Parchment and Coffee

Ch. 4

Elle found herself lost at the end of the book. The guy was right. The ending was so unexpected; she wanted to start on the second book of the series immediately. But unfortunately for her, it is starting to get late. So she gathered her things and stood up. She put back the book on its place and went out of the coffee shop.

As she walks home, she remembered again her friend's accusation of her being lonely. She mulled this over her head. She's not really lonely. She has her family, her set of friends, and colleagues. She doesn't need a guy in her life to be happy.

Not after Graham.

She stopped dead on her tracks, her heart beating faster than it should. No, she's not gonna allow those thoughts and memories inside her head. She shouldn't. Trying to banish that thought, she shook her head and berated herself.

It's been three years already. Stop it. Get a move on.

She started walking again, making an effort not to think about the past. Instead, she forced herself to think about the book she has just read. That's the point of why she goes to the coffee shop and read, right? To forget, even just for a moment, all her problems. She sighed and tried to collect her thoughts again.

She went straight to her room when she arrived at home. She dropped on her bed and stared at her ceiling. The face of the guy invaded her thought. So his name is Josh. She frowned.

What is wrong with me today? Nope. Not gonna think about him. Stop it, brain. Let's think about the book, okay brain? Cooperate. The book. The plot of the book. We're thinking about the book.

She rolled to her side and closed her eyes, and tried not to think of anything at all.

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The next Saturday, Elle entered Parchment and Coffee with a bounce on her steps, and a small smile playing in her lips. She had a good week. Her lessons went smoothly, and her students cooperated with her.

She ordered her usual coffee and cake and went to the shelves. Her smile melted when she saw that the second book of the series that she wanted to read was not on the shelf. She frowned a little and grabbed a random book. She went to her favorite table by the window and sat. She didn't open the book immediately but waited first for her order to arrive. Lucky that she did, because along with her order is a surprise.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. Here's your order, and someone wanted to give this to you, too," the waiter put her orders on the table and put a book on the table.

Elle gaped at the waiter. He just handed her the second book of the series, the one that she's been looking for earlier. The waiter just smiled at her politely.

"Oh, uh. Thank you. Who wanted to give this to me, by the way?" She asked while holding up the book.

"Just someone, ma'am," the waiter continued to smile at her, "anything else, ma'am?"

"Nothing. Thank you again."

"Have a good day, ma'am. Enjoy your coffee and book." With that, the waiter left her table.

Elle stared at the book. She had an inkling as to who is behind this. She stood up and put back the book she got earlier.

When she went back to her table, she stared again at the book. She opened the book and found a sticky note on the first page. She read it quietly.

I reserved this book specifically for you. I know that you would want to read it, as you have finished the first book last week. I don't want you to be disappointed again if someone got it before you. I took it off the shelf before anyone else could and asked a favor from Ced. So here it is. Enjoy.