The Difference is...

Surprises and Suspense

You know those feelings you get when you wake up and you know something bad is going to happen? That is the exact feeling I had when I opened my eyes this morning and all the way to work.

Fathers car wasn't there. I figured he was just running a little late. He had been doing that lately. He'd sleep in a little longer than usual and wake up just before the store opened at 9 leaving me to work alone until he arrived around ten or ten thirty.

With that thought in mind, I decided to check my phone to see if he had tried to get ahold of me. instead I found four messages from James O'Connor and a few from Max that I didn't even bother to read.

~Text from: James 6:30 am
"Good morning, Miss Pierce. I had a great time last night. Hope to do it again real soon."

~Text from: James 7:00 am
"Are you awake, Miss Pierce?"

~Text from: James 7:10 am
"I'll be by the shop today to see you."

~Text from: James 8:00 am
"Have a great day."

James and I have been meeting up for a month now. Not dating, but just hanging out as friends. Sadly we never go to any restaurants any more. The last time we did, a girl hit on him and he snapped.

A few hours had gone by since the store had opened and father was still not there. At eleven the bell rang and there, in the middle of the store, stood James O'Connor.

"James! Hi! How can I help you?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to go out to breakfast with me."

He looked a little serious. More so than usual.

"Sure. Is everything alright?"

He smiled. Forcefully by the looks of it and ran his hands through his hair.

"Of course! Everything is great."

I wrote my father a note saying I would be back before noon and locked up the shop before climbing in the front seat of James' car as he shut my door like a proper gentlemen.

"Where too, Miss. Fierce?"

I laughed at that. My mother was Mrs. Pierce. Not me.

"Please. Call me Tara. Wherever you would like to go."

"I know just the place." He smirked and started the car.

"There are clothes for you upstairs and a vanity for you to use. go get ready."
He smiled and kissed my hand before sending me on my way. Within 30 minutes, I was ready.
******************************
I hate riding in cars without knowing how long I'll be in the car for. I fall asleep every time. And fall asleep is exactly what I had done.

Before we left he took me to a small house. I thought it was his, but the pictures told me otherwise. Possibly families.

I felt my body being shaken and I could hear my name lingering in my ears.

"Tara. Tara wake up. Tara?"

I opened my eyes to James standing over me with car door open and undoing my seat belt.

"Tara, we're here."

I mumbled something I could already tell wasn't audible and sat up.

"Where are we? What time is it?"

"It's only one o'clock, Tara." He said amidst his laughter. "To answer your other question, I have brought you to the one and only Gala De Rosa."

That woke me up fast. Gala Del Rosa was the most expensive restaurant in New York. You either needed money, a reservation, or both to get in.

"How did you? When did you? I can't afford this, James."

He smiled and helped me out of the car. "It's on me."