It wasn’t the fresh aroma of baked muffins or delectable hot coffee that attracted Jared to the corner coffee shop every weekend. Nor was it the jazz music that poured into the streets. Jared was provoked to return to the coffee shop each weekend because of a young waitress.

It was her sweet smile and the delicate scent of her perfume that wafted over him as she walked passed. It was her cheerful laugh as she poured coffee for the other customers. Jared fell in love with her smile, her laugh, even her name, Virginia.

Virginia, however, wasn’t interested in the luxuries of love. She had once given her heart to a man, only to have it shattered in front of her. Since then, she has kept her heart to herself and created a barrier between herself and others. In Virginia’s mind, there wasn’t a point in getting to know people when in the end their presence will only be a painful memory.

Jared knew none of this. All he knew was her name and her beautiful smile. He was always too nervous to approach her and make small talk, so instead he’d order coffee and muffins, only so she’d recognize him. At least he’d be on her mind, even for a moment, and that was all that mattered.

It had been almost two months since Jared had been going to the coffee shop. It was the weekend before Valentine's Day and Jared wanted to make an everlasting impression. One that would make her blush and look twice at him, make her think of him for longer than a brief second. Before going to the coffee shop, Jared went to the flower shop and purchased a pink rose along with a card attached by a silk, white ribbon. On the card, Jared quickly scribbled:
A beautiful flower, for a beautiful lady. You + me = Coffee Date?








– Jared
Jared sat at his usual table, anxiously waiting for Virginia to grace him with her beauty. His heart raced. He wondered what her reaction would be. Would she smile, or laugh maybe? Or maybe she’d just conclude that he’s crazy. His palms started to sweat as he held the rose, fiddling with the stem anxiously.
Virginia stood in the back freezer, inhaling the cold, crisp air. She was stressed and ready to go home. Everyday she has to paint a smile on her face and appear cheerful. She took one more deep breath and left the freezer to enter the outside world once again. She smiled brightly and approached Jared, pad of paper and pen in hand. She knew this customer, not by name, but by face. He was a regular, but only on the weekends.
“Coffee, extra, extra with a blue berry muffin, right?” she asked, smiling sweetly. Jared nodded and admired her. She wore a pink blouse with a cute, pink skirt. She also wore white tights printed with pink and red hearts and shoes to match. Virginia scribbled the order on a pad of paper and turned to walk away. Almost forgetting about the rose, Jared jumped from his chair anxiously and reached for her hand.
“Wait,” he said, holding her hand. He pulled back, fearing he may have offended her. “For you,” he whispered, scared. He held the rose out for her to take. Virginia could only stare, lost of words. She smiled a true smile and took the rose.
“Thank you. You’re sweet” she whispered, her cheeks pinked slightly, matching the color of the rose. She scurried behind the counter, getting Jared's order together. Still, she continued to blush. She read the note Jared left her. She giggled quietly and set the rose and note aside. The idea of a date only scared her, but she couldn’t help but stare at him while he stared back.
Virginia returned to the table with two cups of coffee and two muffins. She took a seat across from Jared and sipped her cup of coffee, two sugars with extra cream. She stared into his bright green eyes. She was filled with a mixture of emotions. She felt light hearted as well as nervous and fearful.

Jared tried to make small talk, but his voice refused to work. He could only smile at her and get lost in her deep blue eyes. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach. He never thought he’d actually get this far. He cleared his throat nervously. "My name's Jared," he introduced shakily.

"Virginia," she said. Jared melted at the sound of her sweet voice. For the next half an hour, Jared and Virginia made small talk. Discussing their current life style and where they wanted to go in the world. Before returning behind the counter, Virginia jolted down her number on a napkin and slipped it into Jared's hand. He pulled her towards him. He longed to kiss her soft lips, but decided to save it for a more romantic setting.

He placed a kiss on the back of her hand and took one more look into her deep blue eyes. She giggled excitedly and returned to work. Jared left the coffee shop, clutching the phone number in his pocket. Excitement filled him as the jazz music erupted into the street from the small coffee shop.