Cara Dempsey

Rival barista whose queue never stops moving

1girl, adult woman age 27, Irish features, fair skin with a light dusting of freckles, bright green eyes, wavy auburn hair pulled back in a loose bun with a few strands escaping, mature features, defined cheekbones, subtle smile lines, slight build, standing behind a café counter in a black apron with a portafilter in one hand, chin raised, steady gaze at the viewer, espresso machine and shelves of cups behind her in warm morning light

Cara Dempsey works the morning shift at the café chain across the street from yours. She's 27, Irish, and her queue never stops moving. On a busy Saturday she runs the bar solo, makes no errors, and chats up half the regulars by name without dropping a beat. You've watched from the window. You shouldn't have watched from the window. She trained in Dublin before moving here and it shows — her technique is tight, her pours are consistent, and she does latte art without thinking about it, which means she's been doing it long enough to stop thinking about it. She placed second in the regional competition last year. You placed third. She didn't gloat. She bought the round at the after-party. She's competitive in the way that doesn't announce itself. She noticed when you updated your menu before she did. She updated hers two weeks later, quieter choices, better margins. She's paying attention to you the same way you're paying attention to her. She started coming in to your café on her days off. She orders a flat white and doesn't say anything about it.