Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Roseanne and Corley were cozied up at the park bench, deep in conversation.

They were sitting close enough for their shoulders to touch.

Roseanne had a stern look on her face, while Corley listened intently, nodding every now and then.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

From a distance, Owen couldn't miss the subtle smirk playing on Corley's lips. Even from afar, he could sense the pheromones of courtship in the air. His gaze darkened a bit.

The next second, he whipped out his phone and dialed Stoddard.

"Hey, Owen, what's up?"

"How about a coffee run?"

"Uh?" Stoddard pulled the phone away to check the caller ID, making sure it was Owen on the line. "What do you mean? Why coffee all of a sudden?"

"Do you want one? Ask around if anyone else does."

Stoddard's voice rose in excitement-

"Mr. Reynolds is offering coffee, anyone opting out? No? Great, we're all in."

"Fine. I'll pick it up."

"Why not just order delivery? It's much easier, why go yourself?"

Owen: "I'm already out, might as well swing by. What's everyone's order?"

"Which café?"

Owen named a popular coffee shop.

Stoddard: "I'll have the signature Oreo latte with almond milk, an extra shot of espresso, light sugar, no ice, and please double the cream topping, thanks; Jen wants..." Owen held his forehead: "This is... too complicated, can't remember all that."

Stoddard: "?"

Are you kidding me!

You, Professor Reynolds, with your photographic memory, who can recall the most complex experimental data after just one glance, find this complicated? Owen: "Just text it to Roseanne, I saw her downstairs, we can go grab the coffee together."

"Alright, alright! Smart move! Sending it to little Roseanne right now..."

After hanging up, Stoddard quickly typed out the order.

"Done! Sent!"

He added a voice note: "We owe you one, Anne~"

Suddenly, his smile froze-

Wait a minute!

If Owen is getting the coffee, wouldn't it be more convenient to send the order to his phone? Why send it to Roseanne? Complicating simple things?

What's the deal?

...

"Roseanne."

The two at the gazebo looked up.

"Mr. Reynolds? What brings you here?"

Owen spoke the truth: "Just passing by."

Corley's smile faded a bit as he stood up, offering his hand, "Good to see you again, Mr. Reynolds."

"Likewise, Mr. Corley." They shook hands.

Eye to eye, one calm and composed, the other casual and indifferent.

The tension started to build.

"Mr. Corley, what brings you to campus?" Owen asked as they broke the handshake.

Corley: "Doing a favor for a teacher, helping out with something."

Just then, Roseanne noticed the message from Stoddard, looking at Owen in surprise-

"Professor, you're treating everyone to coffee?"

"Yeah. I tried the one you recommended last time; it was quite good. Thought we'd go to the same place today."

Owen named the coffee shop.

Roseanne nodded: "Okay, but you might have to wait a bit for me, it won't take long."

"Sure."

Corley, who had managed a faint

smile until

now, couldn't hide his

disappointment upon

coffee shop's name

A suspicion crossed his mind-

"Mr. Reynolds drinks coffee too?"

"Never really did before, but tried it after Roseanne's recommendation last time, found it quite nice."

"Hot or iced?"

Owen smirked. "Warm."

"Anything special about the cup?"

"The cup had a hand-drawn Cupid's

arrow piercing a heart. Do all coffee

shops go this extra mile now? Drawing on cups when you order coffee?"

Corley's heart sank.

That was the exact coffee he had gotten for Roseanne!

"All set." Roseanne checked Corley's work against the reference sheet "Three spots were missing some

details, I've added notes on the side.

You can take it back to Mr. Olson now."