Versailles Series Book 5: The Barista

CHAPTER 1

~ calhoun ~

"Allie, ilang scene pa bago tayo mag-pack-up?" tanong ko kay Allie na siyang personal assistant, make-up artist, at hairstylist ko. Nickname for "alila" raw ang pangalan nitong Allie. Dalawang taon ko na siyang kasama mula noong mapagtanto nitong hindi talaga para rito ang eskwelahan. Inirekomenda siya sa akin Mama Jove noon at nakasundo ko naman ito.

"Isa na lang daw Kuya Calhoun."

Napasimangot ako habang tina-type ang reply ko kay Tabi.

Tabi: Daan ka sa resto? I have news!

Me: I still have one more scene to shoot.

Tabi: Okay lang. Antayin kita.

I smiled. Kahit na gaano ako kapagod mula sa mga mahahabang taping o shooting namin, naglalaan ako parati ng oras para sa isa pang pinakamahalagang babae sa buhay ko bukod sa nanay ko. Tabitha Alvarez or Tabi as we fondly call her, owns Tasteful Trails, one of the busiest restaurants in the metro. I think I know what she wants to tell me but I don't want to let her know what I did behind the scenes.

"Excited ka nanaman ba sumibat, Kuya?" Natatawang tanong ni Allie sa akin.

"Tabi wants to see me."

Ngumiti ito ng makahulugan sa akin. Gusting-gusto nito si Tabi. Mula noong pinakilala ko rito ang best friend ko ay nag-click kaagad sila. Hindi ko naman siya masisisi. Tabi is a very outgoing person. She can befriend anybody that she likes.

"Galingan mo na Kuya Calhoun para makaalis ka na."

Sumaludo ako rito bago pumunta sa puwesto ko. Buti at hindi na ganoon kahirap ang gagawin namin kaya mabilis lang namin nakuha ang scene. Alas dose na ako nakarating sa restaurant nito at maayos na ang mga mesa. Wala na rin ang staff nito na minsan ay naabutan ko pa minsan na naglilinis. Dinner service ends by 10pm and everything is cleaned up by 11:30 pm.

I saw Tabi sitting by the window while tapping on her tablet. She was so engrossed in whatever she was doing that she didn't even see me come in. These are the times when I can look at her for more than a few minutes without her noticing me. Kapag napansin ako nitong nakatingin ay susungitan ako nito bago lambingin. It was her way of making me stop looking at her because she was conscious.

Her aura was different this time. When she looked up at me, her eyes were shining. She ran up to me and hugged me tight. I am more than a foot taller than her, so lifting her was easy for me. She always tells me that her boyfriends don't carry her because they think she's heavy. They're all just a bunch of weak ass shits. They don't deserve the woman in my arms right now.

"What are you so happy about?" Tanong ko nang maibaba ko ito. We remained in each others' arms as she looked up at me.

"I got the Versailles deal, Cal!"

I chuckled as I wiped her tears of joy. It's always me whom she tells first. Even before her boyfriend. Even before her family. I am always the first on her list.

"I knew you could do it!" I dropped a kiss on her forehead like I used to.

"I'm so excited. Do you want to see my renders?"

I nodded even though I had seen it twice already, both of whom she forgot she had shown me already.

Her excitement was flowing through her as she showed me the renders on her tablet. She has always been so passionate about her restaurants. Too bad the people she thought would appreciate will never see how passionate, talented and creative of a woman she is.