Deadly Pleasure

Chapter 2

The next day passed in a blur. The Italian man didn't show up at all today and both Lucia and I were confused about that. I still had to collect yesterday's coffee payment from him and was simply itching to have a conversation with him again. Not that I liked him or something. I huffed at my absurd thoughts and prepared myself for the lunch hour.

It wasn't as if we had an influx of ravenous customers bursting through the door but the lunch time accounted for the majority of profits we earned. The office people couldn't bother to have a proper lunch and quickly munched on a sandwich and went on their merry way after paying a nice amount. But not all of them were that nice.

"This isn't gluten free," the woman in expensive pantsuit snapped at me. My lips twitched in annoyance. I would happily lose customers like her to Starbucks. Either way, she looked too rich to come into my café.

"I double checked. It is gluten free," I said nicely but allowed some iciness in my voice.

And before she could lunge at me, Lucia came to my rescue and said, "I'm sorry if you're unsatisfied ma'am. We'll replace it right away."

The woman stilled and allowed herself to cool down. I rolled my eyes at Lucia who threw me an aggravated glance. I sighed and took the plate away and replaced it with another gluten free croissant. She didn't even notice that it was from the same case. Finally she was happy with what she got even though that piece was from the same batch I had prepared in the morning.

"You should let me handle the snobby and new customers," Lucia said to me while I was bristling with irritation.

"I don't care," I grumbled and slammed the coffee cup on the counter. "Go serve." She grimaced at me but didn't oppose. I owned the café after all.

The bell chimed and notified us of another customer; another new customer. The man who entered looked eerily similar to Mr. Dark and Dangerous with his expensive Armani suit and the mouthwatering cologne. He wasn't as tall as him yet somehow acted as if he was the king of the world.

"Excuse me," his accent was clear unlike him. Lucia's glance stopped me in my tracks as she went to him with a smile.

"What can I get you?" she chirped but there was no change in the stoic demeanor of the new man.

"I have seen a friend of mine frequent your coffee shop since last few weeks. I was wondering if he came here today. He's Italian."

Before Lucia could utter a syllable, I jumped in. "You're his friend? He didn't pay for his coffee last night especially when he said he'll pay triple the amount." And then I proceeded to stare at him hard enough till he got the drift.

"Oh, you want money?"

I frowned at him. "I want payment for the coffee your friend drank. You're here to pay, aren't you?"

I could see he was about to counter my statement when I continued, "$12 please."

The man sputtered and widened his eyes. "$12 for a coffee? Goddamnit. One second." He took out a twenty dollar bill and gave it to me.

I grinned at him widely and said, "Thanks for the tip." I put the bill in the cashier counter and ignored Lucia who was completely red in the face. The man puckered his brows but I didn't care. He looked rich enough to buy my little shop.

"Now, can I get you something?" I asked with a blinding smile. Lucia poked me from the side; she must have seen how furious the man was getting with the increased rate of his nostrils flaring.

"I wanted to know whether he came here today or not," he said with gritted teeth. What a foolish man.

"You paid for his coffee now right? It means that he didn't. Nice talking to you, Lucia will handle your order."