"Now's your chance," Ella said, grinning. "Figure out the four or five best new ones and I'll update the menu boards."

Sim didn't quite cackle but she did go to take inventory so she would know what supplies she needed to get to play around later.

Ella grinned and went to go do a quick clean of the counter. It was almost time to close up.

Sim helped her close up and then grabbed her things so they could head back to their apartment.

"So, I'm pretty sure I heard Captain America and the Soldier saying they'd be back," she couldn't help but tease. "Pretty Alpha and Beta pair for you."

"Hush," Ella said as she cashed out the register. She grabbed her things when she was done. "I'm not looking for an Alpha or a Beta right now." She had to admit they were attractive, though.

"I know." Sim bumped her shoulder with her own. "Come on, let's head back, I think I've got enough ingredients in the apartment to make those lemon knots you like."

"Ooh lemon knots," Ella said, grinning. "You know just how to spoil me."

"Course I do." Sim grinned. She'd have to go shopping the next day, maybe take an hour when the shop was quiet, but it would be worth it to have lemon knots for a few days.

The next day, Ella was genuinely surprised when Captain America and the Winter Soldier came back into the cafe. She hadn't expected them to actually come back.

Steve and Bucky managed to arrive while Sim was gone and things were quiet. They both headed up to the register.

"Told you we'd be back," Bucky said with a grin and another wink.

"Indeed you are," Ella said, eyes just slightly wide. "I wasn't sure if you'd really come back again."

"Pretty lady, good coffee, why wouldn't we come back?" Bucky grinned while Steve chuckled quietly.

"Hey, for all I know you could have been off saving the world again," Ella pointed out, grinning a bit. "Or sleeping in, if you even do that." She grabbed down a pair of cups. "So what can I get for you?"

"Two regular coffees," Steve said. "We're kind of old-fashioned that way."

Bucky snorted at him. "More like you can't get used to milk in your coffee."

Steve shrugged. "Hey, it still tastes weird. Even modern coffee tastes weird, it's smooth and nice and doesn't try to choke you on occasion."

Ella had the two black coffees on the counter before they finished speaking.

"Two regular black coffees," she said. She grinned a bit. "Coffees are on me today. Consider it a bit of a thank-you for looking after the city."

They both blinked at that before Steve smiled. "Thank you," he said, taking his coffee. "You don't have to, you know."

Bucky just slipped a tip in the jar, resisting the urge to lean across the counter to get a better smell of her.

"I know I don't," Ella said. "But I want to. And, I mean, I co-own a cafe. There's not much more I can do besides offer coffee and pastries." A few more people walked in as she spoke, and the open door created just enough of a breeze that it reached the counter. The moving air washed over the Alpha and the Beta, bringing their scents directly into Ella's face, and she involuntarily took a slow breath to smell them. Oh they smelled much better than she thought they would. She liked it very much.

Bucky smiled slowly when he noticed that. Much better.

"Mind if we stick around, then?" He pulled Steve over to a table without actually giving her a chance to reply so they were out of the way of the other guests.

"Go ahead," Ella said, still a bit distracted. She was savoring the scents, and it took her a moment to get her wits about her again. She shook her head, turning a bit pink, and got back to work.

Steve and Bucky ended up sitting there for a while, occasionally getting refills of coffee and getting some pastries to snack on. Neither of them wanted to leave, but neither of them was quite sure how to ask her out. This was a little more important than just any date, after all.

Ella had no problems refilling their coffees for them, and she couldn't help but glance at them from time to time as she worked. There was something about them that she just couldn't shake, and she wasn't sure she minded.

Bucky and Steve managed to not drag her off anywhere or do anything untoward. But they did keep an eye on her, and chatted with her a bit through the day.

Near the end of the day, Ella finally went over to them.

"Okay," she said, "this is going to sound crazy, but I've got a day off coming up soon, and I don't have any plans for that day, so..." She trailed off.

Both men immediately perked up.

"What would you like to do?" Steve asked.

"See a movie? Go out somewhere?" Bucky was having an easier time restraining himself.

Ella felt a warm rush of pleasure when she saw how interested they were. At least it wasn't just her, then.

"I wouldn't mind a movie," she said, turning a little pink. "Maybe dinner afterwards? Or before?"