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Chapter 9
Stella
Iwatch as the shadow beneath my door stops, but less than a minute later it disappears. Something passed between us tonight. There was a moment; I know he felt it too. I reach over and turn off my bedside lamp, closing my eyes to replay our almost kiss as I fall asleep.
The next morning I stretch my arms overhead, reaching over to turn off my alarm. Normally I’m at work by six a.m. but I requested a late start at nine a.m. today since I had the event. There’s a text from Matilda already.
Matilda: OMG, can’t wait to hear about last night! That dress you wore looked stunning, drop-dead, seriously. And Atlas? I’m on the floor.
I scroll up to the picture I sent her last night of the two of us. He had pulled me into his arms and I snapped a quick selfie of us in a giant mirror at the hotel the event was held at. I toss my phone onto my bed, pulling my hair up into a bun before heading downstairs for coffee.
“Good morning.” I head straight for the espresso machine, so focused I don’t even realize I’m all alone. I press the button and turn to ask Atlas how his morning has been but he’s not at the table. “Oh.” I look around just as Regina walks in.
“Morning, sugar. Mr. Knight said to tell you he had to head into work early.”
I make small talk with her while I pick at a bagel and enjoy my coffee. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.” She wipes her hands on her apron and stops what she’s doing to look at me.
“Is he—is it always like this?”
“Busy, you mean?”
“Yeah.”
“Afraid so. If you look up workaholic in the dictionary”—she points her finger—“there’d be a picture of that man. I tell him to take it easy, but he doesn’t listen to me.” She shakes her head. “What’s the point in all this money if you can’t live a little and enjoy it is all I’m saying.”
“Yeah.” I rest my head in my hand, turning to look out the large bay window across from me. It gives an amazing panoramic view of the yard and gardens. “I agree. Such a shame nobody uses all this space. Feels lonely.”
She gives me a questioning look. “Already? Baby girl, this is supposed to be the fun part of the relationship.”
“Oh.” I wave away her concern. “It’s amazing.” I drag the word out, reminding myself I’m supposed to be head over heels for this man. “I just meant it’s lonely with just the two of us in the house. It would be cute to hear little feet running around these halls.”
She’s turned her back to me, reaching into the fridge for something when she pauses and turns back to look at me. “Yeah, that would be cute.” I can’t read her expression but it’s gone just as quickly as it appeared, a smile in its place as she goes back to what she was doing.
I finish my coffee and head upstairs to get ready for work. By the time I make it in, the rush is still going. I grab my apron and throw it on, jumping behind the register to start taking orders.
“I still want to hear about last night,” Matilda says in passing. “The way that man looks at you…” She fans herself with one hand, her other hand carrying a tray of dirty dishes as she ducks into the back.
I turn back to the register, just as the bell jingles again. “Welcome in,” I say, not looking at the person and instead turning to Jason, one of our regulars whom Matilda has also tried setting me up with.
“Hey, Stella, you look beautiful as usual today.” He smiles and pulls a few bills from his wallet.
“Hey, Jason, how are you doing? How’s Aria?”
“She has recently started getting into absolutely everything so that has been both adorable and terrifying at the same time.” He laughs, pulling out his phone to show me a recent video of his two-year-old daughter who is giggling and clapping. “She looks so much like her mom when she smiles.” He pulls the phone back and looks at it one more time before sliding it back into his pocket. “Anyway, the usual today, maybe a large actually.” He adds on, “She’s also been waking me up at five a.m. sharp.”
“Ouch.” I shake my head at the thought of waking up that early. “Well, she is adorable so you can’t be mad at her.” I look up, my eyes catching Atlas standing a few feet behind Jason, staring at me.
“I’ve got it,” Matilda says as she starts Jason’s drink. She says something to him I don’t catch and it makes him laugh. She’s known him longer than I have; she’s the one who told me about his wife passing just four months after giving birth to their first child together. They used to come here on Friday morning dates before work.
I step around her, exiting the counter area and walking toward Atlas. I smile as I approach him but his expression looks pained.
“Hey, I didn’t expect to s?—”
He takes two steps toward me, closing the distance between us. Before I can register it, his hands are in my hair, tilting my head as his lips come down on mine.
The kiss is soft and warm. His lips move against mine before pulling away for a second. I follow him, though, when he pulls back, leaning forward to kiss him again. This time he deepens it, his tongue finding mine, massaging it, enticing it to come out and play with his. I completely lose track of time and my ability to breathe, so much so that when he pulls back and breaks the kiss, I’m practically panting.
