The bell above the door chimed softly as customers came and went, soft chatter and the gentle clink of mugs against the wooden tables filling up the space with a warmth I couldn't describe. A glow from the front door hit the coffee counter just right, filling the space up with a calmness only found early in the mornings.

I had only been working at Sunset Coffee for a few weeks, still new to the job and learning all the ins and outs of their outdated appliances. My co-workers were lovely, one in particular I always found hovering near me. I supposed she could tell I needed the company. I had found out she was the owner when I met her, but it was a hard fact to remember when she loved working in the shop like everyone else. 

She was a sweet woman, taller than me by a few inches with short brown hair and sparkling blue eyes. I found out her name was Alex during my interview.

She was the one to train me on how to run the register and fix the drinks. She showed me where everything was, too. I felt safe with her and that was all I could ask for. 

My hands—once shaky and unsure—now rang up another customer with confidence, steady as I made their coffee. I found myself enjoying my job quite a lot, something I wasn't sure about when I first started. 

I was worried the constant conversations would overwhelm me, but it surprisingly helped keep my mind busy, chasing away unwanted memories. 

I still hadn't managed to find somewhere to stay so, for the time being, my car just had to do. It was alright, I could lock the doors and shove some of my shirts in the windows. I liked the small space it provided, less room to have to keep an eye on. 

Unfortunately, I never made it back to the apartment I shared with him for my belongings, so I had to start all over. It was only unfortunate for my bank account, otherwise the idea of starting over completely felt nice. 

Instead of clothes that he picked out for me, I got to find things I liked on my own. It was good, like discovering my own personality again after it had been snuffed out for so long. 

I found myself drawn to things I never would have considered if I was still with him. Like basic t-shirts and sweatpants. As simple as it sounded, he always wanted me looking my best. It was wonderful to be able to just dress comfortably and not worry about what he would think. 

After leaving the hospital, I had spent a couple of weeks just driving aimlessly, too afraid to stop in case he came looking for me. Once I came up on this town, Sunset Haven, I couldn't find it in myself to leave. It was so charming, overrun with small businesses and so much open space I felt safe here. That was when I started looking for a job and happened upon the coffee shop. 

I wasn't sure what drew me here, maybe just the way the customers always seemed to drop the tension in their shoulders when they came inside. Or maybe it was the way the employees welcomed me in with open arms, making me a coffee on the house when I had come in for my interview. 

It almost felt like walking into another world when I came through the doors. Alex had offered me the job and a small shot of excitement went through me for the first time in I didn't even know how long.

The next time the bell chimed, my eyes found the man that came in. His gaze was already set on me, almost sparkling. This guy must really love coffee.

He walked toward the counter with purpose and the size of him filled me with unease, but I swallowed it down. He was a customer, I couldn't let what I had been through determine the way I treated him. 

"Hello, how can I help you today?" I asked tentatively, a small smile pulling at my lips as I took him in. 

He had slightly mussed hair, as if he just rolled out of bed but in an intentional way. It suited him. A few of his brown locks fell over his forehead, framing his face in a soft way, a sharp contrast to his thick arms and wide chest. He had a few tattoos going down both arms and I refused to let my eyes drop any lower. 

He stayed quiet for a moment, looking as though he was taking in my appearance in the way I had just done to him, before he finally spoke. 

"Conall." He hummed, a hand coming up to frame his chin as he considered the word that left his own lips. A blush arose on my face as I realized he had read my name tag. 

"Yes, that's me. Can I get you something to drink?" I tried steering him back to the obvious reason he walked in and it seemed to work. 

"Uh, yes. I apologize, it seems I got distracted. I'll take a cup of your favorite coffee, please." The way his eyes roved over me when he said that hinted he must have been flirting, but I ignored that thought and just hummed an affirmative. 

"If you're sure. I hope you have a sweet tooth." I replied as I rang him up, getting ready to make our iced pumpkin spice latte. 

"Oh, I definitely do." He replied, oozing confidence as his eyes dragged up and down my frame. I swallowed, avoiding his stare as my hands started shaking for the first time since my first couple of shifts. The smirk on his face told me all I needed to know. This man was cocky and I wasn't sure how to feel about that. It was unsettling, a man of his size giving me so much attention, but I figured he would probably get bored of me soon and move on to his next victim relatively quickly. He seemed the type, at least.

Once his coffee was done, I offered it to him. He took it carefully, mindful of my own hand on the cup, and I was surprised that he seemed to respect my space. 

Taking a sip, his eyes lit up. 

"Pumpkin, hm? Do you like fall?" He asked and I lit up at the question. 

"Yeah, I guess I do." I replied shyly, shrugging my shoulders as I did. Having his attention on me was overwhelming, though didn't mind it in the way I thought I would.

"Well, I better get going. It was lovely meeting you, Conall." He smiled, eyes looking at me almost fondly. I just nodded and bid him goodbye as he left the cafe. 

"Huh. . ." I whispered to myself as I replayed our interaction, surprised at how easy it was. I thought I would have been more uncomfortable—avoidant of the man with an even bigger stature than the one I had left behind not too long ago. 

Surprisingly, I found myself hoping to see him again.