Chapter 10

Plastering the mandatory fake smile across my face, I marched to the new customer’s table. “Good morning Sir, what can I offer you on this bright day?”

“Oh, good morning. Do you usually welcome everyone like this?” The young man lifted his head from the phone in his hand and dropped his gaze on me.

“Only when I’m in a good mood and on a lucky customer,” I beamed, getting ready to jot down his order.

“Which means I’m a lucky charm.” He smirked, his grey eyes dancing with mirth as he stroked an imaginary beard.

“Yeah, you could say that. What can I offer you?” I repeated my question with a now genuine smile.

“Coffee, black, no sugar.”

I stopped scribbling and stared at him with a raised eyebrow. Was he kidding or just trying to have small talk. “Could you please repeat that?”

He threw his head back and laughed out loud. He had the infectious type of laughter; the kind anyone would have a hard time resisting because I found myself cackling like I was high on weed. When he stopped and caught me laughing along, he burst into another round of unending snickers. I clutched my tummy as I unwillingly joined in his musical like rhapsody.

Once our guffaws died down, I snapped back into my senses, wiping the tears at the corners of my eyes while trying to mask the embarrassment painted all over my face. When next my eyes landed on him, he had already put himself together and was staring at me through humor-filled eyes. “It feels good to laugh like this at,” he stopped to check his wristwatch. “At six o’clock in the morning. My day has been made.”

“It’s my pleasure. What was your order, please?”

“You heard me right the first time. I work out every morning so I prefer something a little bit bitter. Otherwise, my stomach will be doing flips and forcing the contents in it out of my throat, and trust me, it’s not a pretty sight,” he confessed, scrunching his nose at the reflection.

I took in the joggers he was wearing and nodded in understanding. “Oh, sorry about that.”

With a smile on his lips, he leaned back in his seat and said, “It’s okay, I’ll survive. Thank you.”

“Is there something else I can get you?”

“Yes please, a loaf of sugarless bread and fried eggs. All takeaway.”

“Alright, coming right up.” Flashing him a smile, I turned to find my workmates huddled at the kitchen’s entrance, grinning from ear to ear. I shook my head, thanking my stars the restaurant was empty of customers, unlike other busy days. Their scrutinizing stares made me feel like I was doing the walk of shame as I scurried past them, ignoring their endless banters.

“You like him,” Jennifer, my closest work pal murmured in an enthusiastic tone. She came after me in the kitchen and blocked me from making a step forward.

“Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous, Jenny.” I backed away from her and began filling the tucker bag on the counter with my order.

“You know, between him and that your boyfriend, I’d rather choose him.” She pointed in the direction we just came from.

Turning to her, I rolled my eyes before saying, “You’re crazy, you barely know the dude. Don’t tell me your mother didn’t caution you about strangers?”

“She did, but she didn’t warn me about cute rich-looking strangers.” She let out a high-pitched giggle, playfully poking my shoulder.

I shook my head in disbelief as I replenished the paper cup with coffee before sealing it. “I’ll let him know of your compliment,” I said to her once I was done preparing the tasteless-looking breakfast.

“Don’t forget to ask for his number,” she called after my back as I stepped out of the kitchen. I let out a sigh of relief when I noted that everyone had gone back to their workstations.

I slowly dropped his order on the table, earning his full attention before passing him the bill and waiting quietly.

“Can I have your number?” he asked blatantly.

“I’m sorry but it’s against our work rules.” I lied, but he didn’t seem to believe me so I added, “I have a boyfriend.”

He shot up from the chair, towering over me with his height. Before I could make out what he was doing, he’d already leaned towards me and snatched my phone from the front pocket of my apron.

“What are you doing?” I hollered, attempting to reach for his hand so I could get it back but he only raised it higher.

“You don’t lock your phone huh?” He stopped typing to look at me but I sent him a glare, refraining myself from smacking him hard across the cheek because I would be left jobless.

“You have crossed lanes and I don’t condone such! If not for my boss’s strict rules on how to treat a mannerless customer like you, I would have dealt with you perpendicularly,” I said through gritted teeth.

Before I could give in to the slurs at the tip of my tongue, he slipped my phone back into my apron and collected his breakfast. After dropping a few dollars on the table, he sent me a mischievous wink and sauntered off with a slight bounce in his steps.

The nerve!

I quickly unlocked my phone. I had a notion of what he’d done but still needed to confirm my uncertainties. I hissed when I saw an unknown number had received my call. A ping alerted me of the message I received and I clicked on the popup notification on my panel to open the text.

Unknown: Call me once he’s broken your heart, I’ll be waiting.

Yours truly, Lionel ;-)