Too Fat for Love

C is for Coffee

"You couldn't honestly wait?" I asked picking up the bucket as I walked back. I looked over my shoulder as he smiled.

"Well you can talk while you walk right?" he said placing his hands into his pockets.

"Well why don't you make yourself useful then and help me?" I said nodding. There were plenty more flower that needed transportation. He gave them a look and then looked at me.

"I'll ruin my suit,"

"Oh my god," I muttered turning around and jogging back. I had till the end of the day to do this and he was just slowing me down. Didn't he say he would help me.

I heard a chuckle and looked to see him laughing in the side walk rather than helping me and shake his head.

"I was joking, here you go get some more," 

His fingers brushed mine as he took the bucket from me and I jumped at the contact. 

"I u-," I didn't even have time to talk or register as he turned walking towards our shop, okay he wasn't that bad after all.

There were barley any words spoken between us as he helped me carry all the buckets back.

'There," I said placing the final one down and arching my back which hurt now, great.

"Now that you are free, I need to book a wedding," I rolled my eyes, I was not free, I had all these flowers to tie but since he did help me I excused myself around him as he decided to sit in the chair like he owned the place, and went to the counter opening a page.

"Okay we have the 13th, 26th and 29th available,"

"It's the 30th," He said pointing to the calender and I laughed shaking my head, "No in January,"

"That's eight months away,"

I nodded, "Well of course we're booked out other days and we don't do more than three events in a month, no matter when they are,"

Unless there was a big exception, like this month it was three in one week but that was about it. And we needed heaps of weeks in warning, we had to order food, venues, get workers and it was a lot of work.

"But I need it this month!"

I raised an eyebrow as he frowned and placed his hands on his hips, what was he a five year old?

"Look kid we are booked out and I can't help you,"

He sighed looking frustrated, I felt bad for him, I really did but there was no way we can take on more jobs than three. That might mean we under perform or just not get it finished by then.

"How about next month?"

"Boo-,"

"And don't say you're booked out either,"

I closed my mouth and stood there clasping my hands in my lap.

"Are you going to say something?"

"You said not to say booked out, and that's what I will say. We are literally booked out,"

I would have opened the client database to show him but that was private stuff. Just as I was about to tell him to leave Jenny walked out smiling and looked between us raising an eyebrow.

"Is everything okay?" she said slowly with her hands up like she felt like she was disturbing something.

"Everything is okay, I was just telling this gentleman that we are booked out till January,"

"There's got to be something, I promised my sister I would find planners for her,"

"We are not just planners thank you very much," I snapped feeling angry, first he comes in follows me and then tries to pressure me into booking him in.

His deep eyes shot to mine and I glared right back at him. Did he really think he could walk all over my business.

"We really are booked sir," said Jenny going to the computer pushing me out of the way. I looked back at him surprised to see him looking at me in the eye rather than her ass that was too visible by the way she was bending clicking open files.

I cleared my throat looking around.

"Well I guess we could fit you in next month,"

"Thank you,"

"What?" I snapped looking at her. She shrugged standing up and I motioned my head towards the door.

"Excuse us," I said as I grabbed her upper arm dragging her into the back office.

"What do you mean we can fit him in, we can't,"

"Oh come on babe, look at him he clearly needs event planners, besides we're doing two birthdays and one baby shower party, they require very little effort. And we need to work faster if we want to expand,"

She had a point. Birthdays didn't take us too long to plan if everything went right, but what were the chances everything could go right?

Look at this one, the flowers were a mess.

"But -,"

"No buts, why don't you tell him the details of what we do and I will finish the last boxes and help you with the flowers,"

I groaned rubbing my temples, did we need the extra stress weddings brought? There was always someone who wanted something different to the bride, when really it was the bride's day.

I stepped back outside and saw him sitting on one of the black chairs flicking through the magazines. He saw me and smiled standing up.

"Thank you, I will pay you double for doing this,"

I narrowed my eyes going and sitting at the computer chair as he leaned over, somehow I felt like a charity case when he said that.

I kept silent biting my tongue, I did have to learn to talk back less.

"June 27th?"

"Can you go 30th?"

I looked up at him.

"27 is perfect,"

"I thought so too," I said opening the calender up and placing him in.

"Name?" 

"Samantha Reed,"

I looked up, "I mean your name," I said, unless his name was Samantha, who was I to judge. My parents named me after a colour.

"But the wedding is hers,"

"I still need to know your name as well, unless she's dealing with the rest?"

"No, no I'm planning it," he said wrinkling his nose and I held back a smile, men never really did want to plan the wedding.

"I'm paying for it too," he said sighing and propped up on elbow leaning on it and somehow that pose made me think he was a ten year old who was waiting for food, not a grown attractive man.

I cleared my throat, "Reed, just put it under Alexander Reed,"

I paused, that name, why did it seem so familiar? I looked up at him as his green eyes looked at me bored.

'What?"

"Nothing," I said shaking my head typing in the details. I know that name.

"Number?"

"I hope this is on a professional level," he said winking and I rolled my eyes.

"Just give me your number,"

He nodded sobering up and I typed away the digits. Gosh he seemed like a hyper kid on coffee one moment and like a prude the next. Jesus Violet since when were you so judge mental of others?

"Okay then. I'll call you to arrange a meeting to discuss the plans,"

He nodded tapping his fingers as I stood up. 

"Anything else?" I asked as he still stood staring at me making me feel self-conscious. For a moment I felt he was staring at my cheeks, were they too puffy for my face? I couldn't help having chubby cheeks. It was genetics.

"No, no nothing,"

I nodded and he turned around and paused before turning back around, "Do you want coffee?"