Only Yours

21. Going to cost You

Tamina

My brows furrow as my eyes swing toward the clock. "I'm five minutes early?"

"Not good enough, do you know how busy it's been?" She waves her hands around before flipping her hair. "I've been up to my neck in dirty cups and orders!"

Inspecting the room, there's only a few customers occupying the seating areas, and my head slowly nods. "I'll make sure to be ten minutes early next time."

"That's better, now there are tables that need cleaning, and Mrs Chan over there wants her hazelnut latte asap."

"What are you going to be doing?" I mutter.

"What was that?" she snaps, narrowing her eyes.

"Nothing, I'll do it now."

I want to go home.

Jasmine keeps a watchful eye on me as I finish up the remaining dirty tables, and then her view shifts onto her pink mobile clasped between her fingers. A huff comes from me, and my brain tries to forget how she smirked at the sight of my red mark, and the sly comments she made afterword. Next shift, she won't be in, and I'll be alright to let my hair down.

"So, who hit you? What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything, and it's none of your business," I grumble, handing a customer their change before wishing them a good afternoon.

She scoffs. "Kill joy."

The bell above the door jingles, and it's enough to cut the tension between us. Instinctively readying myself with a smile, bracing myself for another customer interaction since Jasmine looks as if engaging with people is the last thing she wants to do. When my eyes raise to see who it is, my body locks into place. His icy irises pin me down from across the room with ease as he strolls through the space until he's standing in front of me.

"Hello again, Miss Rovers."

I'm still unable to comprehend how and why he's here since he left after we did.

Perhaps he isn't like Brandon's family where they prefer their own cups of coffee.

Turning my gaze away for a moment, my words embarrassingly come out as a stammer. "I-it's Tamina, and hello again, Mr Aventail."

He chuckles, waving a dismissive hand. "Please, just Lucius; Mr Aventail was my father."

Fretting my lower lip between my teeth, my eyes settle on the counter. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't a man grab a coffee?" he muses.

My cheeks tinge. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like that. I just thought people of high class don't come to mundane places like this."

"A lot of us aren't like his family. I rather enjoy a public coffee, you never know who you might meet," he explains.

I'm about to respond when a giggle interrupts me.

"Why, hello there," Jasmine beams, making sure to push in front of me. "My name's Jasmine, welcome to the café! What can I get you?"

His eyes remain on mine, and slowly they turn to her. "I'm talking with her."

Jasmine laughs, cocking her hip against the counter as she side eyes him. "Oh, honey," she drawls, "don't talk to this one if I were you." As if sensing me for the first time since she started talking, her eyes harden a fraction. "Don't you have work to do?"

Gritting my teeth, my head inclines in acknowledgement.

"Oh, yeah?" he asks, humour lacing his tone, and my heart hardens along with my eyes. "Pray tell."