The Age of Love (Book #1)

7. Daddy Issues

So what do you do when you find yourself falling for someone 20 years older than you? A customer at your workplace?

One Rule: Never Date Customers - Officially Broke.

Another day, another shift.

Madison was in the kitchenette drying the white porcelain carefully, when Stelio walked in with the weirdest facial expression she's ever seen, nothing really surprised him after working 12 years in hospitality but in that moment, he was in total and absolute confusion.

"What's wrong Stelio?" She asked worried.

"Big fish just refused my services."

"What?" Now she was confused.

"Mr.Han is outside requesting to be served by you."

Fuck.

She walked outside feeling the hairs on the back of her neck rise - the audacity - He shouldn't have done that, now everyone was staring in shock to why someone like Theodore would request a trainee to serve him.

"Good afternoon Mr.Han, you requested to see me." Madison greeted, rising her eyebrows furious at him, extremely glad she had her back turned to the rest of the employees.

Theodore's face brightened, forming that lovely smile only he knew how to and it melted her inside a bit.

"Miss Swanepoel."

It wasn't in her tag, curse you Theodore.

"Mr.Han" she said again, furious.

"What would you recommend me?"

"How about the usual Mr.Han?"

"How about you call me Theodore." He smiled at her.

How about you shut up.

All eyes were on them, every move she made, every word she said.

"How about some water?" - For you to shut the hell up - She whispered.

"Do you have passion fruit juice?"

Her face turned red instantly, holding a smile back never felt so hard, he was having the time of his life in that moment. Madison wanted to open the freezer and stick her head inside to stop the blushing, people would eventually notice, if they haven't already.

Madison continued working until her shift was over, ignoring everyone's glances, especially his. His heavy gaze on her was distracting and when her shift was finally over, she walked out the bar, sad she couldn't say goodbye to him but so glad to be free.

Said it too soon.

"Need a lift home?" A familiar voice asked her at the employee's entrance.

"The bus is quite comfy, thanks."

"Does the bus come with dinner?" He was cheerful.

"Are you inviting me out Theodore?" She played along.

"It's 6 o'clock, we're both off, you look really nice in those jeans." He noted "And I only had one juice in there, I think the waitress didn't quite like me."

She laughed at his humorous attempts.

"I think you harass staff Mr.Han." Madison replied with cheeky smile.

"Really? I think I'm quite charming. Maybe because you haven't met the real me properly Ms.Swanepoel." He said, walking closer and closer to her.

"Ok, but this time, no fancy dinners and no fancy restaurants." She poked his chest, watching him change his expression. "I'm buying."

Theodore smiled widely.

The hard rock café in Menlyn Park wasn't exactly what he had planned, but he didn't mind, he was opened to the experience.

"One of my favorites to come!" Madison happily said.

"How do you eat so much junk food and look so great?" His eyes wandered around.

The place was packed and no where to sit, until her eyes met the surprised look in her best friend's face, sitting in a table with a few other friends and her boyfriend, Madison was stuck in rock and a hard place, this wasn't the appropriate time to introduce him.

"MAAAADISON." Jules jumped out of her seat to hug her.

"Hey..." She quickly turned to introduce him "Julia, this is..."

"Oh my word, you're gorgeous." Jules burned her friend. "No need introductions, Maddie talks about you all the time, like literally."

Julia Faye Davis was dead.

"Theodore." He shacked her hand.

Sitting the six of them on a table wasn't exactly what she had planned in mind. Jules was finally behaving normal around him, after the 11th kick under the table Madison gave her. As for the other three, they barely spoke to him.

Theodore got up to answer a call.

"Damn Maddie, why did you bring your chinese uncle to hard rock café?" One of the guys blurted out.

"Steven!" Julia warned.

"Those are some serious daddy issues going on there girl..." A girl next to Steven said in a low voice. Pixie short hair and showing the snarkiest smile.

"The only serious issue we'll have is your face when I'm done with it." Madison spit, but Theodore came back in that moment before she could start a fight with Steven's friend.

"Evening there Mr.Swanepoel!"

"Go take a hike Steven." Madison fired back.

"Hoekom is haar pa hier?" A guy next to Steven whispers rudely in Afrikaans.

"Dit is nie haar pa nie. Dis haar kêrel." The pixie short hair girl, snorts.

"Hou jou bek Magda." Julia shoots at the pixie hair girl.

"I'm just saying like, Jeez, do we need parental control to have a few sodas?"

Madison was furious but she wasn't going to make a scene, instead, she turned her feet to meet a disappointed look on his face, it was heart breaking, he had been nothing but nice, she felt guilty for making him go through all that.

She grabbed Theodore's arm and left, ignoring the calls for apologies of the guys inside with Julia. Theodore was disappointed but not surprised.

There was nothing really he had to say mostly because, half of it was true, wherever they went the assumptions and the comments would always be there.

*Translation:

"Hoekom is haar pa hier?" = Why is her father here?

"Dit is nie haar pa nie. Dis haar kêrel." = it's not her father, it's her boyfriend

"Hou jou bek Magda" = Shut up Magda