A Year In Our Lives (Chris Evans AU Fanfic)

8. Mommy Issues

The old stairs squeaked in a homely way when Mia tiptoed down them. She stopped behind the curtain that was hung in the doorway between the stairs and the diner to guard Chris' privacy. As she peeked into the diner, she was surprised by how crowded it was on a Sunday morning. She was craving coffee but looking at the crowd made her hesitate. The back door was right there, a few feet away, and she was tempted to sneak out and not look back. But when she got to thinking about what waited for her at her mother's house... She sighed and took a step forward. She planned to sneak in as discreetly as possible, but unfortunately, the plan didn't work. As soon as she opened the curtain, people turned to look at her, intrigued. She smiled and waved back at them awkwardly.

Seeing that Chris was busy taking orders by the window, Mia snuck behind the counter and grabbed a cup. After filling it to the brim, she sat on the barstool that had become her regular spot and took the first sip. Hot and heavenly, as always. The man sure knew how to make good coffee. She turned to look at Chris and her eyes confirmed her earlier observation. The man who made the best coffee was looking extra hot and heavenly today. Knowing exactly what was under the flannel, suddenly made the flannel look irresistible and Mia found herself staring. When Chris lifted his head from his notepad and smiled at her from the corner of his mouth, Mia blushed like a school girl and a heat wave rattled her core. She shook her head and turned back to her cup. Must be the hangover. Before she had time to recover, Chris was standing behind the counter in front of her, smirking.

"Feeling better?"

"A bit. This helps," Mia smiled and gestured to her coffee cup.

"What else can I get for you?"

Mia shook her head. "Nothing, thanks. I don't think I can eat anything."

"Too bad. I was looking forward to making you my hangover special."

Mia grimaced. "Again, no thanks. When guys say they have a hangover special, they're either referring to what's in their pants, or a disgusting smoothie made of raw eggs, spinach, and hot sauce. I'm not in the mood for either."

"You haven't learned anything, have you? You should know by now I'm not like other guys. My special is chocolate chip pancakes with raspberries and salted caramel sauce."

"Say that again," Mia sighed and closed her eyes.

Chris quirked an eyebrow. "What? Chocolate chip pancakes with raspberries and salted caramel sauce?"

"Mmmmmm. I love it when you talk dirty to me."

"Take it that's a yes?" Chris confirmed and Mia nodded enthusiastically.

"I'll be right back," Chris said before he disappeared into the kitchen.

Mia sipped on her coffee and tried to fill in the gaps in her hazy memories from last night. When a customer approached, hoping for a refill, Mia swiftly popped behind the counter, grabbed the coffee pot, and served her. On a whim, she made a round through the diner with the pot, filling a few more people's cups. When she sat back down, Chris hurried out of the kitchen and handed her a plate. He waited eagerly for Mia to take the first bite and a smile spread to his face when she let out a satisfied moan.

"Mmm. Best hangover special ever."

"Glad you like it. So... Do you want to talk about last night?"

"I'd rather not, thanks."

"You must have had a good reason to go out and wreak havoc on our lovely town on a peaceful Saturday night. By havoc I mean your Roxette covers."

Mia shrugged. "No reason. Just felt like letting my hair down. The best thing about being a woman and all that."