januarie robinson
- july 16, 2018 -

            SITTING OPPOSITE ME, VICTORIA'S GREEN eyes sparkled. Pink curls fell down her back and ring filled fingers slipped around her hot chocolate to keep occupied. The head hadn't quite peaked in Kensington, but give it about a month and it would be almost unbearable. It was still warm enough to sit in the back of Tony's Coffee, but Victoria wouldn't have it.

            We'd been there for the last hour and she refused to change the subject. She snorted and threw her head back in laughter, "Damn, you're in love with him."

            She sent herself into another fit of giggles, earning us a wide smile from Milo, one of the baristas. Glaring at her, I tightened my jaw. She didn't have to be so loud. Milo was a nice guy, but he worked with Jordyn and he couldn't keep anything to himself.

            "Don't be ridiculous," I rolled my eyes, but something deep in my gut twisted, "I'm not in love with him. I barely know the guy. I mean, I've only worked there for five months. I simply enjoy his company. He may not be the best people person, but he's a smart businessman. I think I could learn a lot from him."

            "You so are. I know that face, Januarie Elizabeth. You're in love with the movie guy! Fuck me—" she slapped a hand over her mouth, but once her laughter stared it was hard to stop, "At least tell me he's got a great ass. That's very important."

            "Stop," I snapped. Grabbing my coffee with both hands, I held it tight, "You don't have to be so crass all the time. I'm not in love with alright. Can't you just drop it already?"

            "I think she doth protest too much. Every time you turn around, you're talking to the guy. Either on the phone or texting."

            "I'm talking to Cole. I've told you that. Now listen," my brow twitched, "I could ask out the next guy that walks through the door if I wanted to."

            Victoria's smile turned mischievous, "Alright, hot stuff," she leaned on her elbows, fire in her eyes, "ready to put your money where that pretty little mouth is? The next guy who walks through that door is all yours."

            "I hate you," I whispered into my cup.

            "If only that were even a little bit true," her smile widened and she took a large swig of her drink.

            She wasn't entirely wrong. Victoria and I had been best friends for longer than I could actually remember. As kids we spent almost every waking hour together. Now not as much, but that's what happened when we both had jobs. She was my wild side and kept me spontaneous while I was the safe side and helped her keep her feet on the ground; not to mention keep her alive.

            The bell above the door jingled as it opened, "Welcome in," Milo spoke above the small radio tucked away in the corner of the quaint shop.

            Both Victoria and I sat up straight. Our eyes snapped at the stranger. Victoria rolled her eyes and I smiled as the woman walked up to the corner and ordered. Grabbing her to-go cup the woman swung open the door letting the jingle again.

            A man fell through the door and the woman jumped back. She laughed with her hand still on her chest, "My apologies."

            He smiled at her and lifted his sunglasses from his eyes. They were stunning. A blue so clear, they looked like the sky. As if we might see a cloud or two float through them at any given moment. With slicked back, blonde hair and a hundred-dollar smile, he came off as someone who stepped right off of the movie screen.

            "No, no," she shook his head, "my fault entirely. Please, let me get the door for you."

            "You have got to be kidding me," Victoria's mouth dropped open. "That's who you got? He looks like fucking Captain America. Why couldn't it be someone like Walter down at the market?"

            "Hey!" I turned and punched her in the arm, "Walter is a perfectly fine man."

            "Yeah, but could you actually picture kissing him?"

            My jaw clenched, "Could you?"

            "Okay, just because I don't want to fuck a guy doesn't mean I can't appreciate the view okay."

            Shaking my head, I stared her down, "Victoria."

            She rolled her eyes, "I know, I know. The potty mouth. Whatever, Mom." She downed the rest of her drink in a single go and slammed it back down on the table, "Now go ask that fine man out on a date before I punch you in the arm as pay back."

            I sent a glare her way and slipped off the wooden bench. Standing next to the table, I watched him move across the room to a long couch in the back. I took a deep breath and walked up to him.

            My heart rammed against my ribcage hard enough to make my chest hurt. I had nothing to prove to Victoria. Lucas and I were co-workers and friends, nothing more. Did I talk to him on the phone? Occasionally, but there was nothing wrong with that. Perhaps it had more to do with proving something to me than it did with her.

            "Hi," the man in front of me twisted in his spot and sent me a smile, "I'm Januarie."

            He shook my hand with a firm grip and he tilted his head the smallest bit, "Jackson Montgomery."

            "Very literary," I attempted to smile.

            He laughed, gesturing to me, "Very festive."

            What I had of a smile wavered on my lips, "Okay, listen. I'm really sorry about this, but my friend is convinced that I'm in love with this man and to prove she's wrong I told her I'd ask out the next guy to walk through the door. I get it if you want to say no, but would you want to get dinner with me sometime?"

            The smile on his lips widened and he shrugged off his leather jacket, draping it over the side of the couch, "Well, are you?"

            Glancing around, I knitted my brows, "Am I what?'

            "In love with him?"

            I let out a slow breath and tried to think of the right words. The right things to say in this situation. My breath just kept screaming, tell him no!

            I didn't even really know him. Lucas was a complicated man to understand and he kept everyone at an arm's length, but I swear his laugh could melt snow. Just the thought of him sent butterflies through my stomach.

            Feelings like that took years to form. I've been through this situation more times than I could count and the last thing I wanted was to be burnt again. Time could stand still and I wouldn't be able to process the things running through my mind.

            But Lucas could do that. How wonderful was it to meet someone with the ability to stop time?

            Twisting my ring, I blinked and cleared my throat, "No... Yes... No... Maybe?" Shaking my head, I laughed, "Honestly, I have no idea how I feel, but all I do know is that love is an extremely strong word."

            My brain switched completely with the ringing of my phone. My heart jumped to my throat and I turned to look at Milo. Shaking his head, he pointed to the sign on the wall; No Phones.

            I pulled the phone from my pocket and watched the name scroll across the screen, my heart stopped suddenly.

            LUCAS HILL

            "I'm so sorry, but I have to take this call."

            Jackson laughed. In one swift movement, he pulled out a business card and pushed it into the palm of my hand.

            Jackson Montgomery, Head of Literary Department, Kensington Community College.

            "If you need anyone to talk to, don't be afraid to give me a call," he smiled and sent me a wink. "Plus, you still have my number to appease your friend."

            Holding my phone, I smile, "Thank you so much. You're a real lifesaver, Jackson. Thank you."

            "Januarie, phone," Milo called over the counter.

            "I'm going!" I laughed and bolted through the door. I barely had enough time to catch the look Victoria shot me over the top of her journal.

            Sliding the screen over, I held the device to my ear, but waited for the voice on the other end of the line to speak first. There was a deep breath, "Januarie?"

            "Lucas, hey." My voice automatically turned hushed, "Sorry I didn't answer sooner. I had to get outside. No phones allowed."

            He laughed that laugh of his and I sunk onto one of the benches outside. Perhaps it was me, perhaps I was the snow, "No phones? Where are you, a convent?"

            I smiled, "A café actually."

            "What kind of café doesn't allow phones?"

            "It's kind of like living in the eighties when you actually had to talk to one another face to face."

            "Doesn't seem to be working all that well," he laughed, "you're talking to me, aren't you?"

            I bobbed my head, red curls bouncing, "But you see, I'm not inside the building, now am I? No rules broken on my watch."

            "No. Of course not. You're no rule breaker. Not that I've observed."

            "And if I was, you'd never know about it." We shared a laugh and then got quiet. There was a long pause between the two of us, but there was something comforting about it. Knowing he was on the other side of the phone settled all the nerves I felt.

            "Anyways," he breathed, "what I actually called for and I hate to bother you on your day off, but I was wondering if you'd be willing to work this Saturday? We just scheduled a party that morning for the Young Scholars program through the high school."

            "Yeah, of course, I'll work it. The woman who runs the program, Mrs. McKenzie is absolutely amazing. I went through the entire thing when I was in high school and she help me so much."

            "You went through the Young Scholars program?" The disbelief in his voice made me laugh more than it probably should have.

            "For English Literature with a focus in poetry."

            "That's incredible. I went for Mathematics."

            "No way!" I doubled over in laughter, "You went through the program too? What are the odds?"

            "It really helped me out in the long run with all the college credits I got because of it."

            A smile tugged at my lips, "So, a math nerd? Really?"

            He laughed and I sighed. How was I supposed to think and focus when he kept doing that, "Yeah, that was me in high school. A complete nerd for numbers. Well, that and Star Wars."

            "You must have been a real lady killer."

            "They were knocking down my door."

            "Still did better than me. I was a ghost in high school. I did what I had to do and then got the hell out of there."

            "Wait a minute," he paused, "I remember something about Drama club on your application."

            I busted up laughing, "No! Why do you remember that?"

            Felt like it was something worth remembering. Turns out I was right."

            The door to the coffee shop opened and caught my attention. I turned to find Victoria giving me the stink eye, "Who in God's name are you talking to out here?"

            "Anyways, yes. I'd love to, but I have to go. I'll talk to you later." I spoke quickly and hung up the phone without waiting for a reply. Sending Victoria an innocent smile, I dropped the phone into my lap, "What?"

            Stepping out the door, she let it shut behind her, "Who. Are. You. Talking. To?"

            "Oh," I laughed, waving her off, "just Cole."

            "Just Cole, huh?" She glanced down to my phone and back up again, "Are you sure about that? Is that really what you want to go with? Would you like to lock in your answer?"

            "Yes."

            She raised a brow and watched me closely. If I was going to crack under the pressure it would have been with that look. Rolling her eyes, she stormed back into the coffee shop. My heart pounded against my chest long after she disappeared.

            I blew out a breath and fell back onto the bench, letting the wood dig into my spine. Closing my eyes, I tried to get my body to calm back down. I held my phone close to my chest. My hands shook and my legs bounced.

            Every atom in my body... Every molecule screamed for me to pick up the phone again and dial Lucas back just so I could hear his voice. Something about it electrified my soul, but somehow calmed it all the same and I still wasn't sure how that was exactly possible. He'd strangely become a safe haven for every probably I had and every worry that kept me tossing and turning at night. And, he'd done it without my permission to do so.

            Forcing the smile from my lips, I pushed off the bench and made my way back inside. I held the door open as Jackson left. He gave me a nod and a knowing smile before leaving. He swung his leg over the motorcycle parked out front and took off down the road towards the college.

            I plopped down in my previous seat and Victoria smiled. She wasn't going to let this go anytime soon. I could feel it in my bones. I've known her far too long. From my back pocket I pulled out Jackson's business card and slid it across the table.

            Her eyes moved to the card and she shook her head.

            "He's a literature professor at the college and he told me to call any time."

            She looked up at me and she opened her mouth to say something, but must have decided against it. She simply slid the card back to me and sent a warm smile that way, "You're right. I'm sorry. I should have believed you from the very beginning."

            I grabbed the card and slipped it back into my pocket, "Thank you. Now can we get back to our coffee and catch up?"

            "Of course," Victoria laughed. "So?"

            "So, what?"

            She threw her hands in the air, "How is the man's ass, Robinson?"