49

Ashely
I massaged Nadia’s hand, looking away when Leo offered to help in the kitchen in replacing Nadia.
I and Emily took Nadia to the storage room with Emily constantly apologizing.
“I am sorry, I honestly didn’t mean that. ” Emily said again.
“This is the 15th time that you have apologized. Aren’t you exhausted?” Nadia laughed while rubbing her hands through her hair.
“She has that habit, sadly. ” I chuckled softly, “Are you feeling any better?”
“Yes, I think so. It still hurts. ” Nadia shrugged and moved to rise to her feet when I raised a hand.
“What are you doing? Your hand is still hurting. ” I said.
“Doesn’t mean I should sit here and do nothing while you all are working,” Nadia responded with an assuring smile.
“Just sit for a while. Emily will stay and watch you. I’ll handle everything. ” I said, patting her on the shoulders.
I looked at Emily, giving her a playful glare, “And you, stop apologizing. It’s getting weird.”
Emily mashed her lips together and pouted while I clicked my tongue and walked out of the storage room which had turned into a temporary room to laugh, chat and cry.
I walked over to the counter and pretended not to see Leo holding a tray filled with cakes and pastries and putting it on the glass large transparent shelf so it could be seen by the customers.
“You don’t have to look at me, that way. ” I heard him say.
I let out a sharp inhalation, lifting my head.
“W-What are you talking about?”
“You keep staring at me yet you don’t want to talk to me. ” Leo answered.
“Why would I stare at you?” I settled down on a chair, holding brown paper bags, “You are not that handsome. ”
I heard him let out a laugh, “Not handsome? Have you looked at me, properly from every angle?”
He pushed up his spectacles, winking at me. I loved when he did that, it made me want to grab his face and smash my lips against his ferociously.
“I have and I still don’t fancy anything about you. ” I batted my lashes at him before turning my gaze away from him.
His elbow touched the counter table, removing the oven mutts from his hands carefully.
“How was your date?” he asked with a cheeky smile.
I felt all my saliva dry up and I licked my lips, hoping that it might moisten up a bit and my hands clenched into a tight fist.
“It went well, ” I started, “Very romantic and beautiful with lots of lights and wine.”
“Too detailed. Makes it sounds unrealistic.” Leo shook his head in a hurry.
“You shouldn’t have doubts about anything I say. After all, I was the one who went on the date and not you.” I shrugged.
“I went on a date too. ” I heard Leo say while tapping his hands away.
“It’s not strange. Women flock around you like birds.” I uttered, squeezing the paper bag I held in my hands.
“This woman was different. She was nice, really warm and beautiful. Her eyes were dazzling and the way she touched me….” I cut him off on his ramblings with a bang of my fist against the table.
“I don’t care about the woman you took on a date. Why tell me all that?” I retorted sharply.
“You are quick to get upset over non-sentimental things. Why? Are you jealous?”
I looked at him with my mouth half-wide open, unable to believe his words. Why on earth would I be jealous that he took a woman out on a date?
I was also taken on a date too.
My hand moved to fondle the back of my head, wondering how Leo lured me into a conversation with him. I still wanted him to call me, cutie. The need to hear that word fall out of his lips was overpowering.
I was about to open my mouth when a customer walked in and Leo wore a bright smile on his face, going over to the customer who took a seat.
*****
“Her hair is so pretty. She looks rich. ” Emily commented, staring at a woman who was eating pastries while occasionally reading newspapers.
“How do you know that?” I asked, looking at her with a lifter brow.
“The way she crosses her legs,” Emily whispered playfully, “And she looks relaxed in the afternoon why some of us are sweating our butts out. ”
“So you are judging her from the face?” Leo joined in the discussion, bringing out toilet paper from the cabinet behind us.
“Yes.” Emily shrugged while I had an unfazed expression on my face until Leo left.
“He jumps into, every conversation,” I muttered, slowly.
“Who? Leo? It’s not that bad. He’s fun. ” Emily spread her lips to give a toothy smile which I ignored and continued to take orders.
“How’s Nadia?” I asked.
“In the kitchen with Alfred and the rest. She’s pretty determined to work. ” Emily remarked with a nod.
“She should have rested more,” I uttered with a sigh.
“She may look so gentle but she’s resilient. She rarely talks ” Emily shrugged, thrusting her hands into her apron pockets.
“Not everyone is an open book like you,” I said, “She may not like speaking to others about her personal life or trying to strike up a conversation. ”
But Emily wasn’t listening. Her eyes were focused on the buns, pies, and cakes as she licked her lips.
“Are you starving?” I chuckled, bringing her out of her trance.
“Yes, everything looks so yummy. ” Emily groaned.
“Stay sharp and focused.” I patted her on the shoulders while I went to pick up more paper bags from the storage room when I bumped into someone once I opened the door, watching as his water splashed all over my neck, and chest and absorbed itself into my brassiere.
I looked up and noticed Leo staring at me, holding a half-full bottle of water.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there. “he said frantically, his hands reaching out to touch me. I took a step backward, holding up one of my hands in front of him.
“What are you trying to do? Feel me up like a pervert does?” I asked.
“I was only trying to see if I could get the water out,” he said, calmly.
“With your hands?” I exclaimed.
“I was going to use it on your neck, why would I touch your-” he curved both hands as if he was trying to grab something.
“Whatever, you always bump into me.” I scoffed.
“Maybe it’s our fate to meet again and again. ” I watched as the corner of his lips curved into a smirk and then he winked.
He just had to do that thing that hooked me.
“You are so arrogant. It’s off-putting.” I shot up a dismissive hand while rolling my eyes.
“You are also arrogant. Why don’t you go clean up and let’s talk right after?” he answered.
“Talk? Why would I talk to you?” I clicked my tongue and made to walk but he stood in my way, his height overpowering mine and the way he crouched to gaze in my eyes;
Dammit, I was whipped.
“You gave me the silent treatment, a couple of days ago and now you’re acting like we are in a complicated relationship. Do you know how much it hurt when you treated me that way?”
I felt red stain my cheeks as I struggled to speak without stuttering.
“What are you saying? Go do something else. ” I retorted.
“You missed talking to me too. Why didn’t you call? I would have come here right away.” he teased.
I let out a frustrated sigh, removing the bits of air that would hinder my vision.
“Why would I call you? Have you forgotten?” I told him, “I am in love with someone else. Stop flirting with me.”
“For someone who seems to be in love, she sure loves it when I give her attention. ” he winked.
“Move aside,” I stated firmly and when he did not attempt to move, I pushed him gently but I wasn’t ready for his reaction.
He pulled me into the storage room, closing the door briskly and placing his hand on the handle, trapping me.
“What are you doing? Stop it, Leo. ” My eyes wandered around, anywhere but his.
“I didn’t do anything. I just wanted to look at your eyes,” he spoke calmly, his eyes boring holes into mine. I felt like sinking into the ground at that very moment. His hands reached to hold my waist in place but he didn’t grab it, he just spread gentle fingers around it.
While I held his right hand which was on the door.
“My eyes?” I clicked my tongue, “I knew you were a pervert.”
He said nothing and advanced closer, my nose taking in his smell. He slanted his face and leaned in, his lips inches away from mine.
As if I was under a spell, I slightly lifted my neck, my lips desiring to explore every inch of his and wanting to remove the spectacles from his eyes.
I was dazed when he pulled his face back while studying mine. I was completely confused and felt awkwardness bathing my skin.
Did he want to kiss me or not?
“Have you forgotten?” I heard him whisper, softly.
I lifted a brow, still self-conscious of the distance between us.
“You are in love with someone else.” he verbalized in a deep voice, releasing my hold on his right hand. He took a step backward, his fingers leaving the surface of my waist.
“I’m sorry for spilling water on you. I’ll try to avoid you. ” And with that, I moved away from the door, still surprised.
Once I heard him close the door behind him, I slapped my left hand against my forehead. I felt like I have done wrong to Mason by desiring to kiss Leo but at the same time, I didn’t.
The words that Leo stated about avoiding me started to make me feel hysterical once more.
“What have I done?” I groaned.