INT. HOUSE - MORNING

 

6:00 on the clock. May 3 2013 on the calendar. The alarm rings and VIOLET (21) sits up in bed, stretching her arms out.

 

She brushes her teeth, washes her face, brushes her hair out.

 

She puts on a denim jacket and a crossbody bag, moving quickly in the living room. Her aunt, MONA (40s) grabs her purse and keys and they exit the house together.

 

INT. MONA’S CAR - MORNING

 

Violet breaks open a wrapper with a Pop-tart trying to be neat. She hands a piece to Mona.

 

EXT. COFFEE SHOP - MORNING

 

Their car pulls into a parking spot, Violet yawns and shakes off the sleep.

 

INT. COFFEE SHOP - MORNING

 

It’s just Violet and Mona, cleaning up the counters and tables. Violet pours two cups of coffee and hands one over to Mona.

 

Someone knocks on the door and Violet peers up, she smiles and greets the lady holding three dozens of donuts.

​

LINDA

Mornin’ doll! It’s been a

while.

 

VIOLET

Good morning, Linda!

 

Violet takes two of the boxes from her and places them on the counter.

 

VIOLET

How was the trip?

 

LINDA

Too short. But Kit said

she enjoyed stopping by.

​

VIOLET

She’s very sweet. Always

critiquing my music taste

though.

 

LINDA

That girl. Well, I brought in

extra of the chocolate glaze.

 

Mona enters, greeting Linda.

 

MONA

I heard chocolate glaze?

 

LINDA

Morning, Mona, dear.

 

Violet steps behind the counter, grabbing a ceramic mug.

 

VIOLET

Extra foam?

 

Linda nods and smiles. Violet starts making her coffee. Mona opens the box, adding the donuts into the case. Linda watches them and sighs.

​

LINDA

You ladies deserve a break.

 

Violet scoffs, handing the cup to Linda.

 

MONA

We’ll get a break when

we get another barista in house.

 

LINDA

Which is why I found someone.

 

Violet and Mona both raise their eyebrows at Linda.

 

LINDA (CONT)

Look, one of Oli’s friends is

moving back and needs a job.

(a beat) He worked at

Norwich’s one and only campus

cafe.

 

MONA

If the coffee at Norwich

is still the same,

it’s not gonna be any good.

​

VIOLET

No, Linda you’re right.

We need help. (to Mona)

I can train a Norwich frat dude.

 

Linda smiles and starts walking to the back office as Mona follows.

 

INT. OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

 

Linda puts the phone between her ear and shoulder.

 

LINDA

Hey, sweetie. Can you give me

your friend’s name and number?

 

INT. COFFEE SHOP - MORNING

 

Mona and Violet enter the shop for opening, Violet hanging her bag on a hook in the office and grabbing her blue apron off the door besides a calender, May 7th circled and Miles’ name written on it.

 

INT. COFFEE SHOP - COUNTER - LATER

Violet hands off a coffee to a man standing across from her, he moves to the right and another customer steps forward. He’s really tall.

 

VIOLET

What can I get for you?

 

His eyes trail to her apron.

 

MILES

One of those aprons, please.

 

VIOLET

Oh, we don’t...

 

MILES

I’m the new barista.

 

VIOLET

Right. Okay, Mona’s in the

office, so you can just meet

her there.

 

MILES

Thanks...?

​

VIOLET

I'm Violet.

 

MILES

I’m Miles.

 

He looks sincere. And he’s certainly not a frat dude. He would be charismatic if this weren’t so awkward.

 

He walks into the back office and Violet stays at the counter, helping the next customer.

 

INT. COFFEE SHOP - LATER

 

Violet and Miles side by side, wearing matching aprons. Violet pointing to all the areas behind the counter, showing him how the machines work. She watches him make a latte in a ceramic cup.

 

VIOLET

Shit.

 

His brows raise as he pours the milk in the cup, swirling it into a perfect foam latte flower.

​

MILES

What?

 

VIOLET

I just didn’t think Norwich

taught y’all how to do that.

 

MILES

They don’t. I taught myself.

 

Mona appears behind them, looking at the cup, as he sets it on the counter. The customer comes to pick it up and smiles.

 

MONA

Good work, Miles.

(to Violet) It’s 2:30.

 

VIOLET

Oh, right.

 

She removes the apron and hands it to Mona. She grabs a small bag and walks towards the door.

​

VIOLET

(to Miles) Cubano or Italian

Beef?

 

MILES

(thinking)

Uh. What do you get?

 

VIOLET

(impressed)

Good answer.

 

Violet looks happy as she slides out the door. Mona chuckles to herself, but Miles is clueless.

 

INT. DOWNTOWN DELI - DAY

 

Violet places the bag onto the counter. AJ (50) spins around in his chair, pushing his glasses off his head, folding the newspaper.

 

VIOLET

Afternoon, AJ.

 

AJ

Violet, why does that bag

look bigger? Are you trying

to make me fat?

 

He peers into the bag.

 

VIOLET

I need an extra cubano. So

extra donut.

 

His chair slides back, grabbing another set of ingredients.

 

VIOLET

Might be an extra cubano for

a while now.

 

AJ continues slicing the bread, grabbing the toppings.

 

AJ

Oh, thank God.

 

Violet raises her eyebrows.

 

AJ (CONT)

Extra sandwich...Mona’s got

a new man.

​

Violet rolls her eyes.

 

VIOLET

We actually hired someone.

 

AJ finishes wrapping the final sandwich, pushing all three together.

 

VIOLET (CONT)

And you never assume it’s

because I would be dating

anyone.

 

Violet carries the sandwiches under her arm, walking towards the door.

 

AJ

Because you never have?

 

Violet doesn’t respond, just brushes it off again and continues walking back to the shop.

 

EXT. COFFEE SHOP - EVENING

 

The shop’s sign is turned to closed. The store’s empty.

 

INT. MONA’S HOUSE - EVENING

 

Violet sits at the kitchen counter, slurping a bowl of noodles. Mona sits at the dining table, writing through some papers. Violet wipes her mouth and sets the bowl by Mona.

 

VIOLET

I’m full, have the rest.

 

Mona pushes up her glasses and picks up the bowl. Violet looks over the papers. Budget spreadsheets. Violet sighs, knowing Mona just wants to figure out how a new barista will fit into the mix.

 

INT. VIOLET’S ROOM - NIGHT

 

Violet sits at her desk reading through a book, she closes it and adds it to a stack of books, all romance books.

 

INT. VIOLET’S ROOM - NEXT MORNING

 

Violet rolls over in bed. The clock reads 10:00. She brushes out her hair and sits at her desk to apply more makeup than the previous days. She braids her hair to the side. She picks up a different book and exits.

 

EXT. PARK - DAY

 

Violet sits on a park bench, headphones on and looking down at the book. She flips the page to a new chapter. She holds the book closer. Then a basketball rolls to her foot. Violet peers up, holding up her hand to block the sun, but then a silhouette comes into view. It’s Miles.

 

MILES

Violet? Hey.

 

His tall frame covers the sun, the light outlining the sweat along his arms.

 

VIOLET

Oh, hey.

 

He leans forward to grab the basketball off the ground, the light now illuminating his back muscles.

 

MILES

What’re reading?

 

VIOLET

It’s called Memory I Love.

 

MILES

Hm. I don’t know that one.

 

Violet’s brows twist.

 

VIOLET

Are you a romance fanatic or

something?

 

MILES

No, but my mom’s marrying a

writer. She has books all around.

 

VIOLET

Wow. You must be sick of

books then.

 

Miles shakes his head.

 

MILES

Romance isn’t my genre.

(a beat) See you tomorrow.

 

Violet nods. He bounces back, ball under his arm and returns to the game. Violet watches him.

 

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

 

Violet focuses on precisely making a latte, she sees out of the corner of her eye, the customer flirting with Miles, leaning over the counter to him. Violet sets the drink down on the counter, sliding it to her direction, but she only looks down momentarily before meeting Miles’ eyes again. Violet’s eyes move back down to the counter where the customer slides a napkin with her number over to Miles and turns for the door.

 

MILES (OS)

What’s wrong?

 

Violet’s eyes snap to his, her head slightly shaking.

 

MILES (CONT)

Am I not allowed to...?

 

VIOLET

You just said yesterday that

“romance wasn’t your genre.”

 

Miles examines her for a beat.

 

MILES

I don’t read romance books

if that’s what needs

clarification.

 

Violet looks at him more sternly.

 

VIOLET

Flirtation is still romantic.

 

Miles is curious, he turns his body to face Violet’s.

 

MILES

A number on a napkin from a

stranger is not romantic

unless I call it.

​

VIOLET

She was...pretty though.

 

Miles scoffs and smiles.

 

VIOLET (CONT)

Oh, I see. You have

a girlfriend then.

 

He shakes his head. Violet’s head tilts to the right.

 

MILES

I’d probably have a

girlfriend if I read

romance like you.

 

The moment is disrupted as the door opens and a new customer walks in. Violet shifts over to the espresso machine and away from Miles.

 

INT. VIOLET’S BEDROOM - NIGHT

 

She lays on her bed, holding the book up to read, she shifts onto her stomach, the book still in front of her. She’s on the last page, eyes moving back and forth and glossy. Then closes the book, resting her forehead to the cover.

 

INT. COFFEE SHOP - A WEEK LATER

 

Violet and Miles work on a variety of drinks in between cleaning the counter space. They’ve both gotten in the routine of working with each other.

 

EXT. COFFEE SHOP - AFTERNOON

 

Violet locks the front door, Miles by her side.

 

VIOLET

Thanks for today.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

 

MILES

Yeah. (a beat)

I’ll drive you, if you...

 

VIOLET

Miles, it’s okay.

​

MILES

I think Mona would

hate me if I just left

you alone. Where do you live?

 

VIOLET

On Prospect. And now I

owe you.

 

INT. MILES’ CAR

 

Violet gets into the passenger seat, setting her bag at her feet. It smells like a cloud of Miles’ cologne. He puts his hand behind Violet’s headrest to reverse the car. [CHAMPAGNE COAST] plays from the speaker. Violet peers up.

 

VIOLET

This song.

 

MILES

If you don’t like it, you can

change it.

 

VIOLET

No, it’s my favorite.

 

He smiles and pulls the sun shade down, revealing a taped photo. Violet notices it’s a group of people, the edges are worn down. Violet knows people only keep up photos like this if they’re trying to remember something they’ve lost.

 

MILES

How long have you and Mona

had the shop?

 

VIOLET

I think fifteen years.

I started working there

when I was seventeen. And

that’s been my life ever since.

 

MILES

You’re both so hard-working.

 

VIOLET

Sometimes it feels like

the hard work is not enough.

We’re barely getting by.

I don’t want to lose the shop.

​

MILES

What about a fundraiser

thing? If you host in the

evening, maybe more people

in town can stop by.

 

VIOLET

Yeah, my friend’s band

played in the shop. It

was great.

 

MILES

Have drinks, appetizers,

find some music, it could work.

 

VIOLET

I’ll run it by Mona. Maybe

we can make it happen in

a few weeks.

 

MILES

Oh, speaking of, I’ll

need the 14th and 15th

off. For my mom’s wedding.

 

VIOLET

OMG! A wedding! Are you

excited?

 

MILES

Mmmhmm. I’m really excited

for her, but I think she

expects me to bring a date

and I was always so busy

at school. I don’t want to—

 

VIOLET

—disappoint your family.

I get it. We have a few

weeks until the wedding

and proposed fundraiser.

 

MILES

A mission to save the cafe

and my family’s hope for

my love life. God, this

is like the plot of a

romance book.

 

Violet smiles, her eyes light up as they both look at each other.

 

VIOLET

Miles, I have an idea.

 

TO BE CONTINUED...