A short while later I return with their drinks, and since it’s relatively quiet, one for myself. I perch on the seat next to Gwen and sip my coke.
“So, how did the casino go?” Gwen asks.
“Um… we won twenty-five thousand dollars.”
“Oh my gosh! Seriously?” she squeals, pulling me in for a hug.
“Yeah, it was crazy.”
“Holy shit! Congrats, girl.”
“That’s awesome.” Aaron’s reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “I’m so happy for you, you and your dad both deserve it.”
“Thanks.” I smile.
“So, tell me everything that happened,” Gwen says, excitedly.
“We went to the Royal Hotel in the city, I spent most of my time wandering around while my dad played the slots. There was this dress store inside, it had the most gorgeous dresses, and then there was this guy...” I trail off, as images of the man reappear in my mind.
Gwen squeaks. “A guy! What guy? Tell me!”
“Just some guy who I saw while I was in the store. He was watching me through the window.”
“Was he hot?” she quizzes. “What did he look like? Was he tall, dark and devastatingly handsome?” she asks.
I breathe out slowly. “He’s the most gorgeous guy I’ve ever seen.”
Aaron pulls his hand out of mine, leaning back against his chair.
“So, is that all he did? Just watch you through a window?” Gwen presses.
“No... he came and talked to me. It was weird though, I was looking at this dress, and he offered to buy it for me. A dress that cost six and a half thousand dollars!”
“Seriously?”
“Yup.”
“Did you let him?”
“What! Of course not, who do you think I am?”
“From where I’m sitting, a girl who turned down a six-thousand-dollar dress! And not only that, from a fucking gorgeous guy.”
“So, you would’ve accepted?” Aaron snaps.
“Obviously,” she replies without hesitation.
“Seems off to me, why would he offer to buy a total stranger a dress?”
“I don’t know, all I know is that… I can’t get him out of my mind.”
“Will you be going back?” Gwen asks.
“I don’t think so,” I reply, disappointment laced in my voice.
I probably won’t ever see the beautiful man again.
Do I want to?
Yes, I think I do.
Chapter 5
Hayley
The next day passes pretty uneventfully, a steady stream of customers coming and going as usual, aside from of a five-year-old boy deciding I needed a new uniform by covering me in chocolate milkshake while having a tantrum.
Shannon, the other waitress on shift this afternoon comes to a stop next to me, resting her forearm on the counter. “Holy shit, who is that?” she asks, her eyes on someone behind me.
I follow her gaze over to a man who is shrugging off his coat to reveal a tailored navy suit underneath that hugs his body beautifully. He’s facing away so I can’t see his face, he’s tall and lean.
“Look at that ass. Jesus, what I’d give to take a bite out of him,” she says, biting her bottom lip to stifle a moan.
The man places his coat across the back of the chair and slides into the booth, his face comes into view and I gasp. His face is all too familiar.
It’s him.
Did he know I worked here when he came in? It’s a bit of a big coincidence for him not to, considering he’s never once stepped foot in here before. How did he know I worked here? Did he look me up?
“Oh shit. What the hell is he doing here?”
“Wait, you know him?” Shannon asks.
“Something like that,” I reply, not taking my eyes off him as I answer her.
At that moment, he turns his head and looks directly at me, one corner of his mouth curving up into a smile. My knees almost give way under his intense gaze as I slowly make my way over to him, coming to a stop at his table. His woody citrusy scent hitting my nose instantly as it had done the other night. I used to think lavender was my favourite smell, now I'm not so sure, it’s intoxicating.
I stand a few feet away from him, unsure as to what to say, my mind has drawn a complete blank, as if I seem to have suddenly acquired amnesia.
“You,” is all that escapes my lips as I stare into his beautiful eyes the colour of the ocean, drowning in them.
“Me indeed.” His deep voice washes over me, sending a shiver through my body.
When I realise I’m staring I clear my throat, “Um... what can I get you?”
“I’ll have a large coffee, black, two sugars.”
“No problem.” I turn on my heel and hurry around the side of the counter to start on his coffee.
My gaze flicks to him and once again, I find him watching me. I inhale deeply and turn my attention back to his coffee just as Shannon tugs on my arm.
“So who is he then?” Her eyes wide with anticipation.
“Just some guy from a casino I went to the other night, he owns it or something.”
“Ooh, hot, young and loaded.” She turns and heads over to him, swinging her hips seductively.
I watch with rapt attention as she reaches his table and leans over far enough for her cleavage to become visible over the low neckline of her shirt. I can’t deny the pang of jealously that hits me in the gut at the sight of her, leaning over him, running her fingers up his arm, suggestively. Why does the thought of her going to talk to him fill me with jealously? I have no right to be jealous, he’s not even mine.
I see his eyes flick to her chest only for a second before he smirks, shaking his head slightly, speaking words I'm too far away to hear. I can tell he isn’t really interested by his body language, he leans back against the seat confidently, casually, shrugging off her touch, saying something that make Shannon retreat, her face like thunder as she stomps towards me.
“Dick,” she mutters, brushing past me and heading into the back room.
I suppress a smile though I'm silently
