This Time...Maybe - Anderson Family Series Book 2

Chapter 9: Man and Lady

A/N: thank you to all of you who already read and voted this story. I hope that you will bear with me until the end.

Happy reading! ;)
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Ethan made sure his presence is always known when the lady is around; he still calls her lady since he didn't know her name until now. Though he knows that there should be a name tag somewhere on her uniform at the cafe, his eyes always wander to her face for she is really beautiful. He doesn't want to ask her co-worker for the name, for he wants it to know personally from her, like he wants it to be freely given to him by her.

Like a boy who is out to woo his first girl, he is now again back at the cafe. Though, his reason for coming here is about work for he is meeting a client, he will grab any chance to be able to see her. It's like hitting two birds with one stone. It is good too that his client wanted to meet somewhere outside his office and out of earshot of his wife. As a surprise, his client is planning to construct a new house for his wife and he is the architect chosen for the plan.

He went inside the cafe, the tinkling of bell warned the employees or rather, employee inside - she is alone and manning the counter. Her greetings came automatically like she always does and he smiled to himself hearing her voice.

"Hello, my lady. Good afternoon." He greeted, that made her looked up. The ready smile she plastered on her face - another automatic response for a customer, was replaced by a frown - an automatic response to him. His thought made him chuckle which made her scowl darker. He saw her took a deep breath before she asked.

"Are you going to order your usual?"

"Actually, I am meeting someone here, so, can I order later? I'll just have a bottled water for now. But, yes, my order is the same as what I usually have." He explained which made her stare at him as if he had grown two heads.

He quirk his brow at her as a way to ask whether she understood what he said or not. She stared some more then turn around and took a chilled bottled water from the fridge and handed it to him while saying the price. He took some change and handed it to her. She thanked him when she handed him his receipt. But instead of leaving the counter he stood there and stare as well. After sometime, he cannot help but ask.

"Have you taken your break?" He thought she will not reply but, lo and behold, she did.

"Yes, awhile ago. I just came from my break actually." Her curt reply without looking at him.

"Why aren't you looking at me?" He cannot control himself to ask something that has a very clear answer, she doesn't like him. He expected her to say those words or something along those lines but he was surprised by what she said.

"I do not want to look into your eyes."

"And why is that?" He asked after he recovered his shock. She looked up at his question but still diverting her eyes away from his face. He saw her struggling with words with how the way she open and close her mouth, debating with herself wether to answer him or not, until he saw she made a resolve to answer. She was about to open her mouth but at that exact moment, the door opened and in came his client. He wanted to shout at the man for coming at an inappropriate time but since he needed the job he kept the frustration within himself and approached the man with a professional smile. He shook hands with him and ushered him to the corner table where he usually sits.

"What would you like to drink sir?" A female voice came beside them and he was startled to see that the lady approached them and ask for their order. He blinked several times to clear off his disbelief and he heard his client gave his order.