A Waitress for the Prince

Chapter 5

The moment Cass entered the restaurant she worked at, she found Mr. dark and handsome – as Alexia called him – sitting at one of the tables and his bodyguards at another. To say she was surprised would be the understatement of the year. She didn't expect to ever see him again, yet there he was, in an all-in-black outfit, looking every bit as ravishing as he did the day before.

“He's here again,” Alexia drawled while they were changing into their work outfits.

“I saw him,” Cass let out on a sigh.

“Oh, don't act so dejected, you know you love it that he's here.”

Cass simply glared at her without even trying to refute her friend's words. She wouldn't listen anyways, so why bother?

Still, could she hope Adrian had come back for her?

“Good morning, how can I help you, sir?” Cass decided on a formal approach.

“Sir?” He repeated incredulously, “Nonsense! Call me Adrian.”

Despite her best efforts, a smile stretched her lips at the outrage in his voice. “How can I help you, Adrian?”

“You would please me a lot if you sat down to chat with me?”

His statement – which came out as a question – made Cass blush, and she inwardly cursed her embarrassing blood flow.

“I can't. I'm working,” she told him in a tone she wanted firm but came out a bit sad despite her.

“Then, please bring me over a Cesar salad and the daily special.”

“Right away,” she told him as she noted down his order.

Cass wondered whether she could endure having to serve him without blushing. Only time would tell.

Blushing was the least of Cass' worries. She noticed a group of women eying Adrian appreciatively from afar and she had to admit she didn't like the feeling that brought her. Dare she admit she was jealous? Not a chance. She was just bothered her knight in shining armor was getting unnecessary attention, that was all. At least that was what she told herself – repeatedly .

One of the women even attempted to approach him, only to return to her seat a moment later, defeat written all over her face. Cass’ lips stretched into a smile she couldn't help but let out.

The day dragged on and Adrian remained in his seat. Cass could feel his gaze on her as she moved about the restaurant. Contrarily to when she had Andrew over, it gave her a warm bubbly feeling.

You shouldn't, she inwardly admonished herself for the umpteenth time that day. She needed to stop thinking about him really for it would lead her nowhere, she was sure. Adrian was a rich guy who had bodyguards following him around, and she was a nobody, a mere waitress… there was no way he would bother with her, unless it was to pass the time, which wasn't her style.

When the evening came, her boyfriend decided to drop by, as per usual. Only this time around, he had a cast around his arm.

When he noticed Adrian sitting at his table, he instantly grimaced and clicked his tongue in dismay. Cass had a hard time explaining to him that Adrian probably had business in the area or he wouldn't be eating at the same restaurant two days in a row. She didn't tell him he had been there since the restaurant opened.

He didn't need to know that. That would only fuel another fight. Cass’ tactic failed for Andrew looked ready to pick up a fight yet again.

He made a beeline to Adrian's table when it was about 9 pm. “What are you here for, pretty boy?”

“I'm here to woo Cass into going on a date with me,” was the drawled response.

“Are you trying to pick a fight?”

“We've been there yesterday, look where that got you,” Adrian replied sarcastically with a teasing wink.

On the other hand, Cass who had trailed behind Andrew in order to stop the fight, blushed to the roots of her hair, and stammered a few incomprehensible words before finally saying, “But you're younger than me.”

Cass was after all twenty-seven, and Adrian looked twenty-three at most.

“Looks can be deceiving.”

“Cass is my girl. Get that through your head,” Andrew hissed through gritted teeth.

“I think she can do better,” was Adrian's drawled response.

While Andrew looked about ready to explode, Adrian looked extremely calm. Cass put a soothing hand on her boyfriend's shoulder but he shrugged it off, anger oozing off him in waves.

“You bastard are really getting on my nerves,” he all but growled.

“Why? Can't stand the competition?”

Adrian's smirk did it for Andrew. He truly hated sarcasm… and smug British people. He grabbed him by the collar with his free hand, completely forgetting the outcome of yesterday's fight.

“Andrew, please,” Cass pleaded, hating the attention they were getting from everyone.

Adrian's smirk only widened although his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “Are you that eager for a repeat performance?”

“Boys, please,” Natasha, the manager, appeared at their side.

“He wants to take Cass from me,” Andrew told her in a manner that reminded Cass of a child telling his mom the other started it.

Natasha looked at Adrian in askance, he only shrugged nonchalantly, “Guilty as charged.”

“Nevertheless, don't start a fight in the restaurant,” she put her hand on Andrew's hand and freed Adrian from his hold.

“I'm not gonna let you have her,” Andrew told the foreigner spitefully.

Cass just about had it with both guys talking about her as if she wasn't there. “Both of you stop. I'm not a thing to be taken. And Adrian, please I'm with Andrew.”

“I'm not giving up. We can start off as friends and see where that leads us.”

She was about to deny his request, when Andrew told him firmly “Not a chance.”

“I don't believe he was talking to you,” Cass interjected angrily.

“I'm not gonna let you fall for his British charm.”

“I'm not going to,” she reassured him with a soft smile.

“I don't want to be a nuisance so I'll leave for now,” Adrian told her with an apologetic gaze.

His bodyguards stood up as well, and Andrew just stared flabbergasted. He couldn't believe the guy had bodyguards despite his fighting skills. Hell, he couldn't believe they hadn't intervened the day before.

Cass watched Adrian leave with a heavy heart. She didn't think he was a nuisance. If anything, Andrew was the one bothering her. But she couldn't possibly say that. She only hoped Adrian wasn't too offended to come another time… only maybe it was for the best if he never came again. A headache started to pound at her temples, she no longer knew what to think.