This an excerpt is from Caffe Mocha.

Jayson

“Mo!” I yelled from the front of the shop. 

The café was completely different from when I was here last week. Balloons filled the room and as I ventured further, I noticed a fresh batch of Ms. Katrina’s muffins and cookies were in the display case. I placed the roses I’d gotten for Mo onto the counter and removed my coat. When Kylan hit me up about working tonight, I wasn’t exactly thrilled. It was Friday night and while I didn’t have plans, I didn’t want to spend it watching people flirt and what not. 

But then, he mentioned I’d be working with Mocha. 

I smiled instantly at the sound of her name. Kylan knew I was feeling her. He’d purposely called me instead of Nathan because he knew I’d been avoiding her. Hell, everyone knew except for her. She basically friend-zoned me when I started working here and I hadn’t figured out how to recover from that. 

After admiring the work she and Kylan had done to get this place ready for tonight, I headed to the back to find her.

“I’m in the back,” she yelled as I strode the halls in search of her. 

I peeked into the supply closet and kitchen she wasn’t there. Finally, I went to Kylan’s office to find Mo laying on the futon with wide eyes. She sat up and fluffed kinky curls that rested on her shoulders. I loved when Mo wore her hair down. She usually kept her hair in braids that fell at the middle of her back. 

“You good?” I asked, smiling. 

Jumping to her feet, Mocha stretched her limbs before brushing past me.

“Yeah. Let’s finish setting up,” she tossed over her shoulder. 

Instinctively, my eyes trailed down her frame and I bit my bottom lip. Following close behind her, I listened to the tasks we needed to complete before the attendees arrived. 

“I need help with rearranging the tables,” she said with furrowed eyebrows when she noticed the roses near the register.

“Those are for you.” Her eyes lit up as she grabbed the bouquet and brought it to her nose. “Will you be my Valentine?” I asked as I leaned on the table a few feet away from her. 

My heart was pounding in my chest, but I couldn’t let her see me sweat. I wanted to wait until the event was over. That plan went out the window after seeing her for the first time in nearly a month. We texted a few times a week, mostly small talk. Our conversations were always about work or her classes since she was still in school. I didn’t want to bore her by talking about my nine to five.

She turned to me with the cutest expression on her face. Mocha’s deep brown skin flushed, and doe shaped eyes were wide. My chest tightened as I waited for her to accept my cheesy proposal.

“This is sweet, Jay. I’d love to be your Valentine,” she said, tucking her hair behind her ear. 

I smiled and reached for her arm. “After we get off, I’m taking you out.”

“This is like déjà vu or something,” she said, holding her forehead.

“Is this déjà vu too?” I asked, leaning down to meet her lips with mine…

See what happens with Jayson and Mocha on Friday!