carter jackson is only slightly bitter (shrugged) wrote in mnhttnprjct, @ 2010-06-28 15:16:00 |
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Almost every morning, Carter had the habit of stopping by one of the various coffee shops along his route to work. It probably wasn’t the best of habits and the price was certainly more than the coffee was worth, but he figured it was the little things in life that made it worth it. Or something. If he didn’t stop, a caffeine headache would settle in around 10:30AM, so the exurbanite coffee prices were well worth it for that fact alone. So it was no surprise this particular morning found him walking slowly into one of those various coffee shops with his messenger bag slung over his shoulder. Quietly, he stepped into line behind a brunette woman as he shoved his hands into his pockets before looking down at the floor. Carter was so memorized by something on the floor he didn’t even notice the teenager coming toward him until it was too late. As their shoulders bumped, he lurched forward slightly and bumped into the woman standing directly in front of him. “Pardon me, miss,” he started in that slight Southern drawl as his hand went up to her arm to steady her. “Teenagers today can’t seem to watch where they are going.” Lindsay was waiting, arms crossed, for her turn to order. Today was a bad, bad day, bad enough she hadn’t dared stop at the shop that Eli worked at because quite possibly it would reduce her to tears. It was part of the reason that when someone bumped into her she wheeled around at the feel of an arm on hers, a sharp response on her tongue that instantly faded when she saw the person behind her wasn’t some complete idiot or kid. “Oh, it’s fine,” she said, looking up at him and after a moment’s consideration smiling. “It could have been worse.” No, not a complete idiot or a kid, but rather a dutiful government worker! This was just your day, Lindsay. Once the woman turned around, it only took Carter a split second to recognize her as the woman from the children’s show. A small smile spread across his face as he took a small step backward. “You’re on that children’s show, aren’t you?” Oh a fan. Or at least someone that recognized her. That always was cheering. “I am,” she said. “Unless you mean the one with the bear that hugs everyone because that’s someone else.” She looked back over her shoulder at the long line and then extended her hand to him. “I’m Lindsay.” Not exactly a fan, or at least not in the sense that he watched the show religiously or anything. However, he was a fan of anyone who upheld the Loyalist ideals and taught the younger generation the correct things. So perhaps he could be considered a fan. Reaching out, Carter took Lindsay’s and wrapped his own around hers before giving it a shake. The shake was not firm like it should have been, almost as if he was afraid the shake out break his hand. “Carter. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Carter. That was a nice name. Really, why were all the good looking men younger than she was? He probably wasn’t single though, it was always the way. “Do you have children that watch the show?” she asked, by way of testing this theory out. “Or just watched it in passing?” If he said he had children she could always offer the free passes to something or other tactic and if not well maybe she ought to come to this coffee shop more often. Nothing better to cheer her up than a good looking man. Smiling again, he let out a small laugh at the comment about him having children. “No. No children.” Much to his mother’s chagrin, though that was an entirely different story. “I’ve just seen it in passing.” Plus some of the ladies in accounting liked to talk about what a wonderful show it was for their children, so Carter had a fairly good idea about it and the message. “Well, that’s good, because as much as I love it, I think I’d wonder if you didn’t have children and watched it in your spare time.” Her smile, when she turned it on someone full force, was charming, and being as vain and self absorbed as she was at times, it was pleasant to have a distraction today. “Do you live near here? Or just stopping in?” At her first comment, he just shook his head because, no, he didn’t watch children’s shows in his spare time, but rather spent it watching bad horror movies. So no need to wonder, Lindsay. “It’s actually on my way to work,” he answered and judging from his rather nice suit, it wasn’t some slacker job either. “May I buy you your drink this morning?” It’s the least he could do for such an outstanding citizen. “I’d like that,” she said. “Thanks.” Her eyes took him in for a moment, mentally comparing him to other men she knew and deciding he seemed nice, although one never could tell. “Maybe next time you’ll let me return the favor. If I run into you again.” “It’s a deal.” Just as he answered, the next person in line stepped away from the cash register and he let Lindsay order her own drink. Carter then followed up with his own coffee/soy concoction before paying and stepping to the side to pick up the drinks, which didn’t take very long. “Well it was nice to meet you, Lindsay,” he said as he slowly reached out and took his drink from the counter. Lindsay took up her own nonfat caramel macchiato and then on impulse reached into her bag and pulled out one of her business cards. “Here. Call me sometime and I’ll do the buying.” She smiled at him, thinking maybe today wouldn’t be so awful after all. “It was nice to meet you too.” With his free hand, he took the card from her and looked it over before tucking it safely away in one of the pockets of his bag. “I’ll make sure to do that,” he answered as he gave one last smile. Carter then turned and made his way out of the coffee shop to complete his journey to work. |