Day-One Rebuilding Trust

Elliot

The morning sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my office, painting everything in a golden hue. My desk was immaculate except for one item: the coffee cup I’d personally picked up on my way to work. It wasn’t just any coffee; it was her favorite...a hazelnut latte, no sugar, extra foam.

I glanced at my watch. It was just after 8 a.m., and I knew Susan would be arriving soon. She always came in early, as though beating the clock gave her some edge over the day. It was one of the many things I admired about her.

The thought of her reaction made my pulse quicken. This wasn’t just a coffee delivery...it was the first step in breaking through her walls. Small, thoughtful, unassuming. I wasn’t trying to overwhelm her, just remind her that I was paying attention.

Grabbing the cup, I made my way to her office. Her door was slightly ajar, and I could hear the faint clatter of her keyboard as she settled in. I knocked softly.

“Come in,” her voice called, steady and focused.

I stepped inside, catching her mid-typing. She looked up, her brows knitting together in surprise. For a moment, I saw the flicker of the woman I once knew...the one who used to greet me with a smile that lit up my entire world. But just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, replaced by a guarded expression.

“Good morning,” I said, holding out the cup. “I thought you might like this.”

Her gaze shifted to the coffee and then back to me. “Is that hazelnut?”

“Extra foam, no sugar,” I confirmed, placing it gently on her desk. “Consider it a welcome gift for your first day as a permanent part of the team.”

She hesitated, her fingers hovering over the keyboard as if deciding whether to accept this small gesture. Finally, she reached for the cup, her touch hesitant, almost reluctant.

“Thank you,” she said, her tone polite but distant. “That was… thoughtful.”

“I figured you’d need it. Long day ahead.” I kept my tone casual, not wanting to push her. “If there’s anything you need...anything at all...don’t hesitate to let me know.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if searching for an ulterior motive. “I appreciate that. But Gerald’s already been very helpful.”

Of course, she’d mention Gerald. He was the safe option, the neutral party. I forced a smile. “Gerald’s great, but I’m here too. Just in case.”

She nodded, taking a tentative sip of the coffee. The way her lips curved around the lid made my chest tighten, a familiar ache of longing.

“Well,” I said, taking a step back, “I’ll let you get to it. Have a good day, Susan.”

As I turned to leave, I caught the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to remind me why I was doing this.

One day down. Twenty-nine to go.

I was in this for the long haul, and I wasn’t going to let a single moment slip through my fingers. If I had to win her back one coffee at a time, so be it.

****

Susan

The day had barely started, and already I felt like the universe was testing my patience. I was halfway through responding to an email when a soft knock interrupted my thoughts.

"Come in," I called, my voice sharper than I intended.

When the door opened, I almost dropped my hands from the keyboard. Elliot Prescott stood there, looking as perfectly composed as ever, with a cup of coffee in his hand. His tailored suit framed his tall figure, and there was a faint smirk on his lips...the kind that made him look like he was holding onto some private joke.

“Good morning,” he said, stepping inside like he belonged in my office. Without waiting for an invitation, he set the cup down on my desk. “I thought you might like this.”

I stared at the coffee, my heart thudding for reasons I refused to acknowledge. “Is that hazelnut?”

“Extra foam, no sugar,” he replied smoothly, as if he hadn’t memorized my coffee order a decade ago.

For a moment, I just looked at him, unsure whether to be impressed or annoyed. This was Elliot, after all. Everything he did had a purpose, and I couldn’t help but wonder what game he was playing now.

“Thank you,” I said finally, reaching for the cup. My fingers hesitated for a second before wrapping around it. The warmth seeped through the cup into my skin, and the familiar aroma of hazelnut hit me like a memory I wasn’t ready to relive. “That was… thoughtful.”

“Figured you’d need it,” he said, his tone casual. Too casual. “Long day ahead.”

I nodded, but my guard was up. “Gerald’s already been very helpful,” I added, partly to remind him that I didn’t need anything from him.

Elliot didn’t flinch. If anything, his smirk deepened, as if he knew I was trying to put up a wall and found it amusing. “Gerald’s great,” he said. “But I’m here too. Just in case.”

Just in case of what? I wanted to ask, but I didn’t. Instead, I took a sip of the coffee, hoping it would settle the knot of tension coiling in my stomach.

“Well,” he said, backing toward the door, “I’ll let you get to it. Have a good day, Susan.”

He left before I could respond, leaving the room feeling oddly colder in his absence.

I sat back in my chair, staring at the coffee cup like it held some kind of hidden message. Why was he doing this? Was this his way of asserting control, of reminding me that he was the boss? Or was it something else?

A tiny voice in my head whispered the answer I didn’t want to hear: Maybe he’s trying to make up for the past.

I shook my head, silencing the thought. I didn’t have time to dwell on Elliot Prescott or his motives. I had work to do, and I wasn’t about to let him or anyone else derail me.

Still, as I turned back to my laptop, I found myself glancing at the coffee cup again. It was a small gesture, sure. But sometimes, small gestures had the biggest impact.