A Bit Of Luck

Cobe settled herself behind the counter at The Sugar Mill. Her eyes were tired and heavy but there was a light smile lifting the corner of her lips. Normally, after her visits to Scarlett in the hospital, she was left with a feeling of depression. Yesterday she'd left happy in the knowledge that her friend was being taken care of by one of the nicest--and cutest--interns that she'd ever met. The fact that he seemed to have a rather large crush on her friend only made her smile more.

Grabbing a cloth from the sink beneath the counter, she slowly began to clean the it. It was nearing closing time and the rest of her staff had been sent home due to the quietness of the store. Cobe hated days when the business was slow. She was making more than enough money to substantiate these days, but she couldn't handle how things seemed to drag. Half an hour would pass by as if it were a week.

And, just as it seemed as though time was about to become the death of her, the little bell above the shop door tinkled and she straightened herself up. She liked that her shoes today had a slight heel which pushed her slight 5'6" frame a little higher. "Hiya," she smiled at the male that had approached the counter. "How may I help you?"

His head, which had been bent forward to support his slouched stature, lifted slowly and Cobe was slightly startled by his looks. A mop of messy, light brown hair covered most of one of his dark eyes. A little ring of metal glinted in his nose and a scattering of stubble dusted his handsome jaw line. She smiled, faintly aware that the heat was rising to her cheeks, and fiddled with her apron beneath the cover of the counter.

"Uhh," he seemed taken aback by her question--or perhaps her accent. She could never be sure--and he glanced quickly at the menu. "Can I get a large coffee and a slice of cheese cake?"

Nodding, Cobe was thankful for the chance to turn around. His eyes were almost boring into her when he looked at her and she hated it when people did that. Cobe was more of a blend-into-the-background sort of person. She liked that Scarlett had a loud personality and she loved her friend for being open and honest, but on some level Cobe was just glad to have the attention diverted away from herself.

Fixing a slightly more generous slice of cheesecake onto a plate, Cobe dusted it lightly with a snowy fall of sugar before sliding it to the male in front of her. The coffee followed within seconds. And she was relieved, once again, when she had to turn to use the till. Their hands had brushed and she was sure hers had caught on fire.

"Keep the change," the stranger told her as she made to offer him the money back--there was almost four dollars in change. He flashed her a quick smile, crooked and boyish, before he took up a seat in one of the over-stuffed armchairs and settled down to enjoy his purchase.

Cobe, with her shop almost spotless, took her free time to sneakily admire the new comer. He was slightly different to the men she normally chose. He had a rogue sort of look about him and his jeans were ripped heavily at the knees. Cobe tended to go for men a little cleaner cut. She bit her lip, embarrassed, as she turned away from his imploring stare--which had just caught her looking--but was saved from further embarrassment as the shop's phone rang in the back of the shop. Cobe darted for shelter.

"Hello, The Sugar Mill," she spoke, feigning cheerfulness.

"Cobe?" she heard someone sob down the other end. Cobe felt her blood run cold.