The café hummed with quiet chatter and the gentle hiss of the espresso machine. Luke stood behind the counter, taking orders with the same polite calm he always carried. His dark hair fell slightly over his eyes as he focused on the screen in front of him, until a sultry voice interrupted.
"Hey, sweetie," a woman said, leaning over the counter. She stared at Luke, then glanced down at his name tag. "Luke, huh? Are you single… or taken?"
Luke barely looked up. His voice remained polite but distant. "Please, ma'am. May I take your order?"
The woman's expression tightened slightly. She leaned in closer, not letting up. "How about a date instead?"
Luke sighed softly and gave a tight smile. "Ma'am, I'm not interested."
Annoyed, she clicked her tongue and stepped back. But before she could say anything else, the café doors opened—and the mood shifted instantly.
A man walked in.
He had striking red hair, swept neatly to the side, and wore a perfectly tailored suit that hugged his lean frame. Heads turned. Conversations paused. Confidence radiated off him in waves. He didn't glance at anyone else, heading straight to the counter.
Luke's eyes widened slightly. He tried not to stare, but failed. The man stopped in front of him and smiled.
"One black coffee, please."
Luke blinked, suddenly flustered. "Ah—yes, of course."
He tapped the order in quickly, avoiding eye contact, but couldn't stop the blush that crept up his cheeks.
"Will you be dining in?" Luke asked.
"I have someone to meet," the man replied smoothly.
Luke's heart skipped. "How many people?"
"Just one."
Luke gave a small nod and gestured toward the cozy corner table with two chairs. "You can take a seat there, sir. Café server will bring your coffee."
"Thanks," the man said, his gaze lingering just a second longer than necessary before walking away.
Luke watched him go, trying not to let his face show how fast his heart was racing.
He's totally my type…
The woman from earlier snapped him out of his thoughts with a glare. "I'll see you tomorrow," she spat and stormed out.
A barista brought the coffee over to the red-haired man. A few minutes passed in peaceful silence until a beautiful woman walked into the café.
She was elegant, poised, but her expression was sharp as her eyes scanned the room. She marched straight to the man's table and sat down.
Luke watched from behind the counter, curiosity stirring in his chest.
The conversation between the two grew tense. The woman's expression turned from annoyed to furious. And then, without warning, she stood and flung the coffee onto the man's chest.
Gasps echoed through the café as she stormed out, leaving the man calmly wiping at his soaked shirt.
Luke rushed over, concern flashing across his face. "Sir, the bathroom is this way," he said, pointing to the hallway.
The man gave a soft smile. "Thank you."
Once he was out of sight, Luke hurried to the staff locker and pulled out a clean shirt. Without much thought, he followed the man into the restroom.
As he entered, he froze.
The man had just removed his coat, revealing a sharp build beneath the soaked shirt clinging to him. Muscles, toned and sculpted, were visible through the thin white fabric.
Luke cleared his throat and looked away quickly, holding the shirt out. "Your shirt… It's completely stained. You can borrow this."
"Thanks," the man said, already unbuttoning his shirt.
Luke turned around so fast he almost dropped the shirt. He's changing… right in front of me…
A few moments later, the man's voice came, amused. "You can turn around now."
Luke turned—slowly—and tried not to look too obviously flustered. The man looked even more refined in the café's shirt, sleeves rolled up to his forearms.
"I'll pay you for the shirt," he said.
Luke shook his head. "No need. Just return it."
The man smiled again, this time pulling a sleek business card from his trouser pocket. He handed it to Luke.
Luke took it, glancing down casually, then froze.
What?!
The card read:
Elias Smith – CEO, Lunaris Group
Lunaris Group? Luke's heart skipped again. That's where the top models come from... but he looks like one himself. And he's the CEO?!
Elias watched him with an amused glint in his eyes. "I'm Elias," he said softly. "Nice to meet you."
Luke nervously accepted the business card, still stunned, and gave a slight bow. "I… I'm Luke," he said softly.
Elias offered him a small, charming smile. "Nice to meet you, Luke. The number on the card is my personal number. Text me."
Luke's heart stuttered. "O-okay. I will."
With a gentle nod, Elias turned and walked out of the bathroom, leaving behind the faint scent of expensive cologne and an overwhelming mix of emotions in Luke's chest.
As the door clicked shut behind him, Luke leaned back against the tiled wall, cheeks flushed.
Did I just… turn gay because of him?
He shook his head at himself and left the bathroom, glancing around the café. Elias was already gone. It felt oddly quiet without him.
Luke returned to the counter, still trying to collect his thoughts, when the front door opened again.
A tall man with sharp features stepped inside and approached the counter confidently. Luke looked up and recognized him instantly.
Damien, the man greeted, flashing a crooked grin.
"Boss," Luke replied, trying to sound more composed than he felt.
Before he could say more, one of the café's female servers playfully draped her arm around Luke's shoulder.
"Hey, boss! You're here," she said with a teasing smile.
Damien chuckled. "Yeah, and I want coffee. But only if it's from Luke's hands."
Luke sighed lightly and gently moved the girl's arm off Luke's shoulder.
"Alright. I'll prepare it."
Damien nodded and headed to the small office at the back of the café.
A short while later, Luke followed him with a fresh cup of coffee in hand. He stepped into the office, where Damien stood with his back turned, flipping through a list of supplies on the desk.
Without turning, Damien held out a hand, and Luke placed the cup there.
Damien took a slow sip, then set the cup down and gestured toward the list. "Our café's picking up again. Orders are increasing."
Luke nodded. "Yeah, we've been getting more regular customers lately."
Damien smiled, pleased. Then his tone softened. "How's your brother doing?"
Luke exhaled quietly and rubbed the back of his neck. "He's… okay. Better, physically. But he's been feeling lonely lately."
Damien leaned against the desk, arms crossed. "Why don't you bring him here sometimes? Let him be around people, even if just for a little while."
Luke looked up, surprised by the kindness in Damien's voice. He gave a small nod. "Maybe I will…"