Hunted

Chapter 1

Audra's P.O.V.

"Audra! How are you handling those customers?" my boss asked me. 

"It's ok out here Mr. Palmer!" I called back while bringing a tray of breakfast over to a table. Mr. Palmer was my boss and he was currently in the kitchen cooking food for other customers. 

"Alright, I have to go dad, I'll see you later," Mr. Palmer's son, Grayson said while walking out from behind the counter. Grayson gave me a side hug before leaving to go to the local community college for class.  

"You two are so cute together," an older lady commented while her husband hugged her from her side. I smiled back while I could feel my cheeks turn red, but something else tugged at what the woman had said to me. 

"Thank you, but we're just great friends," I said before walking away. I walked into the kitchen and sent a smile to Mr. Palmer while heading over towards the cups because one of the other employees didn't clean all the cups yesterday. 

I started washing the cups while my mind started to wander. I've known Mr. Palmer and his son Grayson for about two years now. Mr. Palmer took me in two years ago when I was all by myself and lost where I was. When they first found me I had no idea who I even was and then I slowly started to remember a few things about my past.

Some of the things that I wish I could forget is how my parents abandoned me at a young age and after that it was foster home after foster home and I could never find anyone that wanted me or that would bother to keep me long enough. It was as if I had some bug repellent on, the only difference was it affected adults. 

Mr. Palmer was kind enough to take me in and when I started helping around the house he offered me a job here at his cafe and I took the offer. Ever since then I've lived with Mr. Palmer and Grayson, even though Mr. Palmer keeps telling me to just call him Henry, but I'm very grateful he took me in. 

Mr. Palmer says that I'm the daughter he never had. I found out that it was only the two of them living together due to his wife dying years ago and having Grayson being raised without his mother around. 

Ever since I started working at the cafe customers have said how cute me and Grayson would be together and that he's never been interested in a girl, but I can't shake that something feels wrong in the pit of my stomach. I can never describe the feeling as I'm unsure what it even is, but I also know that I see Grayson as a brother and not someone I could be with. He has grown to be a brother and a protector if I really need one. 

"Daydreaming again Audra?" Mr. Palmer questioned jokingly while nudging my shoulder and knocking me out of my daydream. 

"Always," I replied back with a smile. 

The day flew by and Mr. Palmer had to leave a bit earlier to take care of the bills at home before the bank closed today. Mr. Palmer made sure to leave me with another waiter just to make sure that everything was ok until the cafe closed for the night. 

Grayson was also suppose to stop by after his classes were done to make sure that I was safe walking home. 

"Hey I need to leave early, something came up at home," the other waiter said while I was wiping the tables down. I wasn't even able to get another word out before he was out the door and I was glaring daggers at the door. 

"Henry and Grayson are going to have a fit knowing I'm left alone," I mumbled while continuing to clean up. 

My head popped up towards the door as the bell went off, letting me know someone came into the cafe. I thought it would have been Grayson, but it was a customer. I looked at the clock on the wall and noticed that I still had twenty minutes until the cafe was officially closed.