Blessing y'all with a picture of Niall having coffee.

_

Carina's POV

ONE WEEK LATER.

It's been a week now since my cafe was inaugurated, and it's doing pretty well.

The customers here say they love my menu. Well, that's all I need.

But along with success and hard work comes stress.

My staff and I have been working crazily for the past week.

In spite of the happy and tiresome atmosphere around me, there was something amiss.

Oh yes, I hadn't seen that hot guy for almost a week.

What was his name?

Niall Horan.

I wish he visited my cafe today, or even every day.

I hope he visits soon; there was something about him that makes me want to see him again.

Duh, I can't wait for my lunch break, which is two hours away from now.

"Excuse me?" an angry customer snapped right in front of my face, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"I'm so sorry, ma'am. Yes, what would you like to have?" I asked the lady who stood in front of me with my most polite smile.

"Now that you're done daydreaming, I'd like to have a caramel frappuccino with two extra shots of cream and caramel," she said in her thick accent.

"Sure, anything else?" I asked as I punched in her desired order.

"That's it," she replied arrogantly.

Once she completed her payment and was seated on one of the tables in my cafe, I repeated her order to Katie, who had been preparing the orders for the past week.

Noah and Aiden were serving the orders to the customers, and Caleb was cleaning up for the past week.

We decided to shuffle the allotments of work weekly.

So, today was the last day for me to take orders.

I'd be preparing the orders for the next week, and my staff members would decide among themselves their allotment of work.

I can't wait for this day to end and to enjoy the weekend all by myself.

"Carina," Katie nudged me, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"What?" I asked lazily.

"You have a customer," said another voice. A very familiar voice.

I turned to my right to look at the customer, and there he stood in front of me.

"Hey, how you doin'?"

He smiled, flashing two gorgeous dimples on either of his cheeks.

I froze. I couldn't move.

I was seeing him after so long. He looked the same, yet so different.

I saw him after 1,156 days, to be precise. 38 months.

Michael Jenks, popularly known as Mike or MJ back in college, was my ex.

The tall Britisher stood in front of me with muscular arms and a toned body. He still had that messy brown hair that contrasted with his green eyes. And oh, those dimples.

"Cari, it looks like you still zone out, love?" he said, smiling and drawing my attention towards his dimples.

"Hey."

It was all I could manage.

Mixed emotions ran through me. The joy of seeing him after 38 months, the pain he caused years ago, which still lingered, the anger I felt years ago and maybe even now, and many more feelings.

"Hi. It's so good to see ya after ages," he said, flashing me one of his gorgeous smiles.

"3 years and 2 months. 38 months later," I said, maybe coldly.

"Wow, precise,. he said, taken aback by my precision.

I didn't move a nerve.

The awkwardness was building up as Katie moved towards Noah, leaving Mike and me alone at the counter.

"So, are you free later tonight? Maybe we could hang out," he said, wiggling his brown eyebrows.

"Seriously, Mike? You say you love me, then turn my world upside down and leave me, and suddenly show up after 3 years like nothing ever happened?" I yelled, furious at him for everything he put me through.

By now, everyone in my cafe was staring at us.

"I'm sorry," I said, raising my hand to everyone who quickly got back to their respective doings.

"Look, Carina, I know what I did was wrong, but please give me one chance to explain myself," he pleaded with an innocent look in his gorgeous green eyes.

"I'm sorry, please leave before I have to kick you out," I said to him as I angrily crossed my arms.

"Alright, I'll leave. If you think I deserve another chance in your life, then come have dinner with me at Sam's Grills. That was your favourite place to dine back then, when we were together," he said with emotion in his eyes. "9 p.m."

He waved at me and exited my cafe, leaving me on a cliffhanger.

"Are you okay?" Katie asked me, worry clearly etched on her face.

"Um, I guess," I mumbled as another customer entered and I got busy.

.

.

It was around 6:30 p.m. Another hour and a half to pass by, and I'd be done with work.

Today's been tiring, with unlimited customers pouring in and the appearance of a special guest.

Note: Please take a hint at the sarcasm.

Goodness, another hour and a half and I'd be free from work.

Free for the entire week.

That's when the realisation struck me: I was supposed to dine with Mike.

As I gazed at the crowd in my cafe, I wondered if I should increase the working hours of my cafe.

It would be tough but also a good source of income.

Maybe I could keep different workers based on hourly shifts or so.

"Hey there," said a melodious voice, and I had to stop zoning the hell out.

"Hi! Niall!" I exclaimed as I saw the hottie, who now stood in front of the counter.

"Are you seriously this excited about seeing me, Carina?" he asked as he giggled.

God, Jesus, why is he so cute?

Yes! I mentally screamed.

"Alright, first, I need a really strong coffee. Anything you suggest should be the best," he said, rubbing his eyes.

"Sure, that would be your basic, strong coffee. With or without sugar?"

"With."

"Anything else?" I asked, stealing a glance at him.

"Yeah, but that can't be ordered," he said with a smirk on his face.

Please, you can have my number already.

"Um, what would that be?" I asked as calmly as possible.

"Can we have dinner tonight? I mean, I really want to get to know you, and I haven't seen you for the past week. That's only if you don't mind," he asked nervously.

"Yeah, sure. "Definitely," I said with the biggest grin on my face.

"Yeah? That's great," he said, smiling like a kid.

"Of course, why not?" I said, over the moon.

Like, the hottest guy on this planet just asked me on a date.

Okay, fine, he asked me to dine with him!

"Yeah, so? Where do you want to go? Sam's Grills? I heard it's a pretty good place," he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

I was about to say yes, but I remembered what Mike said.

Oh shit.

"Um, how about we have street foods? I haven't had it in a while," I said, trying to avoid any further discussion on Sam's Grills.

"Um, street foods? I don't know about street foods. Life of a country boy," he said with a cute expression.

"You'll see it then. It's just four blocks away from here. We could walk down, you know?" I asked, hoping he would agree as this venue was in the complete opposite direction of Sam's Grills.

"Alright, wherever you say," he said with a wide smile, and I was so relieved.

"I'll see you at 9 p.m."

He smiled as Katie arrived with his order and handed it to him.

"Perfect," I replied, trying to flash my most gorgeous smile.

"Alright then, I'll meet you outside your cafe. See you," he said as we waved at each other until he exited.

"Total hottie, isn't he?" Katie said, dreamily.

I felt a sudden pang of jealousy.

Like, I saw him before you. Therefore, only I can call him cute. Or hot.

I smiled at Katie and tried not to make any rude comments.

.

.

Now in my apartment, dressed in a pair of blue ripped jeans and a grey pullover, I stared at my reflection in my full-length mirror.

I had two guys waiting to dine with me tonight.

Mike.

Niall.

I was excited to be around Niall, but maybe Mike deserved a chance too?

I looked closely in the mirror and knew who I'd be dining with tonight.