Coffee and Portraits

He returned my smile, and it warmed my heart to finally see it without the mask.

"Shit! Our masks!" I gasped and started to put mine back on before Lesley caught me naked.

"Wait, come here first," Caleb beckoned.

I laughed and rushed over to the counter for another kiss. It was just as exciting as the first. We were both breathless when we pulled away and donned our masks.

"How much time do I have?" he asked as he opened his sketchbook, ready to draw again.

"Eight minutes at the most."

"I won't be able to finish it," he sighed in disappointment.

"Can I still see it before you go?"

He took a deep breath, obviously not liking that idea, but he still nodded. We both got to work, and I finished the Blake order in seven minutes flat. It was a new speed record for me. Caleb honored his word and nervously presented his half-finished portrait to me. My mouth dropped open as I gazed at his creation. The face was mostly done. My mouth and eyes were shockingly realistic. He managed to make them look wet, and he caught the fleeting blush of red on my bottom lip. The outline of my hair was there, but he hadn't added color yet. It looked like an unfinished masterpiece. I wanted to take it home with me, but I didn't dare ask him for it. He looked stressed enough from having to show it to me before it was done.

"Caleb, it's beautiful. I love it. How do you do that? The details are mind-blowing!"

He sighed in relief and smiled.

"A lot of practice. I'll finish it tonight and bring it to you in the morning... if Rusty doesn't lock me in the office for the rest of my life."

I helped Caleb tuck his sketchbook and pencil tin into his overcoat so he could safely carry the boxes full of steaming coffee cups back to his office. I pulled our masks down and stole another kiss before I held the door open for him. Then I leaned against the cold window to watch him walk up the street. It was ten minutes before we officially opened, and I needed that time to get my heart rate under control. I felt like a teenager again, and Lesley noticed.

"Sam, we need to talk," she announced, startling me away from the window.

I looked at her with wide eyes, suddenly remembering she could see the front counter on the little security monitor in her office. To my relief, she burst out laughing and shook her head at me.

"I'm disappointed in you, Samantha. I'm also jealous. What does he taste like?" she chuckled.

A big sigh of relief escaped my lungs as I leaned against the window for support.

"He tastes like a seven-course steak dinner at a fancy high-rise restaurant that I could never afford to eat at. Am I an idiot to think I have a chance with him?" I groaned and rubbed my eyes.

My muscles felt shaky. My heart was finally calming down after my adrenaline-packed morning.

"Sam, you don't see yourself like other people see you. I think you have an excellent chance with him. I'm rooting for you both."

Lesley walked over and hugged my shoulders, giving me the strength to straighten up and get back to work. She was a boss and an older sister to me, and I felt bad for breaking her pandemic rules to kiss Caleb. I promised to kiss him on the sidewalk next time.

Friday morning started off a little differently. It was snowing again, but it wasn't a blizzard for a change. Lesley and I were the first ones at the shop. We barely had a chance to get the lights on when a tall man stepped through the front door. His shiny brown hair was dusted with snow, and he was dressed to the nines for business.

"Sorry, sir, we don't open for another thirty minutes," Lesley called.

"I know. Sorry for the intrusion. I need to speak with Sam," he announced in a familiar southern drawl.

My heart sputtered a little when I recognized his eyes.

"Rusty Blake!" I gasped. "Wow, um, good morning! I'm Sam," I stammered and walked over to greet him.

"I can tell," he nodded as he searched my eyes. "Do you have a minute to sit and chat? I need to show you something."

I glanced at Lesley, and she gave me a nod before she escaped into the back to give us some privacy. Rusty and I sat at the little table by the window, and he got right to business.

"It's nice to meet the woman that has my partner so distracted. Have you had any lengthy conversations with Caleb?"

"Not really. Just some chit-chat and flirting over the past week. I'm usually too busy for anything else."

I decided not to mention the kiss.

"Yet he is completely obsessed with you. I need to show you this," he sighed and pulled a spiral notebook out of his coat and set it in front of me.

I opened it and gasped. Every single page was covered in beautifully detailed portraits of me. There were at least thirty drawings. It was overwhelmingly flattering. My throat felt tight as I flipped through Caleb's personal drawing diary. He had dressed me in every style imaginable, from Victorian gowns, pencil skirts, poodle skirts, and even lingerie. My cheeks began burning when I found the nude portraits in the back. His imagination was surprisingly accurate. Thankfully, they were tastefully done. He made me look like the Venus de Milo in one of them, a sea goddess emerging naked from crashing waves.

"Oh my God," I breathed.

I closed the book and looked at Rusty for answers.

"He has known you for a few days. With that in mind, does that book seem normal to you?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"That's why I'm here. I've known Caleb since grade school. He, um..." he hesitated as he carefully chose his next words, "speaking in a strictly professional manner, I have no intention of divulging sensitive information about my friend, but I want you to know that Caleb's mind works differently. He's not dangerous or anything like that. It's just easy to crush his spirit when he gets fixated on someone. His last relationship almost ruined him. He needs help in the real world sometimes. He's brilliant. Minds like his function on a higher level and need to be handled with care."

"You make him sound like a delicate work of art," I grinned.

He chuckled and nodded.

"That's a good way to put it. Building on that, you wouldn't hang the Mona Lisa outside on a busy street corner. You would put it somewhere safe and take care of it, but you don't hide it from the world either. It should be seen and appreciated. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"I think so. You want to protect Caleb without smothering him."

"Exactly," Rusty nodded and ran his fingers through his hair.

He wore his stress on his sleeves and in his big hazel eyes.

"Rusty, I don't intend to hurt Caleb. His attention flatters me. I have no clue what he sees in me. I'm an extremely boring person. I love reading, chess, coffee, and art. My great ambition in life is to save enough money to open my own coffee shop one day. If that doesn't happen, I'll find something else to do. I'm simple like that. I'm not actively looking for a relationship, but I'm not against it either. I appreciate what I have. Anything more is icing on the cake."

"It is a huge relief to hear you say that," he breathed.

"I hate to pry, but what was his ex like?"

"Conceited, high maintenance, neglectful, shallow, soul-draining... the list goes on."

"Oh," I nodded.

"Look, I'm not trying to scare you off, but if you do get closer to Caleb, just keep it simple. His mind is complicated enough without someone manipulating and neglecting him. His ex mocked his love of art instead of appreciating it. It was fucking infuriating seeing the joy drained out of him every single day by something she said. He took it to heart and stopped drawing and painting altogether. The lights just went off in his mind, and he could barely function. She broke him and then she left him. I intervened at that point and made him come to New York with me. That was four years ago. I finally got my friend back. He's thriving despite the stress of work, the pandemic, and snowstorms. He is essential to Blake Law, and you have excited his mind again. He constantly draws when he's happy, and he started doing it again after he met you. Thank you for that."

"You're welcome. All I did was be nice to him," I stammered, trying not to get emotional.

Caleb's odd behavior was starting to make sense to me, and it broke my heart.

"You would be astonished to know how many people are incapable of being nice. I deal with them in court on a weekly basis. I feel better after our talk, Sam. Thanks for your time," he said and shook my hand.

"Thank you too, Rusty. Don't run off yet. May I have five more minutes of your time?" I asked when he started to get up.

"Sure," he nodded and settled back in his chair.

"How is your leg doing?"

I was eager to know if his heroic injury had healed properly.

"It hurts like hell when the weather changes, but other than that, it's fine."

"That doesn't sound too bad. How is Scarlet doing?"

He smiled big behind his black mask at the mention of her name. It made his eyes even prettier.

"She's great. I don't think she's ever been this happy before."

"I'm sure it's because of you. I'm a big fan of yours, Rusty. You are just as amazing as I thought you were, and more. I'm glad Caleb and Scarlet have you. So... when is the movie about your first big case in New York coming out?"

"I cannot confirm or deny that rumor," he grinned.

"I see. How about the book?"

"I can't disclose that either."

"Can you at least tell me what it might be called?"

"It might or might not be called Sordid Details. You did not hear that from me, and you better not repeat it. I'm a mean lawyer, remember?" he warned and pointed at me.

"My lips are sealed. Would you like your favorite coffee for your walk back to the office?"

"No, thank you. I'll send Caleb to pick up our usual order. He's happier after seeing you in the mornings. I need him on his game today. Thank you again for the amazing coffee. It has seriously carried my team through this past week. Scarlet loves it too."

"Is she the other vanilla latte?"

"She is."

And just like that, I had met my hero, Rusty Blake, the most famous and beloved lawyer in New York. He lived up to the legend. My crush on him was completely justified, but my heart was melting for Caleb. I was nervous and excited to see him again as I watched his boss disappear around a street corner.

"What did Mr. Blake want?" Lesley asked.

She just stepped out of the back with a bag of Valentine's Day decorations to put on the front window.

"To prove how amazing he is. Caleb is coming back to the shop this morning! How's my hair?"

"It's beautiful, Sam. You always are. Help me decorate real fast. I meant to put this up earlier, but the snowstorm distracted me."

"Also, Valentine's Day is on a Monday this year. Not terribly romantic if you ask me."

"The day doesn't matter. It's who you spend it with that counts."

"Well, I've spent the last four Valentine's Days with you, Lesley. You must be my valentine!"

"What can I say, Sam. We were meant for each other."

Twenty minutes later, Caleb graced us with his presence. He had his sketchbook tucked under his arm but no pencil tin. Lesley caught the customer that came in behind him, giving us a chance to talk while I boxed up his order.

"Good morning, Caleb. Did you finish that spectacular portrait?"

"I did," he nodded as he searched my eyes.

"May I see it?"

He took a deep breath and opened the sketchbook, revealing an almost photo-realistic masterpiece. I nearly dropped Rusty's vanilla latte when I saw it.

"Oh my God!" I laughed.

I set the drink down and stepped closer to admire it, and speech abandoned me for a solid minute. The rich colors were slightly surreal in the way Caleb blended them. I didn't even know you could blend coloring pencils. It never worked for me as a kid. He made me look dreamy and alluring, and it brought tears to my eyes.

"Caleb, you've almost convinced me that I'm beautiful," I stammered.

He looked at me like I was insane.

"Sam... you ARE incredibly beautiful. How could you not know that? Are you crying?"

He touched my chin and coaxed my gaze to his. His brow creased with worry when he saw the tears threatening to drip from my eyes.

"Sam, I seriously didn't mean to make you cry. I am so sorry," he whispered in a panic.

"No, Caleb, it's okay. These are happy tears. This is the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me. You're like the reincarnation of Da Vinci!"

He stared at me in disbelief for a moment. Then he nodded and closed his sketchbook. I watched in confusion as he sat down at the corner table and stared out the window. He seemed stunned. I met Lesley's gaze a second later. She had been watching the emotional exchange like a hawk. She pointed at me and then at Caleb, telling me to go talk to him. I nodded, wiped my eyes, and hurried away from the counter. Caleb looked confused as I sat down in front of him and smiled.

"Are you really okay?" he asked.

"I'm better than okay. Are you okay?"

"I don't know. I feel kind of nauseous," he chuckled.

"Then why are you laughing?"

"Because I'm definitely happy, but I'm not good with strong emotions in public places. Being really happy or sad kind of makes my stomach churn when I'm around strangers. It will go away in a minute, I hope."

"Oh, sorry I riled you up. You just blew me away with that portrait."

"I'm glad. I love being around you, Sam," he whispered.

His words hit me hard, and I had to concentrate on keeping the waterworks from appearing again.

"I love being around you too, Caleb."

He smiled and twiddled his thumbs for a moment. Then he took a deep breath and laid his hands flat on the table.

"Okay... Rusty told me I should try to be normal and ask you out on a date instead of drawing you at work all the time. Would you like to come to my apartment on Valentine's Day so I can draw you there?"

I'm sure my eyes went very wide at that request. Then I burst out laughing. Caleb's brow creased again. He didn't understand my reaction.

"Sorry, I would love to visit your apartment. That's... a normal thing to do," I chuckled and reached across the table to squeeze his hand.

"Oh, good. Hey, we could even have dinner. Do you like Chinese?" he asked as if the thought had just occurred to him.

"I... I do," I nodded.

I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing again. Caleb was a breath of fresh air. He was so excited by the prospect of drawing me everything normal went out the window. I wondered how often that happened and how often Rusty had to intervene to get him back on track. That thought instantly stole my amusement. I finally understood what Rusty was trying to tell me, and it broke my heart. I pulled Caleb's hand across the table and hugged his palm against my neck for a moment, wishing I could smother him with kisses and hugs. His brilliant focus came at a price. Waterworks were threatening to appear again.

"I love how warm you are," he smiled as he gently caressed my neck.

"Speaking of warmth, you should get moving before Rusty's coffee gets cold."

"Shit! I completely forgot!"

Lesley heroically boxed the Blake order in her best insulated totes while Caleb and I planned our first date. The coffee was still refreshingly hot when it arrived at the office that morning.

As soon as I got home from work Friday afternoon, I picked out my cutest black dress for my Valentine's Day date, knowing perfectly well my legs would freeze on my way to Caleb's apartment Monday evening.

The weekend raced by like an elderly snail. I had nothing else to do but wait and think about Caleb. Lesley ordered me to take the weekend off for once. It was too cold to go for a walk in the park, and there wasn't enough room in my apartment to pace around without getting on my roommates' nerves. I eventually parked myself in front of my laptop to research Caleb's odd behaviors, hoping to put a name with the condition that Rusty gracefully danced around.

After an hour of researching a myriad of disruptive mental behaviors, I found one that fit Caleb. He had hyperfocus. The medical website described it as "a complex and critical manifestation of ADHD characterized by extreme productivity in an area of interest while neglecting everything else important, including bodily needs." That was evident in the incredible and numerous works of art Caleb created that week. It also lined up with Rusty's comment about Caleb needing help to function in the real world sometimes. Caleb's hyperfocus was as debilitating as it was spectacular. I hated to imagine where Caleb would be without Rusty's intervention.

A helpful note at the bottom of the web page caught my attention. It said that physical touch was an excellent way to break the spell of hyperfocus. I had experienced that firsthand when I was touching Caleb's face at the shop. Thinking about the kiss that followed made my insides tingle.

"Hmm... I wonder if his hyperfocus is on me as a person or on drawing me," I muttered as I tapped my keyboard.

I didn't like that thought, so I turned my attention to making lunch. I would hopefully learn more about Caleb's feelings for me during our date.

Valentine's Day finally arrived, bringing more snow with it. Caleb was all smiles when he stopped by the shop that morning to pick up the Blake order. He gave me his address and phone number on the back of another napkin portrait. He said he meant to give it to me sooner, but he kept getting distracted, and I believed him. He stole a goodbye kiss before retreating into the snowy streets.

Not surprisingly, my thighs were freezing as I emerged from the subway that evening. Caleb worked and lived in the same high-rise building. It was two blocks north of Lesley's shop and not too terrible to navigate in heeled boots. The receptionist greeted me with a smile and gave me a key card for the elevator that unlocked the buttons to the penthouse suites. My stomach was turning nervous flips as I located Caleb's apartment. I hit the bell, took a deep breath, and waited. The door flew open within seconds, and I was greeted by a smiling Caleb. His hands, arms, face, t-shirt, and jeans were splattered with a complex color palette. I hoped it was washable paint.

"Wow, Sam, you look amazing," he smiled as he studied my little black dress under my red pea coat.

His eyes lingered on my knee-high black boots for many seconds.

"Thanks, you look colorful," I chuckled.

"Yeah, I would hug you, but some of this is still wet. Please, come in. The Chinese is hot and waiting in the kitchen. I'll get cleaned up. Make yourself at home."

Caleb disappeared into his bedroom as I wandered into his spacious, modern living room. It was bigger than the three-bedroom apartment I shared with two other people. The back wall was a huge window with an amazing view of the city. The white floor and furniture were accented with different shades of dark blue and black. The walls were covered in paintings and drawings that I assumed were made by Caleb. The right side of the room was an art studio. A paint-splattered tarp was on the floor under a large canvas facing the window. A table full of acrylic paints and brushes sat next to the canvas.

I quickly crossed the room to peek at the canvas, and my eyes went wide to discover it was a life-sized painting of me. I was standing in a spectacular meadow, wearing a simple white dress that hugged my curves as the wind tugged at the fabric. Strands of my dark brown hair glowed with sunlight as I gazed over my shoulder. A little bundle of freshly picked flowers was in my left hand. The blue sky and meadow behind me looked heavenly. What I loved the most was the expression on my face. I looked happy.

"Do you like it?" Caleb asked softly as he returned to the room.

"It's stunning. I love it. I want to live there," I laughed. "How long did it take you to make this?"