01

01

« Damn fucking ice ! »

Summer growled as she nearly slipped on a splotch of ice in the parking lot, carrying a box of two dozen eggs which nearly hit the pavement. That would’ve disappointed a lot of the customers who came to order the seasonal eggnog at her coffee shop. Thankfully she managed to catch footing before she kissed the concrete.

Avoiding all the splotches of slippery ice that had formed over last night’s frost, she made it all the way to her Toyota. Unlocking and opening her trunk, she slid the box in the back, happy that she had made it through alive.

« Is that the last box ? » Her friend Bev asked, walking behind her with two grocery bags full of milk, cream, cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin spice.

« Yup, all done, » Summer replied. « Just as well, I’m freezing my ass off out here in the cold, let’s get in the car. »

« You’re really not a Christmas person, » Bev mumbled, packing the grocery bags into the trunk while Summer slid into the driver’s seat. Shortly after, Bev jumped in next to her.

« I love Christmas, but I hate winter. If the two could just stay apart—«

« Then it wouldn’t truly be Christmas ! » Bev countered. « Jack Frost nipping at your nose, icicles hanging off the roofs, the twinkling lights on all the houses ! »

« Influenza, death rods, and Christmas’ number one cause of fire, » Summer summarized. « Don’t get me wrong, I love the Christmas decorations, just not the snow. Now let’s get back to the shop, we open in less than an hour. »

« Well it’s not snowing yet, » Bev sighed longingly ; She loved winter. « But you’re right, let’s get back. I wanna get my shift over with so I can get home and sleep. »

« That is if we don’t skid on the road back and die first. Blasted ice. »

« And what’s your name ? »

« Jack. »

« Alright Jack, I’ll call your name when your order is ready, » Summer smiled to the lumberjack-looking guy with the beard. « It’ll just be a few minutes. »

Jack moved on, and then a young couple moved up in line. « Hi. » The girl hesitantly spoke.

« Hi, » Summer smiled warmly. « What can I get you two ? »

« Uhm, two hot chocolates, please. With whipped cream. »

« Two hot chocolates with whipped cream coming right up, » She wrote down. « Staying or to go ? »

« Staying, please. »

« And what name should I write down ? »

« Donna, » The girl nervously said and blushed as she glanced at the young boy who stood next to her. He seemed just as nervous.

« Alright, please have a seat, I’ll bring your orders when your drinks are ready. » Summer smiled.

They nodded and then awkwardly selected a table and sat down. They both looked super nervous, giving Summer the feeling that they were probably on a first date. Summer remembered her first date ; her crush Daryl had taken her to see a splatter movie at the cinema and she had ended up throwing up the chilidog she had eaten earlier. What a memorable night.

Summer turned to the brewing machine where a pot of hot chocolate was cooking. Bev came up behind the counter, carrying a heavy tray of dirty mugs collected from the tables and set it down with a tired sigh. « Have you looked outside ? It looks like it’s about to snow. Winter is coming, » She dramatically added with a grin.

« Been watching Game of Thrones again ? »

« I’m single, I have to pass my time somehow. »

« How about passing these two cups over to the two lovebirds over there at table 3, » Summer sprinkled some shredded chocolate twirls on top of the two warm cups of hot chocolate with whipped cream and then set them on a tray.

« Fine, » Her friend sighed, but then stopped up when something caught her eye at the door. « Holy Moses, look, Christmas came early this year. »

Summer turned around to see what had her friend staring and then immediately understood why.

A man with vivacious silver hair, pale skin and electric blue eyes had just walked inside her coffee shop and was scanning the store. He was dressed in a pair of black pants and had a dark blue long-sleeved shirt on, one that emphasized the contours of a very well-defined and chiseled body. He wore a thin jacket on top, one that surely couldn’t keep him warm in the -4 (24,8F) degrees outside. Besides his silver hair, the only peculiar thing about him was the fact that he was walking with a cane, even though he seemed to walk just fine. The knob was a crystallic ice blue color, on which he rested his hand.

It seemed like the air inside the shop shifted and everyone could feel it. Summer herself felt a chill go through her body, a chill that only intensified when the silver-haired guy’s eyes landed on her.

« You don’t see silver hair on a grown man very often, » Bev mumbled without moving her lips so only Summer could hear her. « Do you want to or should I ? »

Summer blinked, then snapped out of the strange man’s enthralling gaze and looked at her friend. « I’ll take it. You just bring those cocoas to those two over there. »

Bev did as told, but not before taking another glance at the silver-haired man who was making his way up to the counter. Summer met him on the other side and looked up at him. « Good afternoon, Sir. What can I get you ? »

His eyes were studying her so intensely, she could feel herself crisp up under his gaze. « I’ll have an iced caramel macchiato with extra ice, please. »

Well that was a strange order coming from someone who just came in from a blistering cold and was dressed for spring. « One shot or two shots ? »

« Two, please. I have a long day ahead. »

She wrote down the order. « And what’s your name ? »

« Jack. »

« Sorry we already have a Jack, can I use your last name ? »

His lips twitched. « Frost. »