29

Lauren Hart
The meeting turned out to be torture to me. We went to see the land in between the open marketplace where I had to keep an eye around me in order not be get caught. I had no idea what happened throughout the meeting as I couldn’t pay attention because of my fear of getting caught, I just remember only one thing about the meeting -the deal is finalized.
Thankfully, it had been drizzling since we arrived here and I had an umbrella covering my face. I wouldn’t have been so paranoid if I had visited my parents at least once since I shifted to New York City. It had been four years straight. But why would I come back when I was enjoying my freedom? I was free from all the restrictions that were forcefully imposed on me.
Sun had gone down the horizon when the meeting ended and we were on our way back home and I couldn’t be happier. But one hurdle was still there. We had to drive through the area where my parent’s house was located.
“What happened to you? You have acting strange since you arrived here.” Sean’s voice jerked me back to reality. I sat straight in my seat but still had the side of my face covering with my hand.
“Nothing,” I replied.
“No, there has to something. I have been watching your strange movements. Why are you hiding your face?” He shot me a glance before focusing back on the road in front.
“Uh, I am not hiding my face. I felt something on my skin and I am just brushing it off.” I lightly brushed my face with my hand and kept doing it until I looked outside the window. I gasped when I recognized the area where I had spent childhood. Damn!
Panic had already surged inside me but it heightened when the car came to an abrupt stop.
“What, why did you stop?” I asked frantically.
“I guess the car broke down.” He answered back casually.
No… No… NO!
Goddammit! We were in the main market area and many people here knew me.
“Lucky us! See, there’s an auto repair shop to our left” Sean said while looking out of the window at his left. “Let me go and let it checked.” He got out of the car and ran inside the shop as it was still drizzling.
I didn’t dare look outside, instead, I slid down in the seat, and picking up a random file from the backseat I hid my face behind it. I stayed like that until the door of my side opened, making me flinch. The file I was holding flew out of my hands.
“What were you doing?” Confused Sean asked. I picked up the file and again sat straight in the seat. “Nothing.”
He eyed me skeptically before shaking his head at my weirdness. “Whatever. The car will take a while to be repaired and I was thinking till then we could grab some snacks. There is a cafe across the street.”
Yeah, I know ’cause I used to be a regular customer there.
“Uh, I am not hungry. You can grab whatever you want, I’d rather stay here.” I said uneasily.
“I won’t leave you alone with my car!”
Well, not his fault, considering my history with vehicles.
“Besides, you can have coffee. Now, come out.” He ordered as he slid aside to make way for me.
“No, I am good here. I want nothing.” I grumbled. He bent down and inserted his head inside the car, glaring at me.
“I have had enough of your drama today. If you won’t step out the next second, I’ll drag you to the cafe. I won’t care about making a scene here.”
“No-” Before I could utter another word my wrist was grabbed and I was dragged out of the car. “What are you doing?!” I screeched, lowering my head.
“You know what I am doing. And head up.” He raised my head by grabbing my chin. He, without uttering a word started to drag me but I froze my feet on the ground.
“God, Lauren, what is wrong with you?” He snapped.
“Uh, my umbrella, it’s drizzling, you know?” I tried to get back to the car but I was not allowed to.
“Stop being dramatic, it won’t drench you. The cafe is just across the street.” His voice came out in frustration. I was pushing his buttons.
He again dragged me but I stopped again and before he could snap at me again I raised my vacant hand in the air. “Don’t drag me, I’ll walk.”
He eyed me suspiciously. Obviously, doubting if I’d run back into the car.
“Fine. Lead the way.” He gestured for me to walk in front of him. I passed him a nervous smile and began to walk. And while I was crossing the road I mentally prayed for Rosie, the owner of the cafe, to be absent from the cafe. She’d recognize me in one glimpse.
When we reached the entrance of the cafe I ushered him forward to enter first. He without arguing did so and I slowly and cautiously entered and quickly roamed my eyes inside the cafe. I couldn’t see Rosie and didn’t find familiar faces. The cafe was crowded-maybe due to the weather. The interior was the same as it was before; nothing changed, not even the wall color and sitting arrangement. I sighed in relief when I didn’t find any familiar face there.
“Do you plan to stand at the doorstep for the whole time?” Sean again snapped and again dragged me to the nearest two-seater table. We sat across each other and he ordered sandwiches and coffee. I honestly had no appetite because I was apprehensive.
I didn’t want to meet my parents. At least not when Sean was with me.
“Now tell me what’s the matter with you?” Sean asked all of a sudden as placed his forearms flat on the table and leaned forward.
“Uh, nothing.” Although he had ordered food, I had my eyes on the menu card. In the next second the card was snatched out of my hands.
“Don’t lie to me, Lauren. There’s something you are not telling me. Why have you been acting strange? You have been trying to hide your face as though you are afraid of being caught. Who are you hiding from? Are you familiar with this place?”
He fired back to back questions to which I had no answers. He didn’t know where I was from because I had never told him and he may not have read my complete resume when I applied to work for him.
“Lauren, I am asking you something.” He pressed more and before I could feed him with some lie to stop his questioning, his eyes drifted to his right and I saw him clenching his jaw. Before I could see what he was looking at, he abruptly stood up from his chair and dragged it beside me, and sat on it-practically sticking to me.
“What are you doing?” I asked frantically when he snaked his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer to him.
“Saving you from hungry eyes.” He muttered, still looking at the other side. I pushed back a little only to find him glaring at two men who were sitting at the table next to us. They were watching us-more like watching me. I swear I would have shown them their place if I was in the right state of mind.
Rolling my eyes at Sean’s possessiveness, I tried to push him away but the more I pushed the more he tightened his grip.
“Stop struggling.” He snapped lowly, bringing his face closer to mine.
“You are acting protective as if they are watching only me. There are other women too. And from how many men you’ll protect me? I deal with these types of men every single day. Just ignore.” I responded dismissively.
Shitty people! Don’t have respect for anyone!
“I know these shitty people are everywhere and I very well know that you are capable of dealing with them on your own. But I can’t just sit here and let them ogle you. I’d rather go and beat the shit out of them but sitting beside you and showing them that you are off-limits is fun to watch.”
“Yeah, back off.” I pushed him by his chest. “And what if I were interested in them?” I raised my eyebrows. His eyes narrowed and this time he yanked me to him, his lips almost touching mine.
“Don’t push me, Lauren, or I won’t hesitate to show people how much off-limits you are to them.” He muttered dangerously, his eyes boring into mine.
But I challenged him again. “What would you do if I said I was not interested in you?”
I thought I had angered him but his smirk said otherwise. “Believe me, Lauren, you are. I have known you enough to say that you are a woman who will never allow a man to touch or kiss you if you aren’t interested in him.”
I scoffed. “You don’t know me then.” Okay, I wasn’t that type of girl but to push him away I had to say that.
“Maybe. But I will know you if you allow me to.” He smiled, his gaze flicked to my lips as he licked his own.
I gulped the desire to kiss those lips. I wanted to prove him wrong but I couldn’t push him this time. Everyone and every other thing vanished before my eyes, just his face and his passion-filled blue eyes were visible to me. I got lost. The flutters inside my stomach came back, tickling my insides without stopping for a second. The heat that developed inside me worked instantly and tickled my feminine part.
I felt him inching closer to me and his lips almost touched mine when a sharp clearing of a throat broke us apart.
The waiter!
God, I forgot we were in a public place. That too in my home town! Crap!
I turned red and abruptly dragged my chair to a safer distance from Sean. The waiter placed our order on the table and walked back to the counter.
“You always leave me embarrassed in front of others.” I snapped at him.
“Embarrassed?” He frowned. “What’s there to be embarrassed about? Look around, there are couples almost ready to eat each other faces.” He scoffed.
“They are couples.” I pointed out every word. “Now, you were hungry, right? Food’s here, eat up and let’s get going.” I was getting impatient to leave the place.
“These days you have been bossing around a lot.” He frowned deeply but began to eat anyway.
I finished my sandwich and coffee quickly and waited for him to finish up. He was taking too long, savoring every bite and sip. I urged him to eat fast and when he was done, I grabbed his hand and dragged him out.
I did a mental happy dance because we were finally leaving and I didn’t bump into my parents. I was so impatient to head out of the cafe that I didn’t notice how swiftly I flung the door open and bumped into someone.
“Oh, I am so-” I gasped looking at none other than my MOTHER.
“Lauren?” She gasped as well.
Then and there I knew that I was going to be hanged.
“What are you doing here?” She asked in surprise. “When did you come here?” She moved her eyes up and down my body then her eyes got fixed on my hand, she tilted her head to look behind me.
“Who is he? Why are you holding his hand?” She asked. Shocked, I abruptly let go of Sean’s hand and nervously removed the hair strands from my face. I had lost my voice.
“Have you lost your voice? I am asking you something?” She raised her voice a little, making me flinch.
“Excuse me,” Sean stepped forward, probably to ask her about the matter. But I held his wrist, stopping him from saying anything.
“M…mom…” As I said that, from my peripheral vision I saw Sean’s head whipped in my direction. He didn’t expect this. Neither did I.
I cleared my throat. “I came for work and -”
“You. Came. For. Work and you didn’t bother to inform me about it?” She snapped. She then eyed Sean and scoffed.
“Work? He’s your work? You are vacationing with your boyfriend and you dare to call it work? You are lying to your mother in her face? I never expected this from you.”
What? Didn’t she recognize him? She had seen him in interviews and she didn’t recognize her. Wow!
“Mom-”
“Mrs. Hart.” Sean interrupted. “Nice to meet you, I am Sean Peterson, her boss.”
My mom’s eyes turned wide when she recognized him. “Oh, I am extremely sorry for not recognizing you, Mr. Peterson. I have only seen you in magazines and interviews that’s why the confusion.” The tone of her voice took a sharp U-turn. I frowned. What did he have that I didn’t? She would never soften her voice when talking to me.
Sean passed her a smile. “It happens. And Mrs. Hart, we are not vacationing, we were on a work trip.”
“I understand.” She too passed a smile at him. Now she understands? Huh! Then she looked at me and her sweet smile vanished again and a scowl graced her face.
Wow! What a special treatment for me! How special you are, Lauren!
“You should have informed me about your visit, Lauren. And were you leaving without visiting your parents?” She asked in disbelief. “You thought of eating in the cafe just near your home but didn’t think of coming there?”
“Mom!” I groaned. “I am with my boss! His car broke down and-” She didn’t let me complete.
“You should have brought him as well.” She argued and flicked her eyes back at Sean. “You won’t mind coming to our house, would you?”
“Oh, no, Mrs. Hart. If I knew you lived here I would have asked her to introduce me to her parents.”
I mentally groaned. He was enjoying it because I heard the playfulness in his voice. Jerk!
“Then if you don’t mind, I would like to invite you to our house.”
What, No! Dad, Mom, and Laura! How would I cope up with them?
“Mom, actually we are getting late-”
“Oh, no, we aren’t.” Sean butted in. “I would love to accept your invitation, Mrs. Hart.”
“Awesome!” She grinned at him and gestured to move. “Please, our house is just around the corner.” She again scowled at me. “Bring him to our house. I’ll go and prepare for his arrival.”
In the next second, she disappeared from our vision. Whoa, someone was excited to have a guest at their home.
“So, this is why have been acting strange the whole day.”
I groaned at the mocking comment. Turning my gaze at him, I glared. “I am struck because of you!” I accused.
“Struck? Why didn’t you tell me you lived here?” He asked in disbelief. “Or was it because you didn’t want to introduce me to your parents?” He paused, giving me time to speak but I didn’t so he continued.
“I get it you didn’t want it but you should have visited your parents without me, I would have accepted that. Did you see how hurt your mother was?”
Hurt? I mentally rolled my eyes.
“It’s not about you, Sean.” I sighed in frustration. “I don’t have any issue introducing you to my parents. You are my boss after all. The issue is I didn’t want to meet them. But now I have to.” I huffed.
“Why?” He asked.
I opened my mouth to answer him but I decided against it. “Nothing. Now, please follow me or my mom will skin me alive.”
I began to walk not bothering to look at him if he was following or not. I was bracing myself for the torture I had been avoiding for the last few years.
Here I come my ‘Home Sweet Home’.