CHAPTER THREE

STEPHANIE

“Enjoy your meal,” I said quietly, quickly passing a polite smile to the customers seated at the last booth, I walked back to the counter.

The Diner was quite full. I was about to grab my pad to take another booth when I heard Anna’s voice.

The next few seconds were chaotic. I turned around and everything happened in a snap of my fingers. She collided with the legs of Amy, another waitress who lost her balance, and the glasses she was carrying, crashed down on the floor.

“What the hell!?” A lady sitting in the adjacent booth shrieked. My eyes fell upon her dress which was a bit spoiled by the drinks. A moment of commotion before there was a second of complete silence.

“I’m sorry-“ Amy was cut off by the seething customer.

“Shut up! Is your stupid sorry going to get this stain off?” She glared at her before her furious glance settled on Anna and my heart skipped a beat.

“And you! Why are you running around?” Anna flinched at her tone and so did I. The way the woman was glaring at her, one would think she was about to get physical.

“I am sorry.” Anna softly apologized, blinking through her tears but that did nothing to pacify the lady.

“You should be, stupid brat!” I was stunned at how rude she was to a little girl. I glance over to see a camera. People had begun recording. The way she behaved almost made me think that this was going to be an episode of What Would You Do? Only it wasn’t. Anna was a regular here and not a child actor.

“Miss, I would request you to not speak to a child in that way.” I pulled Anna to my side, exposing myself to the brunt of her anger.

She narrowed her eyes on me. “Yeah? And how should I speak to her!?”

“I understand you are upset but this was a mishap. You are scaring her.” Bad investment! Every word was falling on deaf ears.

“And who might you be to tell me that?” She barked, almost and it pretty much snapped my control.

“A nice person. The same can’t be said about you though .” I stared right back at her while a group of teens sitting behind her snickered. 

Was I risking my job here? Probably. Was I impulsive? When was I not?

“How dare you talk to me like that!? And do you not see my dress? This brat just ruined it.” She pointed her finger, glaring viciously at Anna who flinched and clung to my side. I was irritated at how impudent she was.

I forced a breath out. “It was an accident, a mistake and she is not a brat because she just apologized after which I don’t think she deserves these rude words.” 

It was safe to say that this was the nicest way in which I could have put them together. The thoughts in my head were not this courteous though.

“Is this how you treat your customers? I will-“

“I will ask you to not finish that sentence.” A smooth deep voice cut in, the kind that is used to command the attention of an entire room, very demure.

 As soon as I turned around, the air was almost stolen out of my lungs. I was no stranger to the likes of good-looking men but he would outclass them in an instant.

He was tall, his built muscular body clad in a black button-down shirt. The waves of dark brown hair accentuated his hazel orbs and his jawline looked sharp enough to cut through steel. 

He extended a hand holding out a card. The sleeves were rolled up exposing his veiny forearm. “Call here and provide your details. Your loss will be compensated.” His words were sharp yet his voice low as he looked down at her.

 The woman was intimidated. It was apparent by the way she struggled to keep her eyes on him. “Oh no! You don’t have to pay for what this unruly child did. And this lady deserves to be fired!” I could not control the urge to roll my eyes.

“I do have to compensate because this ‘unruly child’ here is my daughter.”

My eyes widened at the piece of information. Well, that was some revelation! So Anna did have a family. A fine father at that. I smiled secretly.

I saw it in that woman’s eyes. She was contemplating apologizing to him. I watched as he held her down with just an icy stare.

Must be nice to be able to assert such dominance over strangers!

“It’s better if you accept the compensation and leave right now before I make you pay for harassing my daughter and this young lady here.” The conviction in his voice stated that he would live up to his words If defied.

“I- 'm-“ She fumbled with her words

“Leave.” He gritted out. She looked between us, her face flushed with embarrassment, before rushing out of the diner. The audience we had were now going back to their businesses. I remembered Anna and one look at her damp face did upset me.

“Steph, I am sorry.” Another tear slipped down her eyes and her cheek. I crouched down in front of her.

“No cupcake, it’s okay. You had already apologized.” I wiped the tears off her face. “That lady was a big meanie.” I made a face hoping that she would smile but the frown on her face was persistent.

“She scolded you because of me. What would she do to you? Will she hurt you?” It was warming to see how thoughtful she was. I was about to comfort her when her father beat me to it.

“Come here, sweetheart!” He picked her up in his arms while she gloomily stared back at him. I recognized a slight British accent. “ She won’t hurt Steph. I won’t let her, okay?” Him comforting his daughter and Anna looking up at her father with so much love, made me smile. But why was it so difficult to look away from him?

Maybe because he did not resemble the cold intense man I had witnessed just a few moments ago. His face seemed to have lost all that harshness the moment he looked at his daughter. 

I was too far engrossed in observing what played out in front of me to note the alarm that had gone off in my head. It was too late.

He looked up only to catch me staring.

Should I explain myself? I panicked. I had no interest in experiencing how it felt to be on the receiving end of his icy stare. 

But what I did not expect was for his eyes to trail down the length of me. When his eyes finally came back up, som

ething flashed in them and it was not animosity. What was it?

Before I could ponder any longer, I took the initiative to break the stare and my eyes immediately found Anna’s face.

“So, milkshake?”