"I'll check the schedule before I leave." I reach for a pitcher of tea to prepare the next drink when I spot him standing by the counter.
He's dressed in a pale blue dress shirt and navy slacks. The arms of the shirt are rolled up and the way he's pushed his hair back from his forehead indicates that he's hot. Of course he's hot. He's sweating which makes him look that much hotter. Maybe if I keep my eyes downcast he'll think I haven't noticed him.
"Sadie. Heads up at three o'clock." Alexa shouts loud enough that everyone at the back of the line can hear her.
I pull my gaze up slowly and he bows his head in response. He points at his watch. "When's break time?"
"I don't have one today," I call back knowing how ludicrous that sounds. If I'm going to lie to him, I need better excuses than that.
He cocks a brow and points at his watch again. "I just need a few minutes."
"Go," Alexa barks at me. "I've got this."
I watch her expertly take orders and then hand the cups to one of the other girls working with us today. I realize if I do go now, I can use the lingering line of people waiting to my advantage. He can't expect me to sit and visit with him endlessly when we're swamped like this.
He nods as I walk around the counter towards him. "There's no place in here for us to talk. Come out to my car."
I hesitate. I don't want to be in a confined space with him. I don't even want to talk to him. What's he going to tell me now? Unless he's here to announce that his engagement is off, there's absolutely nothing I want to hear.
"We can talk here." I stop as soon as we exit the bistro. "Whatever you need to say, you can say here."
He searches the parking lot, his eyes settling on the countless people milling about. "This isn't private."
"Are you still engaged?" I turn away after I ask the question. I don't want to see the pity in his eyes when he answers.
"Yes." He grabs my arm. "I didn't come here to talk about that."
"Are you here to tell me why you lied about owning all those restaurants?"
He stops and raises his brow. "I don't own them. My father does."
"Are you going to explain why you're nothing but a liar?" I spit the words out harshly.
He doesn't respond. He only shakes his head slightly from side-to-side.
"Then I don't want to hear it." I reach for the bistro's door. "Please don't bother me again."
"I have an emergency in New York and I won't be here for a few days." It's as if he didn't absorb anything I just said to him.
"Christina broke a nail?" I ask facetiously. Why do I always revert back to acting like a rejected teenager whenever he's around?
"Someone I care about is very ill." He gazes over my head. His breath hitches as he continues, "I have to be there. I don't want to leave Boston though. Even when you're not talking to me, I feel close to you when I'm here."
"Who is sick?" I shoot back. I know so little about his life other than his never-ending drive to make everything right in Coral's family's life.
"I don't know when I'll be back." He ignores the question so effortlessly. It's another lie of omission. He won't let me in. He's never let me in.
"I hope they'll be okay." I offer.
He nods. "I heard you talking to Alexa. If you want to stay at my place for a few days, I can give you back your
key."
"I want nothing to do with you." I stifle the harshness of my response. Even though I'm livid with him over everything that's happened the past few weeks I can't recall a time when he looked so haggard and worried.
"We'll talk about that when I'm back." He reaches to kiss me on the forehead.
Chapter 15