SAY IT WITH CHOCOLATE

Joe was so desperate for Denise to notice him, he missed some other important signs¼

And suddenly he realised what you can miss when youÕ re busy looking somewhere else

What on earth are you doing?'

Joe the barista nearly jumped out of his skin. He dropped the shaker and a fine mist of coffee powder puffed over the counter.

Now why did you do that?' he demanded, getting even more annoyed when he saw that Lucy was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Just wondering what you' re doing, that' s all,' she said. You always seem to be up to something these days.'

That was something else that annoyed him. Lucy was so often right.

I' m making a special cappuccino,' he told her.

For Denise.'

`Ah, of course,' she said, lowering her voice so that Joe' s favourite customer couldn' t hear. An extraspecial cappuccino for Delightful Denise.'

As she turned and set the drink down on a tray and asked Denise if she wanted anything else, Joe scowled at the back of Lucy' s head.

Did she know? She obviously knew how much he fancied Denise, one of their regulars.

But did she know how he couldn' t quite summon up the courage to ask her out directly so had tried more discreet methods?

Maybe he was too discreet. Because it was surprising how difficult it was to get the woman of your dreams to notice you.

Last week it had been a message scrawled in the condensation on the window she was sitting next to. He had watched as his words mysteriously disappeared just as she reached her seat.

Then there was his name and number on the side of her cup. No joy there, either, just an embarrassing phone call from one of the builders from the luxury flats going up next to the station.

So now this. Surely his best and most romantic idea yet. With a template he had made the previous evening from a piece of card, Denise would now shortly see an invitation to a date in the sprinkles of chocolate on the froth of her cappuccino.

Joe watched her cross to her usual spot. The way she walked, the gentle sway of her hips, the bounce in her blonde hair. To think that in a few moments she' d be raising her coffee cup to her lips, seeing his message, looking over at him and¼

And it didn 'th appen. She sat down, raised the coffee cup and, despite actually looking straight into the froth, proceeded to sip it without acknowledging his message at all.

I' ve been thinking,' said a voice in his ear, making him jump. Maybe you should let me take you out and give you a few pointers in how to ask out the woman of your dreams, I mean.' J oe turned to Lucy. Really? His nemesis was actually willing to go out with him to give him some advice? Well, why not? Nothing else had worked.

So they went out.

The most important thing,' Lucy said, slowly sipping her prosecco, is to make sure they fancy you first.'

Joe frowned. And how does that work? Surely you discover you like someone on a date?'

Lucy shook her head. If she liked you, you' d already know it.'

How?'

Does she look at you for slightly longer than necessary? Does she notice things you do, things others don' t spot?' Lucy moved forward in her seat, leaning closer. Is there any banter between you? Some larking about?'

As she leant even closer, Joe realised their hands were almost touching across the pub table. Lucy was gazing into his eyes, a faint smile curving her lips. And suddenly he realised what you can miss when you' re busy looking somewhere else. Lucy was beautiful.

They kissed, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. When they moved apart, Joe grinned.

I' ve got an idea,' he said. What is it?'

Would you like to go for a cappuccino sometime?'

Love to,' Lucy replied, smiling.

And why shouldn' t she smile? Her plan had worked.

Turning on a radiator to kill the condensation, switching coffee cups, a spare chocolate shaker beside the till to smother a message on some froth. It was surprising how easy it was to get the man of your dreams to notice you.