S1E1: The Regulars

4/21/2025

A Work2gether Fiction Series

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Riley checked the time: 8:52 a.m.
She was early, which was her first mistake.

By 8:54, the kombucha tap coughed up half a glass of fizz and something that might’ve been alive.

At 8:56, the espresso machine made a sound that could only be described as “judgmental.”

And by 8:58, Bev appeared at the bar like a caffeinated ghost.

“I think the espresso machine is haunted,” she whispered.

Riley blinked.
“Haunted how?”

“It just blinked at me.”
“Blink how?”
“Seductively,” Bev said, with the confidence of someone who had lived through two divorces and a pyramid scheme.

Riley opened her mouth, then closed it.
Bev wandered off with a paperback and a root beer, muttering something about “feeling a presence.”

At 9:00 on the dot, Julian entered like a phantom coder summoned by the smell of fresh espresso.

He moved silently to the laptop bar, plugged in his headphones, opened his laptop, and adjusted his monitor like it was an ancient relic requiring reverence. He sipped a freshly brewed Americano from the Terra Kaffe machine.
The ceremony was complete.

Shay drifted in next, dragging a large tote bag, three notebooks, and what Riley was 60% sure was a tarot deck. She dropped everything in the lounge chair with a sigh that sounded… narrative.

“What happened now?” Riley asked.

“My muse ghosted me,” Shay said. “So I’m making her jealous by writing plot outlines in public.”

At 9:08, Danielle emerged from her private office, perfectly centered and suspiciously radiant. She carried a lavender-colored mug and the calm of someone who actually finished meditation playlists.

“Good morning,” she said to Riley, who was elbow-deep in paper towel and what might’ve been chia pudding from last week.

“Tech issues?” Danielle asked, smiling.

“Only if you count the kombucha having a personality and the espresso machine flirting with Bev.”

“Sounds like an energetic blockage.”

“Sounds like I need stronger coffee.”

By 9:22, the Rossi duo had arrived—Maya with a planner and a smoothie, Chris with five mechanical pencils and a sigh.

They wordlessly entered their private office with the synchronized motion of people who love each other deeply but have already had six arguments about countertop materials today.

Eddie showed up around 9:30, wearing his signature Work2gether uniform:
Black hoodie. Blue skinny jeans. Black sneakers. Entrepreneurial determination.

He poured himself an Americano and joined Riley at the bar.

“Smells like productivity,” he said.
“Smells like oat milk and second chances.”
“Is the conference room booked?”
“Yep. Insight Collective. Probably a corporate workshop. Possibly a cult.”

Eddie nodded slowly, as if either option were fine.

At 9:43, the Insight Collective arrived—four mid-thirties guys with name tags and a ring light.

They set up around the conference table with a mix of intensity and performative chill, adjusting chairs like they were seating a high-stakes negotiation. Someone brought in an affirmation poster. Someone else asked for “lighting with more intention.”

Riley raised an eyebrow.
“So… definitely the cult option.”

At 9:52, Riley finally got to sit down—with a fresh espresso, a half-sigh, and a full view of the laptop bar.

Julian was already three screens deep.
Shay was talking softly to herself, likely rewriting her main character’s backstory again.
Danielle was back in her office, calmly coaching a CEO through a gentle crisis.
Chris and Maya’s door was closed—but the white noise machine was on, which meant peace… or tense compromise.

Eddie leaned across the bar.

“You’re good at this,” he said.
“I haven’t even made it to lunch.”
“That’s coworking.”

And that’s how another Monday morning unfolded at Work2gether.

Next Time on The Third Place...

One seat.
Two egos.
And a silent standoff that echoes across the standing laptop bar.

Riley’s caught in the middle. Danielle’s ready to mediate.

And Eddie? He’s just excited to debut his newest kombucha flavor:
Lemon Basil—but make it existential.

Episode 2: “Bar Wars.” Coming soon to a barstool near you.

Enjoying the ride? Come see what coworking is really like — kombucha, chaos, and all. Join Work2gether or schedule a tour today.

The Third Place is a completely fictional story about a completely real kind of place. The characters are made up. But their situations? A little too familiar. The town is fake. But also… not really.

The passive-aggressive fridge notes, the mysterious smell near the bathrooms, the guy who never stops talking, the lady without her headphones, and the printer issues? Oh, they’re very real. No actual people were harmed in the writing of this story, but if you recognize yourself… your ego may be.

Welcome to Work2gether Downingville Square. See you in the next episode, or better yet... in real life.

← Before the Story Begins

Next Episode: Bar Wars →