. At least nothing along the small talk end of things.
Which made things a little frustrating. "So. How was your day?"
"Pretty uneventful. And yours?"
"'Bout the same. My car is threatening to die on me."
"That can't be good. Have you gotten it looked at?"
"I've got a friend in the city who works on cars and he's having a look at it now, but -- no guarantee that I'll be able to afford getting it fixed."
"Good thing you've got the subways," he nodded.
"And taxis," she said with a nod. "I live in the perfect place for public transportation."
He smiled slightly. "Lucky you."
"Apparently so," she said with a nod. "What does suck is when I have to leave the city. Then I have to car pool."
He watched her and thought a beat or two before shrugging. "If you ever need a lift somewhere.."
She tilted her head to the side slightly. "Seriously?"
"Why not? I've got a car, you might not soon. I think we've proven we get along well enough." He nodded. "Seriously."
"Thank you," she said with a nod. "I appreciate that."
"And maybe you can just make it up to me sometime by having dinner with me."
"I think that would be the least I could do," she nodded, before pausing. "Would I be able to fit a cello in the backseat?"
He raised a brow at that. "Possibly? I guess we'd have to try."
She nodded slightly. "I'm holding a friend's cello for him and I said I'd give back to him at the next gig -- which usually happens to be out of town in the Hamptons."
"When is that going to be?"
"This weekend? I'm playing at a jazz club in East Hampton."
He sighed. "I'm supposed to be away for a few days for business, but...I think I should be back by midday Friday."
"Gig is on Saturday. Sounds perfect."
"Just let me know where it is so I can book myself a room nearby."
"I'll text you the details."
"Sounds good," he nodded, sipping his coffee again.
"Good," she nodded.
He finished off his coffee and looked a his empty cup, then up to her. "So has coffee gone well enough to warrant getting some food next?"
She paused, before glancing down at her watch. "I would but it's getting a little late. I need to be up early tomorrow."
He nodded. "Next time."
"Next time," she nodded, before starting to get up. "I'll text you about the details for the gig."
"Okay." He stood with her politely and reached out to give her hand a squeeze. "It was really great finally meeting you."
"You too," she said with a nod as she squeezed his hand back, before starting to head towards the door.
He watched her exit, then sat back down at the table and watched out the window as she walked away.