"I saw you park so I started making it already," Jailyn smiled as she pushed the triple café mocha across the table as Lauren breezed through the doorway. Pushing a strand of her chestnut hair behind her ear, she grabbed the towel and starting wiping up the espresso machine.
"Ugh, thanks you're saving me" Lauren sighed, dropping her bag on the floor next to the table. She fished a hair-tie out of her purse and slowly started gathering her hair with her hands before tying it in a messy bun. "I've been up all night studying for this damn class and I need some serious caffeine".
"I could tell," Jailyn said. "Drink up."
Lauren smiled appreciatively at Jailyn as she took another swig of mocha. She had met Jailyn a few years back when she first moved to Santa Monica. She remembered their first meeting distinctly – she had just come in from a long flight and was on her way to a job interview when she drove by the homey coffee shop named "Jailyn's". On a whim, she stopped in for a pick-me-up coffee, met Jailyn, and the two of them had instantly clicked. Jailyn was the owner of the small coffee shop, which she had inherited from her mother when she passed away. At age 26, Jailyn was successful, determined, and had many of the same goals as Lauren did. Lauren skipped the interview and instead picked up a shift working at Jailyn's shop.
"I've got to wrap up this class and then I can file for graduation," Lauren sighed.
"And then... you're a lawyer!" proclaimed Jailyn. She grabbed her chai tea and set it on the table next to Lauren's mocha. Untying the small black apron wrapped around her waist, she handed it to Lauren, who tied it snugly around her size four waist.
Lawyer indeed, thought Lauren. She'd spent her whole life preparing for law. Lauren's father and two older brothers were lawyers and she had constantly been surrounded by politics. It was almost expected of her to become a lawyer as well. When she had graduated from NYU, her father had sat her down and discussed immediately what law school she would be attending. They never had a discussion about whether it was something she wanted; it was more or less expected of her. Not one to be difficult, Lauren enrolled in law school across the country far from her family. Lauren would be one of the youngest graduates at age 24, having just celebrated her birthday a month prior. With such a grueling class schedule, working at Jailyn's was a perfect fit.
Lost in thought, Lauren didn't even hear the buzzer sound or here Matt walk in.
"Hey gorgeous," Matt whispered into her ear.
Startled, Lauren jumped out of her seat, knocking over her mocha in her haste. "Oh Matt, don't scare me like that!"
Matt smirked and held his arm high in the air just in time to catch the towel Jailyn chucked at him. "Didn't realize you didn't hear me come in, darling. What's got you're cute little face all wrinkled?"
Lauren sighed as Jailyn answered, "all that law stuff she does."
"Ah," Matt nodded knowingly. Matt had watched Lauren work so hard the last few years towards this degree. Her intelligence and persistence amazed him. He was incredibly attracted to her, with her beautiful dark auburn hair that sprawled flawlessly across her shoulders in elegant waves, her expressive deep emerald eyes, her flawless skin and a body that could kill. She was petite at 5'3" and 115 lbs, but her breasts were full and her hips were womanly and curvy. She had a perfect face, with bright wide eyes, a small nose, and full luscious lips. Lauren was a complete knock-out, and yet, it was as if she didn't even know it. She was so laid-back and fun to be around, Matt never felt like he had to work to impress such a beautiful woman. There was an ease about her that made people comfortable. She was one of the hardest working women he had ever met. He met her through Jailyn a few years back and had instantly fallen in love with her. But he knew she didn't feel the same and so instead chose the path of friendship.
