I like you a LATTE!

Let's play a little catch-up about my new favorite Starbucks barista, aka the cute, tall, shaggy haired, blue eyed one, aka.... the Foxista. (cue sigh)

Ever since the day I got stood up at my new Starbucks and discovered the plethora of hotties working behind the counter, I haven't seen Hottie McFirecrotch again, but I'm ok with that, because he has been totally overshadowed by a very attractive and very flirty coworker of his.

So basically.... I've become a full-fledged regular at this location over the course of the past few weeks because I'm totally crushing on this guy. The funny part (and the part that luckily the Foxista doesn't realize) is that A. there are 25 Starbucks far closer to either my home or where I work and B. I really don't even like Starbucks coffee that much. I'm definitely a Coffee Bean girl. But that is besides the point, because my love of Coffee Bean doesn't compare to my enfatuation right now. Love is all about compromise, so they say, right? Ha.

Over the past 20 or so days, my visits have become increasingly interesting. First he read my name off my cup and promised to remember it. The next time, he shouted it excitedly across the store when I walked in, and winked when I left. Ever since then, he not only greets me excitedly every time I come in, but introduces me to whoever he happens to be working with that night as "B*******, the most awesome girl ever." What would even make him think that (considering our conversations have all been under 5 minutes) I don't know, but I'm not complaining. At one point, while making my drink, he reached in his pocket and withdrew his cell phone which he handed me. I took it, confused. "I got a new phone." I handed it back and realized he probably wanted me to put my number in it. (Am I way off base?)

The last time I was in was two nights ago. He said hello in the usual fashion (shouting my name with a huge smile before I'm fully in the door) and took my order. After he rang me up, he said, "I have to tell you, you look really, really nice tonight." I blushed. The woman behind me in line (possibly a little off, but looked normal) said, "Ya you better tell her that after yelling at her." Obviously, we were both totally confused. She insisted that she had 'witnessed' it, and he explained that the volume of his voice had just been elevated because he was so excited to see me, because (like I said) I'm just "so awesome."

As I walked to the end of the counter where he usually makes my drink and chats with me, I found the woman wasn't done. "What you really mean to say is that you think she's GORGEOUS, isn't it?" He told her, unfortunately, he wasn't able to tell customers they're gorgeous while he was at work. She swung around to me and professed, "See??? He thinks you're gorgeous!!!"

So I stood there feeling sufficiently sheepish while he made my coffee. We chatted a bit, and when he handed me my drink (on which he had written a cute nickname version of my name, along with some happy faces) he said, "it was such a pleasure seeing you tonight. I really hope I get to see you again soon." I told him I was sure he would, and he said "no really... I hope you come back again really soon." I blushed my way through the two splendas I still had to mix in and left.


Now here's the thing. On a normal basis, I am any or all of the following: extroverted, flirty, ballsy, seductive, outgoing, forward, or brave. I'm used to being the one that flirts and winks. For whatever reason, this guy makes me feel totally shy and I never know what to say. I try to flirt back, but since he's so forward, I end up totally embarrassed and I end up playing it cool as though I'm not interested. (Which apparently hasn't really worked against me. So that's good.)

Fast forward to tomorrow: VALENTINE'S DAY.
Every girl wants a Valentine. And me, of all girls, thinks its heresy to not celebrate the holiday of my patron saint. And since Cupid (real cupid, not OKCupid this time) hit me right in the venti cup, I figured it was time to be ballsy.

My crafty impulses got the best of me. I went to Michael's to get Valentine supplies, but the idea I came up with was so much better. I stupidly didn't take a picture of it before I packaged it all up and had my friend drop it off at Starbucks tonight, so I'll have to show you the pieces.

Basically, I took a blank puzzle and I wrote with black sticky letters "I like you a LATTE.... Be my Valentine?" on the front, and wrote "Love, B******* (and my phone number)" on the back of it, and then decorated it with lipstick stickers and hearts and puff paint.

Then I broke it apart and I stuffed the takeout box with the red squiggly shredded paper and the confetti and the puzzle pieces.

So yes, I'm a big craft nerd, but I had some friends over while I was making it, and though they made fun of me for putting so much effort into it for someone I don't even know, they were all totally impressed with the final product.

I called Starbucks yesterday and asked who was working Valentine's night, and he wasn't. So I met up with my friend C today and she dropped it off for him... though I guess he wasn't there tonight either, but the girl working said she'd give it to him, and I took extra care to seal it all up so no one can open it without it being totally obvious its been tampered with.



So..... now comes the hard part. I just have to wait and see if he calls me. I've run through a few different possible scenarios:

• He calls, he loves it, he loves me, and we end up dating. Some day, we tell this story at our wedding reception. (I'm a girl.... we all have these little daydreams, even if I'm the only one that admits it.)
• He calls, says thank you, but that he's seeing someone. Or he's not interested. Or he's gay. I smile through the embarrassment, and get really hammered that night and tell the story to everyone I meet.
• He calls, he's flattered, we go out, and he A. turns out to be a total weirdo or B. we have no chemistry. We go our separate ways, and I never go to that Starbucks again.
  
• He doesn't call.

If he doesn't.... c'est la vie. I can go to one of the other 150 coffee places that are closer to my house anyway.

..... But I'm not going to say I wouldn't be just a little disappointed.