Should'a stayed at work?

Cerebral Deli


A rather unique book shop, the Cerebral Deli prides itself on being able to feed both mind and body. Several deli-style tables have been set up near the entrance, the linoleum flooring shining beneath them. An old deli counter acts as the checkout, behind which is a large chalkboard sign denoting all the new and upcoming book releases, as well as pricing for coffee, tea, the odd sandwich and other small items.
Upon climbing three stairs, one enters a carpeted area filled with shelves and stacks of books. These books are fitting to every genre that one could possibly hope to find, including a smaller section for rare or now-out-of-print books. A couch and two chairs can be found at the back of the shop, near the window. A comfortable place to ensure the potential purchase is the right book, or catch up on a spot of homework.


~

The mall is relatively quiet for a nice Monday afternoon. Possibly because people would rather be outside enjoying the pleasant weather. Mischa is not one of these people. Rather than get distracted by any of the shops, he purposefully strides down to the Deli. He seems a little bit antsy, though in a good way — there's a big smile plastered across his face. After checking around near the counter and peeking back toward the kitchen, Mischa moves off near the books in order to bide some time to see if his lady love will show up — or if Toby will brandish sharp things at him again.

~

Toby is around, and he's brandishing sharp objects. These, he uses to cut up vegetables and roast beef for sandwiches and platters that the shop offers. The lunch rush earlier left the poor man low on inventory. Since it's been quiet most of the afternoon, he's been focusing on food prep. But even the owner of the shop needs to take a break every so often, so after he spies Mischa entering, he sets the knife into the sink and makes his way to the back office.
Shortly after this, Summer arrives. She's dressed a bit oddly today, though her lab coat seems to hide that fact at first. She's in a great deal of a hurry, boots making a small clomping noise as she rushes behind the counter. "Toby, hey, Toby!"
When there's no response, she wastes no time in pulling her hair up into a ponytail and getting removing the coat before she washes her hands. She'll wait at the till until Toby reappears to take over.
"Well whenever you're done the bookwork, I ordered pizza for tonight. I figured it'd save you having to cook anything."
No, she's not noticed Mischa hiding in the books, she's just happily throwing on a pair of gloves and packaging the cut veggies and sandwiches.

~

And Mischa is so engrossed that for that brief moment he doesn't notice anyone at all. The cookbook he's ogling is forgotten after he hears familiar voices talking, and he comes out of the stacks. "I was hoping I'd catch you here. I think Toby caught sight of me, but he didn't come out with the knife this time. He's been a lot nicer since I lost all that blood." Mischa grins at Summer for a moment before he leans over th counter and inspects her work with an appreciative eye. "It's a good thing that you showed up when you did, lest I buy out most of your entire cookbook section. I still might anyway. How was work today?" The brown-haired man asks, pushing his glasses up on his nose.

~

"We have a cookbook section?" Summer eyes Mischa, and continues packaging food. Trying to be as swift with it as possible. "It was… well I had to head out to a ranch, since the usual farm vet was on vacation. Horse fell in a burrow and broke its leg." Not generally a great day for her, seeing as how she couldn't actually set the leg.
"I'll have the tea made as soon as I finish this up. Looks like I'll need to toss a pot of coffee on as well."
Glancing around the shop, she settles her eyes on Mischa. "How are things at the library? Is Doris back yet?"

~

With a whistled tune and spring in his step, Brett Coleman rounds the final corner in the cavernous corridor of the shopping center that will eventually bring him to the Cerebral Deli. The days between the full moon and now, in his mind, have lessened any awkwardness he may feel, and is looking forward to the 'after chat', actually. Plans have been running through his head, some discussed with his brother, some not— not until everything is worked out, that is.
Looking up, Brett slows as he double-checks where he is, and it's only a couple more stores before he reaches his goal: The Cerebral Deli.

~

"You have a few cookbooks," Mischa retorts. He's just being too lazy to say her 'non-fiction' section for whatever reason. Maybe he does it too often at work. Mischa furrows his brows as Summer mentions the horse with the broken leg. "Poor thing…" He doesn't ask about it's state, just knowing that a horse with a broken leg isn't a great thing. He lets out a quiet chuckle and shakes his head. "No no. Just go ahead and make the coffee if you like. No need to make me any tea. I'm not sure if anyone else actually orders it anymore." He straightens his glasses again before running his tongue over his lower lip. "Yesterday was Doris's first day back. She's still a little shaken up. I'm switching around some shifts with her so that she's not there past about three thirty."

~

"You don't want the tea?" Summer seems to be really awkward, and pushing things she knows he likes. More likely than not due to the aftermath of the full moon that has yet to happen. "Coffee it is then."
Slipping away from the counter, she peels off the gloves and preps the coffee pot. Turning it on, she peers into the backroom and catches Toby snoozing.
Rolling her eyes, she heads over to throw her apron on over her head and tie it about the waist. "That sounds like a good idea. Considering Toby and the crew didn't manage to catch the wolf over the weekend. Though I did hear that one was shot over in West Dallas…"

~

And, the last corner is rounded, bringing Brett into the Cerebral Deli proper. He catches the fleeting motion of Summer checking on something in the back room, and offers a cheery greeting to the back. "Good evening, Miss Summer."
Stepping up to the counter first before he makes his journey into the stacks to find yet another book on the Industrial Revolution in the United States, he looks to the empty coffee pot and exhales in a sigh. "Just get in?"
Brett hasn't yet really registered any other customers in the shop as anything other than 'other customers' who may or may not have yet received their orders…

~

There's a brief pause. "I don't actually want anything to drink at all… but I guess some coffee wouldn't hurt. I could use the pick me up." Mischa reaches up to rub at his forehead, watching Summer with a halfway bemused smile, halfway concerned. "Speaking of which, a detective decided to come and follow up on the attack yesterday. I wish there was more I could have told her." He pauses and gives the faintest of shudders. "Using my keys makes me feel so dirty and violated now. I think I might get them replaced. I just keep imagining them rife with wolf eye plasma." When Brett nears the counter, Mischa raises a brow but smiles politely at the other man. "You two are acquainted then?"

~

"Really?" Summer blinks at Mischa twice, and then shrugs. He always wants tea. "Well Toby didn't make your usual sandwich either, Mischa, but I did order pizza so you're welcome to have a slice once it gets here."
At the other voice, the girl behind the counter blanches slightly, then all the color rushes to her cheeks. She clears her throat before turning around fully. "Mister Coleman. I did. Long day. How are you? Another book on the Industrial Revolution? Don't you get bored of that? This is Mischa." It all spills out rather awkwardly and swiftly, so swift that she almost stumbles over the words.

~

"Long day.." The words are repeated. Probably means surgery, emergencies. Hadn't she mentioned that before? Undoubtedly. "Sorry to hear it. Good to see you made it in." Brett twists around, searching briefly for "someone" before his grin broadens in not finding the elder Houston immediately, Probably in the back, making sandwiches? "Another book on the Industrial Revolution, yes. I don't get bored, if it's written well. Then, with your advice, I bring a little Dickens in."
Turning around fully now at Summer's introduction of Mischa, Brett cants his head and studies the man briefly, his smile having to be shored up in the face of the meeting. Extending his hand, he takes a step over, "I have the honour of Miss Summer's acquaintance, and it is a pleasure to meet you. I'm Brett. Brett Coleman."

~

The blush and the awkwardness are noted. Mischa tilts his head at his girlfriend before smiling ever-so-slyly at her. "Oh-ho-ho." He says, leaving it at that for a moment. Eventually he gives Brett a rather firm shake. "You must be the one that she's always /raving/ about. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Mischa Alexandrov…" There's a pause wherein he considers how to introduce himself. At the very worst, Summer is going to be teased mercilessly about this later. For now, Mischa will take the opportunity to make her cheeks flare red. "Summer has said so many great things about you. You are /just/ as cute as she's said!"

~

Were she not actually a lady, she may have just thrown a punch at her boyfriend to make him shut up.
Instead, Summer is happily saved by the pizza delivery guy, and she rushes toward the back door to pay for the pie and linger there for a moment or two to collect herself. When she returns, she is nothing but calm, cool, and collected. The pizza is brought into the back room, a few slices snagged for herself and anyone else who might want them.
"Coffee'll be ready in a minute," she mutters.

~

Hooo-kay..
Brett grasps the other man's hand, "Mr. Alexandrov." Repeating the name makes it all the more easy to remember it, at least for him. He chuckles and shakes his head after retrieving his hand, taking the opportunity to watch Summer disappear for the moment, "Thank you," is given to her back. He seems, then, to have the other man at an advantage? Bringing his attention around, he shrugs slightly, "Well then, that'd be news to me. Flattered, perhaps, but maybe a little misplaced?" He's pretty sure Summer wouldn't rave about him to her boyfriend… particularly judging from her reaction. Still.
Brett laughs at the compliment and presses his lips together soon after in an amused smirk. "Again, coming from her, that'd be a huge compliment."

~

Hmm, touche. Mischa wonders how much Summer has told the other man about him. He eases off the fruity angle a bit (if at all possible for Mischa) and takes in a breath. "Hmm, I doubt it. You guys had plans the other night, didn't you?" He asks. "What did you ever end up doing?" He seems to have actually forgotten — and he's being a bit of a smart aleck. But just a little. "I think Summer is quite fond of you. I'm glad she has someone to talk to. For all of our chemistry, I'm sure she gets tired of chewing just my ear off all the time." Mischa glances down toward his wristwatch very briefly and then back toward the kitchen, leaning over the counter lazily. "Have you met Toby yet? Has he sang for you?"

~

"Dancing in Fort Worth." Summer glances at Brett and shrugs a little. Oh, if only she had an ounce of telepathy so she could figure out the thought processes. Sadly, she does not. So she seats herself behind the counter and eats a quick slice of pizza while waiting for the coffee to percolate.
"I did mention I was going dancing with a friend," she offers to Brett.
A glare is given to Mischa though, as his words seem just a tad insulting. "I do not talk that much."

~

"We went out to Fort Worth. The Stockyards. Home of the best and worst Margarita in Texas." Brett's brows rise in askance, "Ever been out that way? Lots of good places to dance, too, there. Dallas might have a lot of things to see and do, but its sister city in the Metroplex has a lot too. The Water Gardens, for example. That's a nice place to visit." And one he wouldn't mind seeing…
Shaking his head, he laughs softly. Not as bad as he thought it might be, other than their own dancing right now. "I'm sure Miss Summer has more than enough friends she can talk with. Nice lady like that? Still, we did run the gamut of conversations, but most was revolving around my two left feet and the lack of beat at one dance hall."
As to whether or not he's met her father? Well, Brett nods in prelude to the answer, "I've met Mr. Toby, yes. Not a man of many words, at least in my case. He was kind, however, and offered his hospitality, for which my brother and I are thankful, and have asked Miss Summer to pass the message on."

~

Mischa puts a hand up slightly. "I'm not much of a dancer. I'd probably fall and break my neck before I managed to sweep anyone off their feet with my Astaire-like delivery of anything." He looks over toward Summer and gives her a brief smile. "It's just a figure of speech. I know you're not a chatterbox…" He has sensed that glare, yes. And he's already considering ways in his mind to make amends for it. "You're a better man than me for going out dancing in public." He pauses and then laughs very quietly. "Yeah, Toby is a good guy… you guys are new in tone then, hmm? Well, welcome to Dallas. I hope it treats you kindly."

~

Finishing off her slice as the men talk, Summer just does her best to make things less awkward. Though Brett is given a genuinely warm, friendly smile for defense of her chattering ways.
Toby peers out of the back room for a moment, glowers at people, then goes back to his nap — this time with the door closed. Obviously he doesn't want to have to figure out which person it is that Summer is being awkward about.
Three mugs for coffee are procured by the woman, each poured easily and then brought to the counter. Creamer and sugar is made available, but she remains generally silent. Except she does add, "I'd like to see the Water Gardens."

~

"Ah.. not much to it, really. A couple of steps in each direction and a turn around. As long as you can keep your left and right worked out, and you own yourself a pair of bona fide cowboy boots, you can do no wrong," Brett encourages. Summer had enjoyed the dancing, and he was more than happy to go out on the town with a lovely lady on his arm.
Shaking his head, Brett offers quiet correction with a lopsided smile, "I lived here while I worked through school. Went to TCU in Ft. Worth, worked in the Historical Village and lived in something of a step up from a cardboard box. So, I've been here for a few years; up from Houston. I just hadn't had the pleasure of making Miss Summer and Mr. Toby's acquaintances until I got the nerve up to walk into a mall that checks your credit rating instead of a metal detector."
Catching Toby's glare, Brett raises a hand in greeting, and obviously farewell, as far as the man is concerned? "Evening, Mr. Toby."
With the offrance of coffee, Brett smiles, the gesture all for Summer at that moment in response, and takes a couple of sugars. "Well, I'd be more than happy to show you the Water Gardens." Brett glances at Mischa before he returns his attention to Summer. That had come out a little quick, sure.. and, oh, what the hell "Any weekend you'd like."

~

With the invitation being extended, it's more or less all Mischa needs to hear for the moment. He makes his way over toward the cookbook he was examining earlier and picks it up, then carries it back to the register. "I think I'll go ahead and take this. I just hope I don't have it at home." There's a long moment of awkward silence for Mischa as he waits for Summer to ring him up, going for his wallet. His cheeks redden very faintly although it's not from embarrassment or shyness as per the norm. "I should probably get going, unfortunately. It'll be an early day tomorrow. I have to open the library and close it tomorrow." He turns to Brett and holds his hand out to the man, smiling easily enough. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Brett." He leaves it at that, not trusting the words that may further come out of his mouth.

~

"I'd like that, though I'll have to check my schedule and get back to you." Summer's smile falters slightly at the oddness from Mischa. Yeesh. Talk about trust issues. "It would be nice if we could all go together."
As she rings up the cookbook, she looks it over to make sure it's not one she's seen at his place. "Open and close? What about the — never mind. I'll get them to push the reservation a few hours." It will be fine. "Please give Doris my best, and wish her a speedy recovery?" She pauses. Her teeth worry over her lip. There seems to be something else she wants to ask, but instead she just takes the extra mug of coffee and settles it down to the prep station in order to dump it in a moment.

~

Okay, now here's the awkward moment. Glancing from Summer to Mischa, Brett extends his hand to grasp the other man's, "I don't envy open to close." Beat. "My pleasure, Mischa." He takes the familiar route. "Hope to run into you again."
Retrieving his hand soon after, Brett doesn't respond to Summer's exhortation that perhaps they all can go. That decision he'll leave to her. Whatever and however she decides, that's fine with him; particularly if it's done to assuage guilt? Or, perhaps out of the real desire for her boyfriend and him to get along?
Taking the coffee, he rips the sugar packet and pours the sweetener in, silent now. He's fine with stirring his coffee and taking that tentative sip. Brett much prefers the Deli's to the 'Bean's…

~

A twenty is slipped over the counter to Summer, although he doesn't seem to want to linger to accept the change. "We might have to push the reservation back, but it'll be worth it. Trust me." He doesn't bother to lean in and give Summer a hug or kiss. He's not the type that makes a big show of asserting his dominance — perhaps even when he should. Mischa nods to Brett and smiles once more at him. "I'm sure we will. You guys be safe when you leave tonight. My scars are still itching." He reaches up to scratch at his chest absent mindedly before slipping his wallet back into his pocket and taking his keys out, keeping them poised in his hand like a knife. "I'll tell Doris you told her to get well soon. But you know she'll just ask why you can't come say it yourself," he says with a wink before he starts off. Change, what change? Dootdootdoot.

~

"Mischa, your change…" There are two options here. One, chase after the man and make a fool of herself. Two, pocket the change to return to him later, and make a fool of herself. With a sigh, she takes the change and with a quick 'excuse me' offered to Brett, she attempts to catch up to Mischa and offer him the change.

~

Brett nods his response to 'being safe'. He's been keeping an eye out, certainly, and his brows furrow. Mischa had been attacked too?
Another step is taken back, and a quiet, 'Of course' exits as Summer goes to catch up with the 'over tipper'. Exhaling in a sigh, he looks down into his coffee, watching the small sworls where his stirrer had just been before he removes the bit of plastic. Taking the first tentative sip, he nods to himself before he takes another, larger sip. Not 'burn his face off' hot. Not like the 'Bean.

~

Mischa's walking away pretty fast, but not too fast. When he hears footsteps behind him, he turns around and chuckles very quietly at Summer bounding up behind him. He opens his hand for the change and reddens slightly. "I thought I'd forgotten something." It's a really weak cover-up. "You have company though… don't let me keep you." Provided Summer will let him, there'll be a brief peck on the forehead. "I'm going to go home and curl up with this book. Nice to meet you Brett!" Mischa cries out once more.

~

Why on earth would he think she'd shy away from a kiss? Obviously the pair are going to have quite a bit to discuss when she's done helping Toby for the night. That much is whispered at Mischa before he turns to go again.
With a heavy sigh, Summer makes her way back toward the counter. Rather than drink her coffee, she takes the one she made for Mischa, and her own, and dumps them in the sink. As the brown liquid swirls down the drain, there is a muttering of, "Gee, that wasn't strange or awkward at all," then she forces herself to turn to Brett with a smile. "So… that was my boyfriend."

~

A wave is given in response to the final farewell, and Brett takes another swallow of his coffee, his back turning to the door leading out. It's a couple more moments, minutes, hours, before Summer returns, and, judging from the fact that she's wasting two perfectly good cups of coffee, she's not really happy.
Headtilting, his expression is sympathetic. "I probably shouldn't have offered the Water Gardens? Though, I'm sure you understand. I couldn't resist." Another weekend spent with a lovely lady? Who could? "With the colored lights on them in July, they're a sight."
Brett nods and twists around to look over his shoulder. "So I see." Shifting his position, he returns to his coffee, and Summer. "Exactly how much did you mention?"

~

And then Mischa is up, up and away. Only it's more like 'scowly and quickly away'. He pockets his change and heads off to the house to see if there's something fattening he can bake.

~

Dumping the coffee is a great indication that Summer is not in the best of moods, though if she were being honest, she's been in a lousy mood since much earlier in the afternoon.
"Probably not, though if he's going to react like that every time a friend offers to go out with me somewhere…" Then there are more issues in the relationship than necessary.
There is a moment where nothing is said, then Summer leans in to quietly say, "I told him about the accidental shift, and explained about the dancing. I do not gush, nor do I go on and on. I think you just happened to press some jealousy buttons that I wasn't aware existed."

~

Ow. The f-bomb. No man likes that, but if he must endure, Brett is all for enduring it for the potential and possibilities that lie beyond.
In spite of her mood, he finds a lopsided grin, and the expression reaches blue eyes, his tones light. "Did you tell him I was a gentleman and gave you the bed while I took the floor?" Cab. Hole in the ground. Pretty much the same.
Exhaling softly, the teasing is shortlived. Is this where, in all the novels, that the "friend" is left to listen to the woes, the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, only to have the heroine find that she's fallen for him? "Well, you are a rather attractive lady. And perhaps he was lulled into some complacency, and jarred out when he discovered another man found you equally as attractive as he does? Nothing brings a man's attention around faster than the potential of another suitor." And Brett considers himself to be such.

~

Well okay. That gets Summer to laugh.
"I did mention that part, and the fact that by the time the shift ended we were both fully clothed." So truly, she's no clue why Mischa was acting the way he was unless it was the jealousy buttons.
"I…" Alright. Now he's lulled her into not being able to talk. Summer honestly had no clue that's what he was desiring, which is only going to make everything much more awkward. Pressing her lips together tightly, she begins to scrub the counter down. "Yes, maybe that is it," she says finally, though the words come out a tad shakily.

~

And Brett was left cleaning sand out of his britches after he got home, yes.
He watches as the little light goes on in her head. There's a moment when Brett wants to clarify the point, to back off and not give Summer the wrong impression, but.. it's honestly not the wrong impression. At least…
le-sigh
"It's a shame that he doesn't dance." Brett knows that even that statement treads into dangerous waters. It's like a domestic dispute; she can say anything about him, but should he say a word against? All hell would break loose. "Sure he could learn if he wanted to, though." There. Raise that up a bit. "Though, if he comes with us to the Water Gardens, I'll have to bring the car instead of the truck."

~

"I'm sure he could, though I'm just as positive that he's never had reason to learn." It's not like Summer expressed a whole lot of desire to go dancing in the past, even though it's something she does enjoy.
It should be unsurprising, but she's not saying much either way about anything. Not being upset, not insulting, not immediately jumping at the realization that Brett wants more than friendship. The woman is just being decidedly calm and neutral.
"Speaking of cars, I really should head to the dealership on my next day off and start looking for one. I really don't think it's going to last much longer. Even getting out to the farm and back today was almost treacherous."

~

Neutral.
Neutral is hard to read.
Brett nods before looking down into his cooling coffee. It's still good lukewarm, and takes advantage that it's neither hot nor cold, and takes a couple of swallows before he puts the cup aside, almost completely drained.
"If you'd like, I can give you a hand with that. I knew Christine would give you a problem sooner or later. You could use a car you can rely on." It's an offer, and perhaps a testing of the water as far as Brett's concerned.
"But.." Gesturing with a nod behind the counter, in the direction of where Toby closed himself in, he continued, "..I should go. You are your father are good, right?" If an escort is needed, or wanted, Brett would be more than happy to stay. "Unless you're going to leave earlier, or he is.. or.."

~

Right as he's saying he should go, Summer is (at almost the same time) saying, "I should check on Toby. See if he's fallen into a food-induced coma."
Were the situation not so grim and awkward, she'd laugh. As it is, she's honestly remaining as neutral as possible so she doesn't just outright cry.
"Tell you what, Mister Coleman. I'll take a look around, and if I need some help I'll call." It's a fair response, considering everything that's been realized in the span of the last five minutes.

~

"Yes, ma'am."
Pulling his wallet from his pocket, Brett takes a dollar out and puts it underneath his coffee cup. "Give him my regards, please?"
Taking a step back, he offers a tightlipped smile, "If you need some help, thanks for letting me know." Now, he turns to go, his steps taking him to the door. Okay.. things turned out a little differently than he'd expected when the evening started, but all in all?
No. Clue.

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