Chereads / A Billion Reasons / Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Tomorrow

Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Tomorrow

The bell above the café door chimed, and Sarah's shoulders tensed.

She didn't even need to look up to know who it was. Over the past three days, the pattern had become unmistakable—he always arrived at exactly 9:45 AM. Today was no different.

"Morning, Sarah."

Luca's voice was calm and familiar, but it still managed to send an annoying jolt through her chest. She kept her eyes on the espresso machine in front of her, pretending to be too busy to respond right away.

"Morning," she muttered finally, turning toward him with the least enthusiastic smile she could manage. "Black coffee again?"

"Always," he replied, sliding a crisp twenty-dollar bill across the counter.

Sarah stared at it for a long moment before picking it up and holding it out to him. "I told you—stop with this."

Luca leaned casually against the counter, hands tucked into the pockets of his coat as he regarded her with amusement. "You'd rather I pay in exact change?"

"I'd rather you stop acting like money doesn't matter," Sarah shot back, narrowing her eyes at him. "It's weird."

"Money only matters if you let it," Luca replied smoothly.

Sarah huffed, dropping the twenty into the register. "That's easy to say when you have it."

Luca didn't argue. He just smiled that infuriating smile of his—the one that made her feel like she was missing the punchline of some private joke.

She poured his coffee, trying not to feel his gaze on her the entire time. When she handed him the cup, their fingers brushed again, and Sarah snatched her hand back like she'd been burned.

"Enjoy your coffee," she said quickly, turning her back to him to refill the sugar dispenser.

Luca didn't leave right away. She could hear him lingering—taking a sip of his coffee, shifting his weight against the counter. It wasn't until the door finally jingled again that Sarah let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

"See you tomorrow," he'd said on his way out.

Sarah groaned. She was starting to hate those words.

---

"That guy's totally into you."

Sarah glared at Mia, who was perched on the edge of the counter during their slow midday lull, chewing on the end of her pen.

"He's not into me," Sarah snapped. "He's just… annoying."

Mia grinned. "Right. Because guys who aren't into you definitely show up every day at the same time, order the same thing, and flirt shamelessly with you."

Sarah paused mid-wipe, her cheeks heating. "He does *not* flirt."

"Please." Mia rolled her eyes. "He's like… *smoldering* at you every time he comes in. It's honestly impressive."

Sarah scowled and resumed wiping the already-clean counter. "It's not like that."

"If you say so," Mia sang, clearly enjoying herself. "But if you're not into him, I'll take him. That jawline? Those eyes? I'll make an exception for Mr. Tall, Dark, and Broody."

"Be my guest," Sarah muttered, though the thought made her chest tighten unexpectedly. She didn't even know why it bothered her—she barely knew him, and he was obviously the kind of guy who turned heads wherever he went.

Still, he'd chosen to bother *her,* of all people. And she didn't know what to make of that.

---

The next morning, Sarah was prepared.

She arrived at work ten minutes early, her apron already tied and her best neutral expression firmly in place. She wouldn't let Luca get under her skin today. If he walked in, she'd take his order, hand him his coffee, and send him on his way without so much as a second thought.

At exactly 9:45, the door chimed, and Luca walked in.

Sarah didn't look up.

"Morning, Sarah," he said, his tone light and easy.

"Morning," she replied curtly, already reaching for a cup. "Black coffee, right?"

"You know me so well," Luca teased, stepping up to the counter.

She ignored him, filling the cup in record time and sliding it toward him before he could say anything else. "Here you go. That'll be two fifty."

Luca raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "You're in a hurry today."

"No," Sarah said sharply. "I just have other customers to serve."

Luca glanced around the empty café, his smile growing wider. "Right. Looks packed."

Sarah clenched her jaw, but before she could respond, Luca placed the inevitable twenty-dollar bill onto the counter.

"I swear," she said, snatching it up. "Do you even *have* smaller bills?"

"Would you believe me if I said no?" Luca asked, his voice low and teasing.

"No," Sarah replied flatly.

Luca laughed softly, the sound deep and warm in a way that made her stomach flip. She hated that.

"See you tomorrow," he said, just as he always did.

Sarah watched him leave, her hands tightening around the counter edge.

---

The routine continued for the next week. Every day, at exactly 9:45, Luca walked into The Corner Bean, ordered his black coffee, left a twenty on the counter, and left with that same infuriating "see you tomorrow."

Sarah had tried everything to shake him. She ignored him. She made his coffee before he could order. She even stopped pretending to smile. But nothing fazed him. If anything, her irritation seemed to amuse him more.

"What's his deal?" Sarah grumbled to Mia one afternoon as they stocked the pastry case. "Why does he keep coming back?"

Mia shrugged. "Because he's into you, duh."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "You don't know that."

"Oh, please. He doesn't come here for the coffee, Sarah. He comes here for *you.*"

Sarah froze, her chest tightening. "Why would someone like him care about me?"

"Someone like him?" Mia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You know what I mean," Sarah muttered. "He's… different. He doesn't belong here."

Mia tilted her head thoughtfully. "Maybe that's why he keeps coming back."

Sarah didn't reply.

---

That night, Sarah found herself lying in bed, staring at the ceiling and replaying every interaction she'd had with Luca over the past week.

She hated how much space he was taking up in her thoughts. She didn't know him. She didn't even *like* him, really. He was cocky and rich and—

And yet, she couldn't stop wondering.

Why did he keep coming back? What did he want?

Her mind spiraled through a dozen possibilities before she finally forced herself to turn over and close her eyes.

"It doesn't matter," she whispered to herself. "You're nothing to him."

But deep down, she wasn't so sure.

---

The next morning, Sarah walked into the café with a sense of determination. Today, she would get answers. She didn't care how charming or infuriating Luca was—he wasn't going to walk all over her again.

At 9:45, the bell chimed, and Luca walked in, right on schedule.

Sarah was ready.

"Morning, Sarah," he said, approaching the counter with his usual smile.

"Why?" she blurted out.

Luca paused, clearly caught off guard. "Why what?"

"Why do you keep coming here?" Sarah demanded, crossing her arms. "You can get coffee anywhere. Why *here*? Why me?"

Luca looked at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, to her surprise, he smiled.

"Because you're interesting."

Sarah blinked. "What?"

"You're interesting," Luca repeated, leaning slightly closer. "You don't care who I am. You don't try to impress me. You're just… you."

Sarah stared at him, completely thrown off balance. "That's… ridiculous."

"Is it?" Luca asked softly. "Most people spend their lives trying to be noticed. You seem determined to disappear."

Sarah didn't know what to say to that. She felt exposed, like he'd peeled back a layer of her she hadn't even realized was visible.

"You don't know me," she said finally, her voice quieter now.

Luca's smile softened. "Not yet."

Before she could respond, he placed the twenty on the counter like always and turned to leave.

"See you tomorrow, Sarah."

She watched him go, her mind spinning.

What was she supposed to do with that?