Hayden's POV
"....den! .....yden! Hayden!! " I am rudely pulled out of my thoughts by my mom.
"What? " I ask her, masking my irritation.
"Are you going to seat there all day or actually help me like you said you would? " She asks in that annoyed tone that mom's just get when they're fed up with you.
"Help with what? " I ask rhetorically cause we both know my coming to 'help ' her at her restaurant was just her ruse to get me out of the house. "You literally have nothing for me to do. Your staff handles everything perfectly and when I try to do anything, you tell me I'm doing it wrong and then you do it yourself. "
She was quiet for a moment and I wondered what she was thinking about until she finally spoke. "I want you to go deliver food for me. "
"You do deliveries now? " I ask shocked. She always went on about how she would rather let the crowd come to her as she liked watching people eat her food. I sounds creepier than it is.
"No, but Cleo can't come here for lunch today and I want to make sure she's eaten something proper today and not just the junk they serve in her office. " With how much she baby's Cleo, you'd think she was one of her kids.
But I'm not complaining. Cleo likes being babied and taken care of plus I get to go see her today.
"Yeah sure, I'll do it. " I say maybe a little too enthusiastically from the look my mom is giving me. "I'm just excited I finally have something to do, plus Cleo's fun to hang out with. " I explain and she drops the look.
The last thing I need is her thinking too much into why I'm so excited to go see her best friend.
"Alright, well, do you still remember her company's address? If you don't, you can use my car, it's pinned in my GPS. " She said, placing a Korean bento box on the table in front of me.
"You know, some people would find it weird that you take care of your best friend like she's your child. " I pointed out as I stood up and grabbed the box.
"Well, are you one of those people? " She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No, just saying. " I said, giving a small shrug.
"Then their thoughts and opinions are of no concern to you nor to me. " She said simply, left the car keys on the table and walked away.
I grabbed the keys and the box and left the restaurant through the back door that led to the parking space and got into my mom's Toyota Corolla.
My mom didn't give a shit about cars like my dad and Cleo did. She said as long as it got her from point a to b, then she was good. That had my dad and Cleo flip their shit, especially when she got her car, they hate Toyota.
The drive to Cleo's office was pretty quick, I just had Alina Baraz playing the whole twenty minute trip. That woman's voice is seduction itself.
I parked in the visitor's area and made my way into the building. I remember mom writing to me in one of her letters that Cleo's law firm was on the tenth floor so I just made my way to the elevator and pressed the call button.
The elevator opened up to Cleo laughing at something. I got stuck for a few seconds, just staring at her and how good she looked, before I realised that there was someone else with her in the elevator and he was the reason why she was laughing.
I felt the scowl take over my face despite my struggle to fight it off. She took notice of me an her face brightened up. Okay, that was a bit of an ego boost if I'm being honest, and it had me hiding a cheesy grin.
"Kid! " And here comes the scowl again. "What are you doing here? " She asked, smiling brightly.
God, she's beautiful.
"Mom asked me to bring you lunch. " I explained and her smile doubled at the mention of food.
"Perfect! I'm starving. " It's cute how excited she gets over food.
"Um, Cleo, we were on our way to get lunch. " The dick in the shitty grey suit reminded her.
"Well, you can go without me. " She said, brushing him off. "Come along Hayden, you'll have lunch with me. "
It's crazy how she never asks for anything, she tells you to do something and you just do it.
I get on the elevator and we notice that grey suit is still on the elevator.
"Is there a problem Rick? " She asked.
One thing about Cleo, she's incredibly blunt and always speaks her mind. Can't believe she's actually a successful lawyer. I wonder how she copes with all the lying when she's unable to even lie properly.
"Uh, no. " Grey suit says then walks out of the elevator.
I press the close, then the ten buttons and can't help my smug smile at his back that's now slouched in disappointment.
"You should learn to control your facial expressions more. " Cleo says, gaining my attention. "I thought they thought all you uniform people how to hide emotions and all that shit. "
"Huhn? What are you talking about?" I feigned confusion causing her to laugh.
"You obviously don't like Rick. "
"Why should I have to hide my dislike for a person that is of no consequence to my life? " I asked.
"Good point. " She said, dropping the subject.
The elevator opened to her floor and we stepped out with her leading the way to her office.
We passed this mouse of a girl sitting behind a desk and she immediately straightened up at the sight of Cleo.
"Miss Howard, I thought you left for lunch. " The female said nervously.
"Obviously I didn't go. " Cleo said sarcastically, before walking away. I saw the girl to shrink into herself then relax after Cleo left.
"Sorry about her. " I said to the girl before walking into the office after Cleo.
"You don't need to apologise for me Hayden. If she wants to say stupid things, she'll get sarcastic answers. " She said with an eye roll. "Now give me my food. "
I walk over and place the bento box on her table.
She unwraps it and starts to disassemble it. "Oh, she packed just one pair of chopsticks. " She said with a slight pout.
How can she go from mean to cute so quickly.
I was going to tell her I had already eaten, but she already pressed the call button and the female comes rushing in. "Echo, go get me a pair of chopsticks. " She orders and goes back to arranging the food.
Echo practically runs out of the office and is back not even two minutes later with the chopsticks.
I decided to withhold my comments on their dynamic and instead, enjoy eating lunch with Cleo.
She's an insane person, but I love her all the same.
This whole chapter screams simp, but I'm in a lovey dovey mood so who cares? 🤷🏽♀️😊
