Small towns were curious places. The people who resided there were easily fascinated by new comers, a fact that Ari was not ignorant of. In many ways he considered that to be his advantage. An act as simple as walking down the street made him a spectacle. It had served as entertainment for the first two days that he had found himself stranded in such a dismal place. Fruitless, however, the attention had soon grown bothersome.
Disappointment was bubbling up inside of him. Della, as her nametag revealed to him, had a face that belonged in the city. Not in a coffee shop. As abnormally beautiful as she was, she appeared to be nothing but a looker. Afraid to take chances and grab for the things that you want.
For a moment he was hopeful that she was different as she stepped forward and began inquiring his drink order – that is, until she was interrupted by her male associate. Ari was not shy in revealing his dismay. He shot a quick glare in the direction of the male barista, Eros. Still, the girl did little to take charge of the moment and she gladly stepped aside to allow her companion to take control of the situation. Clearly, his instincts about her had been wrong.
As he stepped toward Eros to place his second order he was halted by the clang of the bell ringing as the door to the shop swung open. Ari was halfway aware as another woman stepped in. She was different and clearly did not belong in such a place as this. Instantly his attention was shifted, though he made no outward acknowledgement of his intention.
Smiling thinly, he ordered, “A hot tea, please.” His accent filled the space as he stepped aside to await his request. Situated back in his corner seat he watched the new comer. She had a regality to her. A maturity that interested him greatly. Well put together, she was a far cry from the usual sort he’d come to expect to see on his daily walks to and from the coffee shop. In her arms he couldn’t help but notice the magazines tucked under her arm. It was obvious, not only by her demeanor but by her dress, that she was a professional woman. Ari admired her.
Absentmindedly, he found himself straightening out his cuffs and his tie. His jacket was flung over the back of the chair beside him and his laptop was sleeping on the coffee table in front of him. Though not at the office, he still had piles of work and reports to sort through. A job he was happy to ignore for a moment longer.
I'm still trying to get used to him as a character.