The Cold Brew Meet-Cute

Cold Brew Meet-Cute

The hustle and bustle of the Tim Horton's dining area was astonishing. A team of several teens scrambled with orders, trying to keep the waiting customers happy. It was incredible how they managed to stay calm during the hellish lunch hour shift. They deserved metals and awards for their work.

I continued to sit contentedly in my quiet corner, trying to avoid potentially socializing with anyone. A book and Tim's coffee was enough to keep me company on any day. Although, for some reason not even I knew, today I switched my usual large coffee with two sugars and a cream for their newest creation. The cold brew.

As I looked up at the menu, something inside me had compelled me to take a risk. A display of dark, velvety liquid being slowly poured into a glass with ice cubes, mixing with cream and swirling to a sweet-color looked very convincing. Before realizing that I had just been drooling over the digital menu, an impatient customer had pushed me to the counter.

I now cringed, wondering how long I had held up the line by my hypnotized desire for the cold brew. Trying to shake my embarrassed feelings, I finally took the first sip. All the hesitant and skeptical feelings I had towards the beverage were instantly washed away. In their place was a smooth yet intense longing for more. As if I had become a robot controlled by some unearthly being, I persistently guzzled the heavenly concoction until my lungs begged for air. My head was dizzy but my taste buds were satisfied.

Setting down my practically empty cup, I rested against my wooden seat and grasped the book in front of me. Some might wonder why I would choose the chaotic rush-hour to read in a Tim's, but my reason was perfectly sensible. The smell. Coffee always put out a mesmerizing aroma that made reading all the more exhilarating.

Just as I'm about to open my book, I spot an isolated gentleman doing the same. He glanced up, as if feeling my gaze, and we locked eyes. My heart did a flip, though I willed it not to. Romance is never how they describe it in the books, especially for me.

Tearing my eyes away from his kind expression, I concentrated on my book. Surprisingly, I barely noticed when he reached my table and inquired about the seat across from me.

"I'm Luke," he spoke while taking his seat. We shook hands, and I replied shyly that my name was Emma. His dark hair and grey eyes were simply mesmerizing.

"It looks like we have similar taste," he remarked, gesturing to our identical drink.

"Yes, I guess we do. I don't usually order this drink, but something inside me insisted on trying it," I replied.

"Same! It's as if the universe pulled me to it."

Over the next hour we continued to bond through our newfound love. Perhaps, for me, romance could be like the books.