The Other Side

Chapter 9

I am dumbstruck, perhaps because he's suddenly standing in front of me. He snaps his fingers in front of my face, startling me and bringing me back to the real world.

Blinking my eyes, I focus on his sea-green ones and find them sparkling with amusement.

"Hey, Erina, isn't it?" He offers his hand and I stare at it dumbly. Looking at him and his now friendly gaze, I shake his hand while nodding in agreement to his question.

Before I can ask him his name, Alice interrupts us.

"Oh, there you are, darling boy. Could you do me a favour?" Alice looks at this guy with a familiarity which confirms that he's their relative.

"Sure, Aunt Alice."

"This is Erina. She's like a daughter to me. Could you drop her off at her home? Ronan is in no condition to drive and Aidan is with his girl, God knows where-"

"Relax, Aunt. It'll be my pleasure to serve you on your special day." He stops Alice's panicked rant with a hand on her shoulder and a comforting smile which I find oddly attractive.

But his choice of words makes me frown. Sounds very ancient. Doesn't it?

"Always a charmer, aren't you?" Alice laughs and then turns to look at me.

"He's my nephew—a good boy. Don't worry. Meet you tomorrow," whispers Alice and then kisses me on the cheek.

And that soon, I find myself in a car while Alice's nephew drives me back to my home.

And I don't know his name.

"So, you are the owner of the bakery where Alice works."

"Well, she just doesn't work there. She's like my business partner. Like an Advisor."

He thinks for a while and then frowns a bit before nodding.

"That's great!"

"Sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Don't be. I don't recall my name being spoken," he says and then smirks, glancing at me for a second before his gaze settles back on the road.

"So?"

"What?" He expertly manoeuvres through the traffic and takes a smooth right. Just then I realize that we have reached my place and I still don't know his name.

"Just there, that's my bakery."

"So you stay here?"

I glance up at him, pausing in the process of collecting my purse, my gaze colliding once again with his sea-green ones.

They are focused on me and I fight the urge to lose myself in the intensity.

"Yes," I cringe internally at the huskiness of my voice. What's wrong with me?

"It was nice meeting you Erina," he whispers and then smiles softly, his eyes shining with an unknown emotion.

I am so rattled by his words that I don't realize when he gets out of the car and walks over to open the door for me.

I get out, muttering a small thank you.

And that soon he gets back into his car and I'm left alone on the sidewalk wondering what exactly happened.

And he didn't tell me his name.

What the hell was that?

I am sure, I look like a loon standing here all alone, too shocked to move.

I should be going upstairs, I think and literally; start commanding my legs to walk.

Entering my home, I lock up and settle on the couch, propping my legs up on the coffee table, wondering about that guy's name when my phone rings.