Page 61 of Mine Again
Andrea leans in. “That’s… not what you ordered.”
I blink hard, dragging my eyes from the cup to him, forcing a smile that’s thin and brittle.
“No,” I manage, feeling rattled. “It’s not.”
He chuckles. “And after you just told me how much you hate soy.”
Turning to the waitress, he says, “She ordered a cappuccino. With whole milk.”
The waitress appears genuinely confused. “I remember now… but I swear that’s not what was in the system. Not sure what’s going on today. I’m so sorry.”
She lifts the cup away. The butterfly shifts, one wing dragging through the foam as the mug tilts. Then it’s gone.
“I’ll be right back with your cappuccino.”
A heaviness settles over me like a fog I didn’t see coming. I didn’t want to think about Luca today. Not here. Not while I’m sitting across from someone who’s trying. Someone I’m trying with.
Andrea’s voice cuts through the fog. “Okay. I’ve embarrassed myself falling through a chair. Want to hear about the time I nearly got stranded on a volcano?”
I swallow, dragging myself back to the moment. “Please say it wasn’t active.”
“Mount Etna. Very active. Very angry-looking. I took a wrong turn up a goat trail because I followed what I thought was a sign. Spoiler: it was a painted rock.”
I blink at him. “You didn’t.”
“I did. A whole herd of goats blocked the path. I had to reverse downhill while their leader glared at me like I’d insulted his mother.”
A laugh slips out before I can stop it.
“What happened?”
“Thankfully, a local shepherd showed up. I didn’t have cash on me, so I bribed him with two bars of Swiss chocolate I’d bought at a gas station to get me off the mountain. The man saved my life. I owe him a statue.”
This time, my laugh is real. It escapes easily, loosening the weight in my chest.
The tension melts away. Andrea’s stories and gentle humor pull me back.
We talk some more, drink more coffee, and eat cake. It’s easy. Fun. The kind of lightness I haven’t experienced in ages.
I’m actually having a good time.
The more I sit with Andrea, the more comfortable I feel. His presence is calm, no pressure, no agenda. Just…nice.
Yeah, I could see myself spending more time with him.
We wrap up, and Andrea reaches for the bill with a confident smile. “Let me.”
He hands the waitress his card. She disappears, but returns a moment later, apologetic.
“I’m sorry, sir. It was declined.”
Andrea’s brow creases. “That’s strange. I used it this morning, and it worked fine. Can you try again?”
She does.
Same result.
He pulls out a backup card with a sheepish smile.
