cozy cup

V.

(chapter 5)

Vinny's heart was still in his throat when the bell tinkled over the door, signaling the official departure of the brown-haired man. Owen. The name floated through his mind, and he thought back to the words the girl that was with him had said. Cute boy at the cafe. Was that supposed to be him? His cheeks flushed at the thought, and he grabbed the shirt that was neatly folded on the counter.

Grabbing it up, he held it pointedly away from his chest, so as to not get any coffee on it. The shirt was still wet and very cold against his skin. He needed to change. Huffing out a breath, he scanned the lobby quickly to make sure no one needed help then pivoted on his heel to walk to the back of the store. He was just pushing through the swinging doors when he almost slammed into Roe, the small woman letting out a short noise of surprise.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, hands coming up but not touching him. She took a step away from him, eyes trailing over him to stop on the stain on his chest and the shirt in his hands. "I was just coming to find you, Vin. Dee told me you spilled coffee on yourself. Once you get cleaned up, you can take the rest of the day off."

The tightness in Vinny's chest, one he hadn't realized he had been feeling the whole time, loosened. Taking a deep breath, he sent her a soft smile. "Thanks, Roe. I'll let you know what I decide to do in a little bit."

"Alright," she responded, stepping around him to go out the doors. "I'll be helping Dee take orders. Let me know if you need some burn cream or something, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled, stepping aside to let her pass by him easier. He walked to the break room once she disappeared, the doors swinging behind her. Stopping in front of the hook where he had placed his bag and jacket–it had been quite chilly when he went into work that morning–he quickly yanked his shirt over his head, turning to look himself over in the long mirror Roe had made sure to place in the corner to make the space look bigger and lighter, but also so that employees could look themselves over before starting or returning to their shifts. His pale torso was a little red in places, though the redness didn't burn much when he brushed his fingers over the areas. He would be fine after a little rest.

The shirt that Owen had left for him unfolded in his hands. A certain fragrance came from the fabric, a slight hint of fabric softener and cologne. The smell alone, deep musk with sweet undertones, sent heat immediately to his cheeks. Vinny forced himself to turn from the mirror so he wouldn't have to witness the way the red came up from his chest to linger in his cheeks and touch the tips of his ears. He shoved the shirt over his head, holding his breath unconsciously, trying to ignore how big it was on him, how soft the fabric was–as if it had been worn often and for a long time–and thoughts of how the shirt might fit on its owner.

He blocked those images, grabbing his back and jacket as he pushed through the break room door and walked back up front. Roe and Dee were tidying up when he went through the swinging doors, Dee over by the espresso machine and Roe bent down in front of the display cases. They both stopped what they were doing to look over at him at the sound of the doors slapping back together.

"I'm gonna go home," he said softly. "I didn't get that bad of a burn, but my shift is already almost over for the day and I have a lot to do that I won't be able to do tomorrow. And I need to catch up on some sleep."

"Yeah, sure," Roe said, nodding, silky black hair bobbing around her shoulder. "Absolutely. Go rest. We shouldn't be too busy for the rest of the day, and I was thinking of closing up early, anyway."

He nodded, his gaze sliding from her gentle features to Dee. She looked both concerned and smug about something, and he had a feeling it had to do with the comment that that girl made. Her eyes trailed over his torso teasingly, and he pointedly looked away from her.