CHAPTER THREE

|•| DESIRÉE DOYLE |•|

I sprinted into the Café, nearly knocking a customer over her feet. The redhead woman cast me a disgruntled look, and walked past me, but not without muttering some incoherent words. 

I didn't get a chance to apologise because I was struggling to catch my breath while adjusting the strap of my bag around my shoulder. I squeezed my eyes shut, brushing my unpacked hair off my sweaty face. Then, I drew in a long breath and dragged it out slowly.

My breathing was a little stable but it was still coming out in pants. I used that opportunity to allow my eyes to wander around the bustling Café in search of Tania. When I didn't see her, relief washed over me because I wouldn't want her deducting my pay. 

And with that, I skipped over to the counter. Charlotte moved away from the espresso machine, rushing over to me with furrowed brows.

"Des, you are late." Her tone was a little chiding and I sighed.

"I am sorry. I had an impromptu test." I answered her. She squinted her eyes at me, examining my features.

"Did you run to this place?" She queried, her eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. I could denote the amusement her eyes held and the hint of a smile in her voice.

I chuckled, nodding my head.

"God," She groaned with an eye roll.

"Just go change." She shooed me away and I giggled, throwing her a wink. 

I made my way into the locker room and changed into my dress, throwing my hair in a messy bun, so it wouldn't get into my way while I am working. I snatched an apron from the rack and rushed out, picking up a tray and my notepad.

"There's someone on table 9. Go attend to the person." Charlotte told me, looking so engrossed with the notepad in her hands. I nodded and spun around.

I was only a few feet away from the table that was situated by one of the arched windows in the Café when I caught sight of a mass of dark hair, which made me furrow my brows. I appeared extra cautious as I made my way to the table.

I looked down at the notepad in my hands, flipping onto the next page while I inserted my hands into my hair to retrieve my hair. I didn't realise it was the only thing holding my hair together, and it dropped to my shoulder en-masse. 

I swept it off my face.

"Good after—" My words died at the tip of my tongue when I looked up. He must have looked up at the same time because our eyes clashed at the same time, eliciting a curse word from me.

"Fuck,"

That was the only thing that came out of my mouth in the form of a breathy whisper.

I could have sworn I was staring back at a fictional character because that had to be the only explanation for the perfection that oozed off him. But then, the fact that he was seated right in front of me debunked that assumption.

He was real.

Breathtakingly real.

The pair of metallic grey eyes that were locked on me seized me in a literal chokehold, knocking out every ounce of breath I had left in me. I didn't know if it was the sunlight that beamed through the glass that enhanced the allure of his eyes or if it was his eyes that possessed that unnerving amount of enchantment.

It felt as though he had a stormy cloud trapped in his eyes. It was an appealing blend of an unending silver and mist, highlighted with an air of darkness that sucked me in with its enigmatic charm. I was befuddled as to how a pair of eyes can be so lifeless, yet they are the first thing that strikes you when you look at them.

The colour, Grey, has never looked more fascinating.

The sheer intensity they held made me feel so conscious like the protective layers I had on my skin were being stripped off me. His intimidating stare was digging into my skin, reaching for the core of my soul and embedding itself in it.

 

It wasn't just his eyes that had me hooked. Every single of his features drew me in like a form of hypnotism. They were strong in a way that I found shamelessly attractive. His black curls looked so lush from where I stood, falling over his face stylishly. His brows were very dark and perfectly carved. They matched his long lashes that looked so feminine. His sharp jawline and high cheekbones enhanced how intimidating he looked, alongside his pointed nose. 

The sight of his reddish-pink lips had me sucking in a breath. The crimson-like colour was a stark contrast to his pale creamy skin. The glaring difference was mysteriously charming.

He was mysteriously charming and the darkness that hung around him oozed off him in waves, in a way that should scare me but didn't. Instead, I was entranced.

Nothing could have prepared me for the next thing he did. He stared at me, so uninterested, and then averted his gaze to the book I didn't know he was reading. He flipped onto the next page like he couldn't be bothered that I was standing right in front of him.

I cleared my throat, awkwardly, trying to get a hang of my breathing. When I tried to hold my notepad in place, I noticed my fingers were a little shaky and I didn't know why. I wet my tongue with my lips, determined not to allow his nonchalance to get to me.

"Good afternoon, sir. Welcome to Tania's Café. My name is Desirée and I will be taking your order for today." I struggled to put up a smile on my face, trying to sound as cheerful as I could, when in truth, I was a nerve-wracking mess on the inside.

He didn't say a word. He just kept flipping the pages of his book like he has all the time in the world.

"What would you like to have, sir? The menu is right on the table or do you need me to get it for you?" I probed further, still maintaining the smile on my face.

"Sir?"

He flipped onto the next page and that made me furrow my brows. My patience was beginning to wear thin but I leaned forward and picked up the menu from the table, stretching it to him.

"Here you go, sir," I mumbled.

My hands were just hanging in the air. He didn't make any attempt to take the menu from me. His eyes just skimmed breezily through his book and he continued reading, ignoring my presence.

I stared at him. 

I stared.

And stared. 

And then, the faux smile on my face dissipated into a deep frown. A derisive scoff rolled out of my mouth and I gritted my teeth in annoyance, tossing the menu on the table to get his attention.

"I believe I am speaking to you, sir," I spat out through gritted teeth, laying a mocking emphasis on the word, sir. I knew it was very petty but I didn't care. 

He was acting like an asshole right now.

"Are you deaf?" The question flew out of my mouth in annoyance. My voice raised an octave higher but it didn't gain the attention of the customers in the room, and that made me release a sigh.

Who was this man and why was he so hellbent on provoking me?

"If you are not going to order anything, you might as well say so and not act like I am not standing here!" I snapped. My frown deepened with each word I uttered.

He didn't utter a word in response. Instead, he sank further into his seat and I watched as his slender finger picked up the edge of the sheet and flipped it to the other side.

"Are you being serious right now?" I queried in a whisper, my words coming out so thick with frustration.

I chuckled humourlessly.

"You know what? Fuck you. I am done." I deadpanned, turning around to walk away.

"A cup of espresso, two bagels and two croissants would be nice." The octave of his voice was gripping, causing me to spin around immediately.

 His deep, fresh voice was alluring, dripping with an unnerving amount of sexiness. It was thick with a light French accent that brought out the beauty in every word he uttered.

It had chills settling in my spine. The silky smooth royal finish his accent possessed could make one come undone.

I have never wanted, so badly to hear someone speak nonstop, but much to my disappointment, he didn't say anything afterwards and I felt my heart drop when he didn't make any attempt to throw a glance in my direction.

I exhaled.

"Espresso, croissants and bagels coming right up," I muttered, spared him a lingering gaze and twirled on my heels, heading to the counter.

"Are you okay?" Charlotte asked, arching a brow at me.

"Yeah," I answered curtly, toying with the tray in my hands absentmindedly.

I was bemused. 

I knew if it were another customer that ignored me, I wouldn't bat an eyelid. If I was being bullied by Dana and Stacey, I wouldn't even give them the chance to see that they were getting to me. I loved how my silence was always getting on their nerves.

But why did this man's silence irk me?

Why did his silence get on my nerves in a way that made me snap?