Okay so this is technically a prequel to Overdressed but it can definitely be read as a standalone as well!

Rose stumbled into the coffee shop still half asleep. It was already a given that she was going to be late so she figured she might as well treat herself to some caffeine. That way when she did finally make it into work, she would actually be able to function.

She joined the queue, not paying much attention to others around her as she shot off a text to the girls at the office that she was on her way. Her phone started buzzing with their responses, probably teasing her about her habitual lateness if she had to take a guess, as she stepped up to the counter to order her usual caramel latte with an extra shot.

Rose was still scrolling through the messages and shooting back answers to Donna and Amy when her drink was called. She paused in the middle of a text to grab her drink and thank the barista with a smile and then glanced back down at her phone to see what Martha had chimed in with.

She was two steps away from the counter when she ran into something very solid, dropping her coffee in the process. Rose stared down at the wasted coffee on the floor in mourning for a second before she thought to look up and see what she'd run into.

Oh.

Apparently what she'd run into was a very attractive bloke in a leather jacket who was also just looking up from the spilled coffee. This was honestly just her luck, meet a guy by almost spilling coffee on him and then have to face whatever conversation was about to happen without any caffeine in her system.

Mornings were great.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going," Rose said.

"Not your fault, I wasn't paying attention either. Head in the clouds, me," the man said with a sheepish smile, Northern accent coloring his words.

"Least one of us held onto our coffee," she joked with a smile, glancing at the cup in his hand. "Would have been a complete tragedy if both cups had been lost."

His eyes flicked down to her mouth as her tongue peeked out the side of her smile and Rose felt a jolt of excitement run through her at the sign of returned interest. Apparently a good flirt could wake her up a bit like caffeine could.

"Let me buy you a replacement," he offered. "It's least I can do."

Rose bit her lip and glanced at the queue that was getting longer by the minute and the time on her phone. She winced when it told her exactly what she suspected.

"I would definitely let you but I'm horribly late to work already and don't have time to stick around."

"Then take my coffee," he said, holding it out to her. "I don't have anywhere to be for a few hours so I can just get another one."

"I couldn't just take your coffee," Rose deferred.

"I'm offering. I haven't taken a drink yet."

"What is it?"

"Dark roast with a pump of caramel."

"Well you got the caramel right, at least," she teased, holding out her hand. "Give it here, I'll let you be gallant and give up your coffee for the girl."

"Wouldn't give it up for just anyone," he promised as he handed over the cup.

Rose peeked at the name on the cup. "Well, John, I appreciate you making an exception for me though. I'm sure my co-workers will be very thankful that I'm at least partially caffeinated when I eventually see them."

"Told you, it's the least I can do..." he trailed off, obviously hoping that she would fill in her name.

"Rose."

"The least I can do, Rose."

She couldn't resist the set-up. "What else could you do?"

A grin spread over his face. "Let me give you my number and then maybe I could buy you dinner sometime since you wouldn't let me buy you coffee."

She laughed. "That was a good line."

"Thanks. Mean it though."

"Good, because I mean it when I say yes. To getting your number and also to dinner."

"Fantastic!" His blue eyes were practically sparking with excitement as he reached into his pocket. He pulled out a pen and took the coffee cup back from her so he could scrawl his name and number on the side of it.

"I look forward to hearing from you soon, Rose," he said.

"And I look forward to dinner. Thanks for the coffee and for spilling mine," she replied with a smirk.

"Anytime," he shot back.

Rose had a big grin on her face as she walked out of the coffee shop. Apparently there were definite benefits to being undercaffeinated and late to work. She would take all the teasing the girls at the office could dish out for being late and more if it meant she had John's number and a promise of dinner.

She couldn't wait.