Chapter 1

It’s 6:15am and Vincent should arrive soon, which was Alice’s cue to dash into the main house so she can accidentally bump into him again. She did a double-take of herself in the mirror first.

Clothes?

Hair?

Teeth?

Breathe?

She smiled, looking exactly how she wanted to look. Since it was still early morning, she didn’t want to apply makeup. It would come out as too obvious. The only thing she did was put on a little lip gloss.

"Much better." Alice posed and nodded with a satisfied grin and spun around in her bedroom.

"You are looking dashing this wonderful morning, Alice." She reached her hand at the mirror, trying her best to imitate Vincent's voice, smile and smoldering look.

"Why thank you Vin. You look nice too." She batted her eyes and blushed and cupped her cheeks.

Alice closed her eyes and calmed her heart. The mission was not complete yet.

"You have got this Alice," she blew in a deep sigh, "Vincent will see you today."

Alice walked out of her bedroom and went on her way to the main house. She entered the house as quietly as possible, not wanting her mother to see her strolling into the house like it was their house.

The plan was to pretend to offer some help to her mother when, in all honesty; she was there to catch Vincent after his jog and maybe have a small chat with him. Something casual. Maybe actually utter some words this time.

She tiptoed so her mother couldn’t catch her again because nothing ever gets past her. Alice's attempts lately have been a huge bust, and she barely caught Vincent because of her mother. She is always catching her because Vincent goes jogging every morning at the same time.

“What do you think you are doing, young lady?” Alice was caught again as she spun around but tried to hide her irritation with a sheepish smile.

“Hey ma, morning,” she beamed at her mother, Jane, “I’m here to help since it’s the weekend,” she scratched her head with a nervous smile.

Alice heard the door close on the other side, meaning the man of the hour Vincent was back from his jog. Alice prayed and hoped he didn’t have a shirt on. She bit her lip to hide the blush that crept her face.

“Alice!” her mother snapped her fingers. “I was about to hang this. Take the basket and go.” Alice looked at the basket huffing, grabbing it with a forced smile.

"Is there anything else I can do inside first?"

"No." Jane deadpanned.

"Fine." she grumbled and lifted the basket a little higher as soon as her mother let go.

"You said you wanted to help. Why are you sulking?"

"I'm not sulking. See. I'm going." Alice huffed and hung her head low.

She was going in the opposite direction as Vincent, and she was going to miss her opportunity to see him again. Alice cursed the universe for ruining yet another chance. She was already feeling sick and feverish from not seeing the man she liked. Her mother was to blame mostly for ruining her chances. It has been three days since she was in proximity with Vincent. She wondered if he missed her as much as she did him.

Defeated with her eyes still cast down, she walked outside before she impacted with the wall. Not a wall. Walls don't hold out their hands after impact.

“ALICE?” her mother shouted, and her face looked horrified because she knew what came next. “How many times have I told you to look where you are going?”

Ignoring her mother’s words. Alice stood there dazzled when the wall she thought she had hit was Vincent, who was holding her by the shoulders. Alice’s jaw was on the floor as she traced his naked torso, dripping with sweat. Time slowed down as she moved her head up his face where he curled his lips, smiling.

She gulped and blinked twice, thinking she was having her usual dreams of shirtless Vincent. His emerald eyes looked straight at her. His mouth moved to ask her if she was alright. She nodded, not sure if Vincent really spoke, because her ears were buzzing with excitement. She could have imagined this because, just like in her dreams, he walked away. Alice closed her eyes, taking time to savor this wonderful moment.

Dream or not. It was still perfect.

“Oww!” Alice was drawn back to reality as her mother grabbed me by the ear. "Mom, that hurt," she pouted, looking at her.

The spell was broken, and this was definitely not a hallucination. Vincent was still there as he stifled a laugh and he moved to the fridge. She didn’t get enough time and longingly side glanced at him from afar for a few seconds.

Her mother picked up the basket Alice didn't notice dropping and handed it back of her.

“The basket.” Jane cleared her throat.

"I'll hang this for you."

Alice finally stopped drooling over Vincent and gripped the basket and hurried out, almost tripping and embarrassing herself more. Alice wasn’t sure what was more mortifying, her mother pulling her ear or how she froze and failed to form a single syllable when Vincent was in her space. Or how she almost fell face first into the laundry basket.

“God,” she groaned as tears threatened to slip her face. Alice really thought she was mature enough not to make a fool of herself and not have her mother embarrass her in front of the guy she liked.

“How many times have I told you to stay away from the main house?” Jane’s words were not harsh, but this was the last thing Alice wanted. She was already on the verge of wailing or finding a place far away to hide and never show her face in front of Vincent.

What happened a few minutes ago was embarrassing.

“I wanted to help,” she lied, blinking back the tears before she straightened her spine as she hung the sheets.

“Well, you helped plenty and don’t think I’m stupid,” Jane pointed a finger at Alice.

“Fine, if you don’t want my help I can go back home,” Alice crossed her arms, her lips quivering as she looked away from her mother.

“I wasn’t born yesterday, Alice. I know you were not in the house to help me,” she looked back at the house and before Alice could respond, she continued, “I have seen you shamelessly looking at him many times,” she shook her head.

“I don’t shamelessly look,” she mumbled, looking away, embarrassed.

“See you admit you look,” Jane smiled, shaking her head, “Stay away from that boy and know your place, darling. This is my place of work and I don’t need you hovering around the house and making a fool out of yourself,” she warned.

“Well, I wasn’t there for him,” Alice protested. “I wish I had said something before you embarrassed me like that. Did you have to pull my ear in front of him?” she scrunched her face, holding her ear. It didn't hurt anymore. "You humiliated me in front of him."

“I’m your mother and I don’t need a reason,” she gave her daughter a warm look, “Stay away from him, Alice. How do you think this will reflect on my job if you keep this up? You will only come to the house when it’s absolutely necessary. Is that understood?” She added with a stern look.

“Fine!” Alice huffed, but nodded.

“Where do you think you are going?” Alice turned to look at her mother with a frown.

"Going back home." she shrugged.

“You said you were here to help, so help me hang these before you go back to the house,” Jane smiled widely, looking at her daughter.

“But ma,” Alice whined, but Jane gave her a pointed look and she moved to help her, grumbling.

“That wasn’t so bad now was it?” Jane walked to where Alice was finishing to hang a shirt, “I will see you at lunch,” she smiled, grabbing the basket as they parted with Alice going back to their cottage.

Alice pushed the thought of how her mother embarrassed her by completely focusing on Vincent and how she had at least seen him. She was humming and relished on her Vincent encounter. He touched her. Vincent smiled at her. He spoke to her.

Alice was full on beaming as her heart fluttered. He still smelled manly underneath all that sweat, and his arms were strong. She blushed some more, thinking about him until she almost tripped at the entrance. She shook and breathed before walking in.

“Something smells nice.” Alice’s smile widened when she saw her brother had already started making breakfast.

“Hey, did you drool?” Riley joked.

“Shut up Riley.” Alice pouted.

“Do you want me to go kick his ass?” he smirked.

“Do you want mom fired because of you? Don't be an idiot,” Alice scowled.

“I will let the idiot comment slide, and assume it’s because you haven’t had breakfast,” he pointed a spatula at Alice before plating the eggs. “Next time, I might kick your ass instead.”

Alice scoffed, rolling her eyes before grabbing her plate walking out of the kitchen. She was in no mood to hear him make fun of her so early in the morning. It was not a secret that she liked Vincent, but sometimes she hated everyone knew. Her crush on him was from a long time ago. Alice’s parents told her she had always chased after him since she was a toddler.

Vincent is four years older than Alice and when they used to have playdates together. They were inseparable besties, mainly because Alice did always follow him around all the time. She wished they would stay the same, but things changed.

Alice went off to a public high school while Vincent was homeschooled. They went from inseparable to seeing each other when Alice got home from school to them hanging out on weekends only, and eventually it turned to them not seeing each other as often as Alice liked.

Alice finally wiped the tears on her face as she had her breakfast. She would not give up on Vincent. All she needed was a chance to get him alone and finally say something. Alice had been practising on asking him out for weeks now. She felt she was older to date.