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instantly felt at home. The staff had been cheerful and pleasant, and the coffee itself was outstanding. David found himself drawn to the shop day after day. David hadn’t gotten to know many people since his move, and he liked that the people behind the counter recognized him and knew his favorite drinks by memory.
    It was shortly after he started going there that he figured out the owner was a serious young woman who seemed to be trying to hide behind the espresso machine. She had long brown hair and dark brown eyes. She was petite, which was a feature that always appealed to David, who was 6’2”. While her physical beauty attracted him, it was the emptiness in her eyes that truly made him notice her. She went through the motions on autopilot, and until today David hadn’t even known if she truly knew who he was, even though he visited the shop almost every day.
    If David was honest with himself, it was Ellie who drew him day after day to the coffee shop. Even though he knew that she was the boss, he tried a few times to crack a joke while he waited for his drink. She always seemed distracted and would respond with an incoherent mumble. He watched her interact with some of the staff though, and he could see that she was intelligent. She just didn’t seem interested in interacting with anyone else outside her immediate bubble.
    One of the employees, Linda, took pity on David one day after observing his attempt to draw Ellie into a conversation for the hundredth time with no success. She took him aside and explained a little bit about Ellie’s “situation.” He found out Ellie was newly single, and a bit of a mess after her divorce. Her vulnerability made her even more attractive. It was in his nature to want to fix and care for wounded people.
    David looked up as he crossed the road to his street, and it was as if his thoughts had willed Linda Jordan into being; there she was walking toward him. David raised his hand in greeting. “Linda, hello,” he said, breathing heavily. His run complete, he stopped and put his hands on his hips. “I was just thinking about you. I just saw Ellie too. It is pretty crazy running into both of you on the same day outside the coffee shop.”
    “David.” She seemed delighted to see him. “How nice to see you! I was just taking my morning walk. Can you join me for a few blocks? I’d feel better being out alone once I get to the lake. There are a lot more people there.”
    David wondered why she was out walking alone at all then, but he didn’t want to seem like a jerk by telling her that was actually the opposite direction of the way he was headed, so he nodded. Worst case he’d have a long cool-down, which was still okay. He didn’t want to get stiff. He noticed that Linda didn’t seem dressed for going out on a walk. She was wearing a pair of navy blue pants and a fitted matching pullover. Her shoes were ballet flats. She looked ready for a yoga class, not a stroll around the lake.
    As they set off toward the lake, Linda looked at him with a sly grin on her face. “You say you saw Ellie? How wonderful! How is she? Did you have a chance to get to know her a bit better?”
    David had gathered from their first conversation about Ellie a few months ago that Linda was playing matchmaker with her boss, but he didn’t mind too much. When you were single these days, you could use all the help you could get.
    “She was out walking her dog,” he said, “She seemed like she was in a hurry. I did ask her to have a coffee with me, though, the next time I’m in the shop.”
    “Good for you, David!” Linda exclaimed, “Our little Ellie is a bit shy, but she’ll come around. I just know you two will get along famously. I can’t even tell you how long it’s been since she’s had someone in her life that was good for her.”
    David hated to admit that he was intrigued, but Linda had created the opening. “Really? I know you mentioned that she got divorced