Chapter 9: Man and Lady

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A/N: thank you to all of you who already read and voted this story. I hope that you will bear with me until the end.

Happy reading! ;)
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Ethan made sure his presence is always known when the lady is around; he still calls her lady since he didn't know her name until now. Though he knows that there should be a name tag somewhere on her uniform at the cafe, his eyes always wander to her face for she is really beautiful. He doesn't want to ask her co-worker for the name, for he wants it to know personally from her, like he wants it to be freely given to him by her.

Like a boy who is out to woo his first girl, he is now again back at the cafe. Though, his reason for coming here is about work for he is meeting a client, he will grab any chance to be able to see her. It's like hitting two birds with one stone. It is good too that his client wanted to meet somewhere outside his office and out of earshot of his wife. As a surprise, his client is planning to construct a new house for his wife and he is the architect chosen for the plan.

He went inside the cafe, the tinkling of bell warned the employees or rather, employee inside - she is alone and manning the counter. Her greetings came automatically like she always does and he smiled to himself hearing her voice.

"Hello, my lady. Good afternoon." He greeted, that made her looked up. The ready smile she plastered on her face - another automatic response for a customer, was replaced by a frown - an automatic response to him. His thought made him chuckle which made her scowl darker. He saw her took a deep breath before she asked.

"Are you going to order your usual?"

"Actually, I am meeting someone here, so, can I order later? I'll just have a bottled water for now. But, yes, my order is the same as what I usually have." He explained which made her stare at him as if he had grown two heads.

He quirk his brow at her as a way to ask whether she understood what he said or not. She stared some more then turn around and took a chilled bottled water from the fridge and handed it to him while saying the price. He took some change and handed it to her. She thanked him when she handed him his receipt. But instead of leaving the counter he stood there and stare as well. After sometime, he cannot help but ask.

"Have you taken your break?" He thought she will not reply but, lo and behold, she did.

"Yes, awhile ago. I just came from my break actually." Her curt reply without looking at him.

"Why aren't you looking at me?" He cannot control himself to ask something that has a very clear answer, she doesn't like him. He expected her to say those words or something along those lines but he was surprised by what she said.

"I do not want to look into your eyes."

"And why is that?" He asked after he recovered his shock. She looked up at his question but still diverting her eyes away from his face. He saw her struggling with words with how the way she open and close her mouth, debating with herself wether to answer him or not, until he saw she made a resolve to answer. She was about to open her mouth but at that exact moment, the door opened and in came his client. He wanted to shout at the man for coming at an inappropriate time but since he needed the job he kept the frustration within himself and approached the man with a professional smile. He shook hands with him and ushered him to the corner table where he usually sits.

"What would you like to drink sir?" A female voice came beside them and he was startled to see that the lady approached them and ask for their order. He blinked several times to clear off his disbelief and he heard his client gave his order.

The lady left after taking the order and he cleared his throat before proceeding with their meeting which was only interrupted when their orders were served.

---

Ellie didn't know what came over herself, firstly, because she felt a sudden pain when he said he is meeting with someone, she thought he had a date with a woman. Second, because she blurted out the true reason why she refuses to look into his face when he is talking to her - she doesn't want to look directly into his eyes, for her eyes always wander to his' everytime. The blue hue of his eyes seems like a magnet, pulling her into its depths and she is afraid that she will find herself lost into it. That was the third thing she wanted to chastise herself with, she was about to answer his question when he ask 'why?', good thing another customer came, who, as based on the turn of events, is the very client that he is talking about. The relief that came was so palpable, she became weak-kneed that she almost fell, thanks to the presence of the counter, for if not, she probably toppled over. Lastly, because she took the customer's order at the table, though sometimes, they really do take the orders on the table but it should be requested first, which, he didn't do and there should be an acceptable reason. He did not told her anything at all, nor requested for their order to be taken there, she did it freely. Her action baffled him, since based on the signal she is giving off to him, she doesn't like him and she saw on his face that it really did confused him.

She can give a good reason though as to why she did that, he is a regular, so an additional service is unquestionable, considering that he took a new customer into their cafe, isn't it? But whatever reasoning she can come up with, her inner self, the one that acts as her ego, is currently shouting 'Liar!' to her. Yes, it was a lie, for she is starting to be drawn into him, however strong she held herself not to be pulled.

---

The man and his client stayed for more than an hour, she wondered what was the topic of their meeting for she doesn't know the man's work but based on the papers that were spread on the table - something like a building plan, he is sort of an architect or an engineer.

'And what was the name he said at the park before?' She silently wondered to herself and she snapped her fingers when she suddenly remembered.

'Ethan. His name is Ethan.' She caught herself smiling and saw that Mandy is staring at her with curiosity. She just smiled at her but did not comment and she is grateful because her co-worker did the same.

Customers came in a sudden rush, taking away her focus out of the man who is still talking seriously with his client. She was startled when she saw that another hour has passed and the client was gone as well as the man who is constantly bothering her. She cannot control the sudden pang of disppointment she felt for he didn't said his goodbye before leaving - something that he always does everytime he leaves the cafe. She calls it a bothersome action but as of the moment, she'd rather welcome it than the hurt she suddenly felt. Hurt that refuses to go even after she went home to her small apartment and even before she let herself be swallowed by sleep.

---

Ethan left the cafe feeling proud, for he got the approval of his client. Now he just have to contact his father to be the contractor of the building. His family owns a construction company, a business that he should inherit when the time comes, but his heart is not into it, unlike his youngest brother Zach, who has been very eager to learn all there is to know about construction. So he told their father that he will happily step out of the equation of who should be the rightful heir of their family's business. Their father was at first doubtful but he saw Zach's determination and love for the business, so he agreed, because according to their father, their happiness and passion was the first and foremost important than what he wants or what the society says. Their father's decision was easily accepted by the family, that is why their father already started training Zach in handling the company. Him and his brothers do consider their father to be their hero, he is someone they look up to. He is a very good father and provider for them, and him personally, looks up to him on how he treats their mother Alessa, and he always emphasize that in order for your woman to treat you good, you should treat her like a queen. But as of the moment, with regards to his predicament, is not happening.

Him and the lady really started out bad. It may appear to other people that he is only pursuing her as a challenge since she did not act the way women does when he is near or if he is giving her attention. But he is sure with himself that this is different, yes it is challenging, even getting her name is already a challenge, but his feelings for her differs from all the other women he had a relationship before.

Though still early, he can already say that he is in love for he will not really pursue someone if that person exhibits a strong dislike to him. He will not try anything to woo a woman especially if she is not showing any signs of attraction towards him. She has something that makes him drawn into her, maybe it's her being so hardworking, focused and diligent with work, or the way she smiles or maybe simply because she can make his heart beat faster, something that he had never experience before.

He let those thoughts consume his consciousness until he felt his body engulfed by sleep.

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