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She spotted me immediately.
I watched her close her eyes and she appeared to be counting to ten before she came toward me, a small notepad and pen in her hand. “What can I get you?”
Her accent was cute. A little twang of English softened her tone.
“I’ll have the full English,” I said. I had no idea what I was ordering. I’d never done breakfast in London before.
“With or without black pudding and mushrooms?” she asked.
“The full works.”
“Okay. I’ll do you a tea refill.”
“Ashley, I want to talk to you.”
“Then make an appointment,” she said. “I’m busy. I work.”
I wanted to reach out and grab her. I gave her space.
She went to a few other tables before taking my order up to the counter. One of the women took it and then started to point at a few tables and gave her hand a shake. Ashley smiled, and then I watched her go start cleaning the tables of the plates that had been left. By the counter, along the opposite wall, were stands where the trays needed to be taken. Clearly, people had left their trays for others to clean up the mess.
I couldn’t tear my gaze away from Ashley. She worked efficiently, but I noticed her gaze kept straying to mine. I didn’t know if she was annoyed with my presence or just couldn’t seem to help it. She was as drawn to me as I was to her.
Being apart these several weeks had been long enough. I wasn’t going to allow her to get away again.
Ashley came back with my pot of tea and my breakfast. The plate was huge. A couple of slices of toast, bacon, sausage, hash browns, fried eggs, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, and what I assumed was black pudding. All on one plate.
“Enjoy.” She turned on her heel and left.
I’d ordered the food. I was going to eat it.
I started on it, and Ashley kept on looking at me.
She didn’t work at the café for long. Only a few short hours until after the lunch rush. I finished my breakfast and ordered tea.
The lunch rush came, and when she disappeared, I waited by the staffroom door for her to exit.
She’d been hoping to sneak out before I caught her. She had a tight grip on her bag as she looked at me. “What do you want?”
“To talk. To spend some time with you.”
“I’ve got a doctor’s appointment,” she said. “Maybe some other time.”
She tried to brush past me, but I captured her arm. “Are you sick?”
“No. I’m not sick.”
I checked her over, not trusting her opinion. She’d lie to me, and I needed to know if she was okay.
“Damn it, Earl. I’m fine. Clearly, I’m more than fine.” She pushed at my arm, and I let her go but got into step beside her.
“Then I’ll come to the doctor’s with you. I can drive you.”
Ashley stopped and turned toward me in the doorway of the café. “No. I can do this on my own.”
“Either you get in my car willingly, or I force you.”
“You can’t do that.”
“I can do whatever the hell I want to. Push me. Try me.”
She glared at me, stormed out of the café, and stopped on the street. “Tell me then, which one is your car?”
With her arms folded, she looked up and down the street. “I don’t see anything.”
“I parked around the back.” I took her hand, and she didn’t fight me.
Pressing the button, I unlocked the car then held the door for her to climb in. She did so, muttering under her breath.
I went to the driver’s side, climbed in, and started the ignition.
She gave me directions to her doctor’s, but I didn’t need them. I’d gotten a thorough background check done on her while she’d been working. I might not had been back in the States, but I still had men at my fingertips, willing to do whatever I needed.
The doctor’s surgery was full. I struggled to find a parking space. Ashley kept saying she’d jump out of the car, but I found a spot, and then once I was parked, I followed her into the surgery. She booked herself in, and we took a seat.
“You’re not coming in with me,” she said.
“I am. I need to make sure you’re okay.”
I wasn’t going to be left alone. I’d fucked up once, and Ashley needed to understand I wasn’t going anymore.
People coughed. Some had one leg crossed over the other. Many people were on their cell phones. Others were reading a magazine. The crinkling of the paper offered a distraction.
Ashley’s name flashed above the screen.
As much as she hated me right now, she wouldn’t cause a scene, and getting me out of the surgery would require a scene. One I was more than happy to partake in to get what I wanted.
