She looked up then, and he found himself staring right into those big, brown doe eyes.
A shiver ran through him. He felt captivated. How long had it been since he looked into someone's eyes like this? Had he ever? He wasn’t sure, and he couldn’t think clearly enough to figure it out. Something primal was happening within him, as he focused on the dark pupils at the center of her brown irises. It was like he was looking into her. Shocked, he realized that she must be having the same experience. She was looking into him. What did she see there? What was inside of him—at a deep level?
“Can I?” she asked.
He felt himself nod. She nodded too, and then looked back down to the paper. The spell was broken, and he shivered involuntarily.
“If you could just keep your ear to the ground while you’re out there working with the others, that would be really helpful. One of them might let something slip—maybe about a large sum of cash they’re about to come into, or something like that. They’re blackmailing him, see? If you hear anything, I really need to know about it. I know it’s a lot to ask...”
He shook his head. “It’s not,” he said. “No problem.”
The corner of her lip raised, and she smiled. Then she sniffed, and wiped her eyes again. “Thanks,” she said.
It was the smallest gesture—just a slight smile and a murmured expression of gratitude, but Sebastian felt something stir inside of his chest. It was a little flutter—like a feather tickling his heart. He wanted to help her, just so he could see that faint smile again.
This feeling made him nervous. After all, he was only going to be around for a few more days, and this woman was a total random stranger. What did it matter to him if she caught the blackmailer or not? His life would go on just the same, no matter what. He just had to worry about helping a customer—and that was all. And the sooner he did that, the sooner he could put all this behind him. He shoved his hands into his pockets. “So, you want me on the register again?”
He’d been careful to mess up almost every drink that he tried to make the day before. Okay, some of them he messed up on accident—but most of them, he botched on purpose, because he didn't want to be stuck behind the espresso machine for entire shifts. That would significantly cut down on his interactions with customers, and he didn’t want that. He’d quickly realized that the person at the register talked to each customer the most—so that was where he needed to be if he wanted to win the bet with his father.
“I think it’d be best for you to train with Adrienne on food today,” Bridget said. “She’ll show you how to heat up sandwiches.”
Sebastian furrowed his brow. This wasn’t what he wanted to hear. “How hard can it be?” he asked. He saw her flinch, and that made him aware of how his question may have sounded rude or condescending. He quickly tried to make up for that. “I... yeah... that’s fine,” he said.
This is torturous, he thought. Am I seriously going to spend the next six hours heating up sandwiches in a microwave?
Bridget was watching him carefully, and it made him feel anxious. He wanted to get out of there. He reached for the door. Before he could step outside, Bridget spoke.
“Sebastian...” she said, in that gentle voice she had. “You seem like you don’t want to be here. If you don’t mind me asking—why are you here?”
He couldn’t answer that, at least, not honestly. He opened his mouth to make up a story, but quickly closed it again. He found that he didn’t want to lie to this woman—Bridget. Not after looking into her eyes like that. Not after she voiced her trust.
Have I ever been trusted before? he wondered. Am I worthy of it?
She was waiting for an answer. “It’s a long story,” he said simply. “Maybe I’ll tell you sometime.”
“I’d like to hear it,” she said kindly.
He felt her eyes on him as he walked away.
6
Beauty
Bridget watched Sebastian cross through the back room. He walked with a confident stride: head high, spine straight, shoulders back. He still had not put on his employee shirt, and she wondered if he was planning on talking to Adrienne about helping her with sandwiches before getting into his uniform. That was fine, but if he did start working without his shirt or apron on, she’d have to have a word with him.
She closed the office door and took a deep breath, trying to sort out her feelings. There was something about Sebastian that was strangely appealing. She was surprised at how attracted she felt to him, despite his odd appearance and gruff demeanor. He was so surly, and at times rude, but behind all that she sensed more. What was it? What was he holding back?
She felt a shiver run up her spine as she recalled the way it felt when he looked right into her eyes. There was so much depth there, and a subtle eagerness to connect—like some part of him was begging to be known and seen.
What was his story?
She wanted to find out, but could think of no way except to ask him, and he’d just shut down that avenue of inquiry. He didn’t want to talk about his history or his connections within the company, and that had to be fine with her.
I can’t think about his deep brown eyes, she told herself. He’s my employee, for goodness sake! Plus, I’ve got a mystery to solve.
Who is blackmailing my father?
How am I going to find out?
She read over the anonymous email again, trying to sense a familiarity within the words. Maybe a phrase will jump out at me, or a speech pattern, or a word, she thought.
Nope. Nothing in the email stood out to her as indicative of one of the three suspects.
I’ve got to go talk to them, she realized. And I have to tread lightly.
She folded the note, placed it in the top drawer of her desk, and stepped out of her office. On her way through the back room, she grabbed the apron with Sebastian’s name tag on it off of a hook.
When she joined the staff behind the counter, she noted that business was cranking, and everyone was working hard—everyone except Sebastian. He was leaning against a counter, scrolling through his phone. He didn’t have his uniform shirt on, nor an apron.
She marched over to him and handed him the apron. “I think you forgot this,” she said stiffly. “Please put your phone away, and put your uniform shirt on.”
Adrienne was stuffing a steamy hot sandwich into a paper bag. She looked over at Sebastian. “Told you,” she said with a grin. “Bridget here may come across as a sweetheart, but she can lay down the law, too.” She crossed to the front counter and tossed the paper bag down into the pick-up zone. “Egg white, tomato, basil on whole grain for Tom!” she shouted out.
Bridget felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. Being a disciplinarian was the least favorite part of her job, but Sebastian was leaving her with no choice.
She crossed her arms and stared him down until he reluctantly swiped his shirt and apron off the counter and headed for the back room.
When he returned, he had both on. His white shirt was poking out around the bottom of his uniform shirt, and she had to tell him to tuck it in. Adrienne was hustling, filling food orders just as fast as Christine, at the register, called them out.
Bridget watched Adrienne work. The heavy-set woman moved with grace and athleticism that was surprising for her age and build. Though she carried some extra weight, she could kneel down to the small refrigerator under the microwave and bounce back up all in the blink of an eye, over and over again, without showing any signs of fatigue. She darted around the small space and explained what she was doing to Sebastian as she worked.