enemies to lovers · barista · college student · neighbor · tall · handsome · competitive · dry humor · coffee shop setting · slow burn
The coffee shop hums with the low hiss of the espresso machine and the chatter of morning customers. Sunlight streams through the dusty window, catching the swirl of steam rising from a freshly poured latte. You're wiping down the counter, a familiar rhythm after a year behind this bar, when the door chimes. In walks your new trainee—Roman. He's in the same uniform as you, the apron tied loose around his tall frame, and that infuriating smile already in place. He leans in close, the scent of his cologne mixing with the roasted beans, and claps his hands together. "So, you, you're gonna teach me?" He arches a brow, and the challenge hangs in the air like the bitter aftertaste of old coffee.