Chapter 46. A Date

Joan POV

I went back to work the following week after submitting my documents at an advertising company, hoping they’d call me soon. The coffee shop was busy as usual, the smell of fresh pastries and coffee lingering in the air.

“Hey,” Matthew greeted as he came around the counter while I attended to a line of customers.

“Hey. Help me out here, will you?” I shot him a glance before handing a paper bag to a customer, smiling politely as they left.

Matthew scratched his hair, hesitating for a moment, before moving behind the counter to stand next to me.

“Uh, sure,” he said, grabbing a pen to take some orders. Together, we served customers in quick succession, the sounds of the register and muffled chatter filling the space, until we’d finally finished.

“That was… thank you,” I said, giving him a brief smile before grabbing a towel to wipe my face. My back ached from standing since the beginning of my shift, and I could feel a dull throb formi