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As five o’clock approaches, I sink into one of the brown leather couches and open a can of Coke, hoping the caffeine and sugar ht snap oing to take the rubbish out,’ Sylvie calls over, yanking the black sack from one of the bins ‘You okay?’

‘Fabulous’ I holdthe tehts in the ceiling I can’t wait to fall into bed My feet are aching, and I desperately need a shower

‘Is anyone working or is it self-service?’

I jump up from the couch at the sound of the i around to tend toe to curse out loud ‘What can I get you?’ I ask, rubbing er back And I definitely gasp His piercing blue eyes are burning into aze drifts and takes in his open suit jacket, a waistcoat and pale-blue shirt and tie, his dark stubbled jaw, and the way his lips are parted just so Then I find those eyes again They’re the sharpest blue I’ve ever seen, and they’re cutting right through e of curiosity The definition of perfection is standing beforein wonder

‘Do you often exahly?’ His head cocks to the side, his perfect eyebrow arching expectantly

‘What can I get you?’ I breathe, waving ars, topped up halfway’ The words roll from his mouth but I don’t hear the the my eyes on his mouth Before I knohat’s happened, ers I glance doith a frown

‘Hello?’ He sounds i my eyes to snap up I allow myself to step back and take in all of his face I’ he is, but because I’ve lost all ofjust fine, and they can’t seem to disconnect from his flawlessness I don’t even lose my concentration when he rests his pal a wave from his tousled dark hair to fall onto his forehead ‘A you feel uncomfortable?’ he asks I lip-read that, too

‘What can I get you?’ I breathe once ain

He nods down to my pen ‘You’ve already askedink strewn all over ers, but it doesn’t make a bit of sense, not even when I try to match up the pad to where the pen has trailed off

Slowly liftingin the It’s thrown me completely

I scan the information stored in my mind from the last few es of his face ‘Cappuccino?’ I ask hopefully

‘Americano,’ he counters sars and topped up halfway’

‘Right!’ I snap myself from my pathetic awestruck state and ,I bash the filter on the wooden drawer to rid it of the used beans, hoping the loud s will knock soe

Pulling the lever on the grinder, I load the filter up He’s staring atrown to love It’s not lovingI tell it to I can’t secure the filter in the holder; htest

Taking a deep, cal the filter and placing the cup underneath I press the button and wait for it to work its er behind me In the whole week I’ve worked at Del’s Bistro, I’ve never known theto filter so it to hurry the hell up

When an eternity has passed, I take the cup and slip in two sugars, ready to top it up ater

‘Four shots’ He breaks the uncomfortable silence with that soft rasp

‘Pardon?’ I don’t turn around

‘I ordered four shots’

I look down at the cup, containing just one shot, and close ods to helpit takes me to add three more shots, but when I finally turn to deliver his coffee, he’s sitting on a sofa, relaxed, his lean physique stretched out, his fingers tapping the arm His face doesn’t show a hint of ee reason that makes me really unhappy I’ve handled that damn machine perfectly all day, and nohen I really want to look like I knohat I’ off as an incompetent fool I feel stupid as I hold up the takeaway cup before placing it neatly on the counter

He looks at it, then back to me ‘I want to drink in’ His face is serious, his tone flat but sharp, and I stare at hienuine I don’t re for a takeaway; I just assumed He doesn’t look like the type to sit around in back-street bistros He looks le-with-the- a coffee cup and saucer, I simply transfer the coffee and shove a teaspoon on the side before taking steady steps over to hi of the cup on the saucer I place it down on the low table and watch as he swivels the saucer before lifting the cup, but I don’t hang around to watch hi

I virtually burst through the swing door of the kitchen, finding Paul putting his coat on ‘All right, Livy?’ he asks, his rounded face scanning e metal sink to washfrom the wall Paul takes the initiative to answer, obviously concluding that I’ my hands until they disappear

‘For you, Livy I’reat weekend, Paul,’ I say, drying my hands before I take the phone ‘Hello?’

‘Livy, honey, are you busy tonight?’ Del asks

‘Tonight?’

‘Yes, I have a catering contract for a charity gala and I’ve been let down Could you be a doll and help me out?’

‘Oh, Del, I’d love to, but’ I have no idea why I said I’d love to, because I really wouldn’t, and I can’t finish that sentence because I can’t find a ‘but’ I have nothing to do this evening except faff around et told off for it

‘Ah, Livy, I’ll pay you well I’h, leaning against the wall

‘You star! Seven to ht It’s not hard, honey Just walk around with trays of canapés and glasses of chane Piece of cake’