Vinnie had never been the one to eavesdrop on anyone’s conversation. She understood the need for privacy. She respected it. But damn! The conversation between the two men sitting in the booth behind her was way too intriguing and amusing to turn a deaf ear. She couldn’t help it. The more she tried to look away to distract herself or focus on the cup of coffee in front of her, the more inquisitive she became. Their words tickled her ear and pushed an amused grin to her naturally pink lips. “I’m so fucking fed up with this!” One of them snapped in a low voice. “If I have to deal with such big-headed, melodramatic and materialistic witches one more time, I might just lose it.” “Just like you aren’t already?” The other man quipped, probably with an eye-roll, not that Vinnie could see to make sure. But she liked the image in her head. It was funny. She tried not to snicker too loudly. “You think it’s funny, don’t you?” The snappy one bit out, his voice deep and dark with unbridled irr
Vinnie grinned at the fact they shared the same thought about that annoying woman. And for some reason, she was also pleased he wouldn’t be squandering his precious time on someone like her. Although she barely had a clue where that thought even came from. She shrugged it off. The man shook his head as he dropped some bills on the table and headed for the exit. “This was your stupid idea, Alex. Now take responsibility for it.” He pushed the door to walk out but stepped back when an elderly woman tried to walk through. He held the door for her, earning a grateful smile from the woman. It was the exact moment Vinnie felt herself growing desperate. Her eyes zeroed in on the young man as he returned to pushing the door and walking outside, the warm wind of the day greeting him with a gentle brush to his hair. He stood outside for a while, still talking over the phone. Shifting it from one ear to another before taking a glance at his wristwatch. Vinnie’s eyes widened and her heart raced
The next evening, when Vinnie came to the café to meet her friend Maya, so they could check out the newly opened bookshop in the market, she was stopped by a man she had never seen before.Tilting her head to the side, she curiously blinked and watched him carefully.The man was taller than all her male cousins and had a freshly shaven face. He wore thick-rimmed glasses, the one he had already pushed up his nose twice since he appeared in front of her. A sweet and spicy fragrance drifted off him. Vinnie liked the gentleness of the fragrance and the way it did not irritate her nostrils. He wore a nice suit that embraced him perfectly. A well-dressed, handsome man, one could say. His dark hair was combed and gelled to perfection. He carried a laptop bag in one hand and a tablet in the other. But there was something about his eyes, a slight redness over the glassy film. Not getting enough sleep was most likely the reason behind it.During the time of her school, Vinnie had spent many nig
For the first time in his life, Ethan Doyle was at a loss for words. He hadn’t got a single clue how to carry on the conversation that seemed to have extended for a million years already, even though no one had said anything remotely. Not a single word. Then again, it wasn’t as if the girl who sat across from him could speak at all. She was mute. Incapable of speaking or expressing herself in words. Like he could, or Jackson—his brother could—or as anyone else could. Ethan had always refused to evaluate others based on their shortcomings, no, he was determined to set a different example than the rest of his family. He was a firm believer that everyone was capable of something. And perhaps that was the reason he sent Alex—his assistant—to see this girl and invite her for the interview, even after rejecting her at first glance. So he could be sure, and see for himself, whether she could truly fill this never-ending void in his life, or if she was simply another waste of his valuable t
As the days dragged on, Vinnie couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling that something was amiss. She had expected at least a courteous response from Mr Doyle or his assistant, Alex, after their meeting last week. But now, a whole week had gone by without a word, leaving her with a growing sense of unease.What if she was rejected like that woman he met at the cafe?What if her muteness had once again destroyed her chances?How many times would life rub it in her face that she was anything but normal?That she was not enough...“Shit! I’m out of red lace.” A panicked voice snapped her out of her stupor.Vinnie blinked and realized she was sprawled on the couch in her best friend Maya’s studio apartment. She looked up from the throw pillow in her lap to see Maya rushing across the room with a pencil behind her right ear.Vinnie sat up straighter, wondering what was going on.From the time she was barely knee-high, Maya’s infatuation with fashion had been undeniable. She’d tinker with pet
The shiny elevator doors opened up to a horizontal stripe of waiting space, revealing the imposing wooden double doors and luxurious lifestyle one could only dream of.Vinnie’s heart did a somersault as her eyes landed on the posh surroundings—pale walls, sleek lights, and a ceiling that seemed to touch the heavens with its ornate wooden designs. The sight did little to ease her nerves; if anything, it amplified her anxiety to a whole new level.After receiving the call, quickly followed by a text from Alex, Vinnie was bursting at the seams. How she managed to look like nothing absolutely mind-blowing was happening in her life in front of Maya was a mystery even she couldn’t figure out. There was so much happening inside her—so many thoughts and sensations pouring and crashing against each other, like a circus of happiness and uncharted territories, leaving her mentally drained by the time Maya dropped her off at her apartment.Sleep was a distant dream that night as Vinnie tossed and
Ethan had quite a dire feeling about this.He couldn’t quite explain it, but there was something about Vinnie Hart that confused him. And if anyone knew Ethan, they would know that he wasn’t the kind of man who would deliberately stick his foot in the mud, just because. After the incident with his ex-fiancee, it was safe to say that Ethan had worked a lot on himself, and he knew better than to make decisions in the heat of the moment. No. Ethan was the man who took a moment to think. And then acted upon it.But ever since he met Vinnie, that whole cautious mindset had been mocking him. He couldn’t figure out why he couldn’t get her out of his head. It didn’t matter if he was in some important meeting, crunching numbers on a spreadsheet, or schmoozing at a fancy business dinner – she was stuck in his brain like a damn leech, for real.Maybe it was because he couldn’t wrap his head around why a girl like her, with zero experience, would want to be involved in something so… well, unconve
Vinnie bit her lip and tried to feel a little less anxious as she simply existed in front of Angelina Watts, the lawyer lady Mr. Doyle had talked about, the one who was supposed to reach out if any input from Vinnie was required. Considering the fact that Ms. Watts currently sat in her modest apartment, staring at the glowing screen of her laptop and trying not to grumble about the lack of an air conditioner or a more comfortable couch that wouldn’t look like it had seen better days, Vinnie started to feel more and more conscious of the reality she was about to sign up for. Literally. If Vinnie were to be honest, sometimes all of this felt like nothing short of a fantasy. I mean, who could believe that a girl like her, the one who was never taken seriously by most of the people in her life, would end up getting an opportunity like this? For goodness’ sake, she would be moving in with one of the richest men in the city, or maybe the state—who the fuck cared about the stupid rank? Al