The Contract

CHAPTER 2: A Million Ways to Say No

"Kris! Order up!" Ben hands me the Café au Lait, "Table five."

I start walking towards table five but Ben calls me back, "Yeah?"

"You can go on break after serving that, Mr. McGuire wants to see you, same place." he says, his expression unreadable. Which is very weird, considering the fact that he's really easy to read.

"Ben, it's just Will. You don't have to look so tense." I say soothingly, turning around and heading to the designated table.

But as I walk away I think I can hear him murmuring "That's what you think."

What's up with Ben today? Of all the time I've worked here (which is for four years), I've never seen him act so tense and worried. That's supposed to be me, the serious one. Ben's usually the one who's laid back and cool.

"Here you go sir." I hand the slightly ragged and worn man his drink. He ignores me, staring into nothing... Weird.

I start walking to Will's usual table, but it's not Will sitting there.

It's a guy I loved (or probably was infatuated) with for years, loving him without even seeing him up close, only knowing him through Will's stories about him. But now I'm seeing him and I'm in the same room with him.

Christian Reynolds.

I stand there drinking in his presence, his damn glittering sea-green eyes, his chocolate brown hair. Shit, fangirling mode: ON.

Oh lord, I want to fan myself (because I think I'm getting flustered), scream (but I'll just look psychotic), and laugh at how ironic this is.

Ironic how? Well for one thing, I've been daydreaming about meeting him in person for years (but I was just a teenager then) and now I'm meeting him. But, I just put it in my mind that I will not get in a relationship unless all the bills are paid.

Yeesh...

He's even handsomer up close than in the pictures... Yup, I still like him.

He doesn't notice me at first, he's talking to my best-friend, Becca (she's also a waitress here). He's smiling at her and flashing those goddamn dimples.

Becca's turning her famous flirt on, the flipping of hair and the like. That always works on the guys, but I my guess is that Christian's gonna let her down safely.

From what I heard from Will, Christian picks all the glamorous and perfect women. Will doesn't approve because apparently most of them turn out to be divas, so he tells Christian to break up with them.

Of course, Christian respects his decisions because Will's had a lot of experience with divas. In fact he was wives with two of them. Christian's mom, Laurel, and Madeleine, Nicole, and Alexander's mother, Patricia.

They both ran off with Will's money, I still wonder how Will's so kind to all people after al he's been through. I guess that's one of the disadvantages of being a billionare, some people would do anything to get money.

Becca finally notices me and says, "Hey Krista, can you take over from here? I need to get to table nine."

"Well if you wouldn't stop flirting, you would've gotten it done," I say teasingly, she turns scarlet. "Sorry Becs, I'm on break."

"Oh that's fine," she turns to Christian. "What would you like sir? Our Cafe Mocha is one of our most popular drinks."

"I'll just have your regular brewed coffee," he says, "Oh, and can you call Krista Roberts out?"

Becca looks at me with an inquiring look and I shrug, giving her an 'I don't know' look.

I step forward and he looks at me, "Krista Roberts," I gesture to myself, "is already here."