She wasn’t looking forward to lunch with Liz anymore, never mind adding another person. Right now all she wanted was to go someplace where she didn’t need to think about Grayson Corp. “I was just about to ask if I could take a rain check.”
Liz didn’t seem upset in the least. “Definitely. Maybe tomorrow.” Then she watched Liz link arms with Sam as they disappeared into the crowd.
Rosslyn had no idea where to go, but she knew it wasn’t going to be back to Grayson Corp. The closest place was the coffee shop across the street. It wasn’t what she was in the mood for, but it was quick and within her budget.
Stepping off the curb, a car horn blew, scaring her half to death. She was in the right. The walk signal was on and she was in the crosswalk. Rosslyn had no idea what overcame her, but she slapped the hood of the car and said sharply, “Watch where you’re going.”
Even though he had been in the wrong, it still was a ballsy thing to do. It didn’t take long for her to realize just how foolish her action had been. The man got out of his car and approached her, swearing and waving a fist in the air. Her heart raced. How she wished she had ruby slippers to click together and wake up back home. But nothing was going to get her out of this situation.
She couldn’t believe people were still walking across the street as though nothing was happening. If the man had hit her, knocked her out, would they just step over her body? Rosslyn wasn’t sure, but she needed to do something, and apologizing sounded like a good place to start.
Raising her hands she said, “Sir, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to . . . touch your car. I was caught off guard and . . . I’m—”
“Take another step toward her, and the only ride you’re getting is in an ambulance. Got it?”
Even though she didn’t know his name, she knew that voice. But Rosslyn wasn’t about to take her eyes off the man who had been approaching her. His focus was no longer on her but on the man behind her. At first it looked like he was going to challenge that threat, but something made him change his mind.
She heard him swearing under his breath as he walked back to his car and got inside. Rosslyn stepped back onto the sidewalk and finally turned around. “Thank you, but I was handling it myself.”
“If what you mean by handling it is about to get knocked on your ass, then yeah, you were doing fine.”
That’s not exactly the way she saw it, but then again, she wasn’t sure either. Rosslyn had been scared more than she wanted to admit. But having him come to her rescue kind of threw her as well. In such a big city, why did they keep bumping into each other?
“I guess I’m still getting used to how things are done here.”
“Have lunch with me and I’ll give you a few pointers to keep you safe.”
She debated accepting or not. Rosslyn wanted to talk to him. It was ridiculous because they really didn’t know each other. Yet in the few days she’s been here, she’d spoken more to him than anyone she knew. Maybe if they had lunch, he wouldn’t be a stranger anymore. Max had said she shouldn’t speak to him, but it was possible he was only referring to that one night, not forever. Besides, Max had no right controlling who she spoke to. He didn’t own her. As long as she didn’t talk about Max or Grayson Corp, she didn’t see any harm in having lunch with him.
“I don’t even know your name.”
“Charles. And you are?”
“I’m Rosslyn.” This was better. At least she wasn’t going off with a complete stranger. Just one who seemed to appear everywhere she was. “Okay,” she said.
“Okay?” He actually looked surprised. Not as much as I am I bet. She really couldn’t believe she was going to do this. Then he repeated with a smile, “Okay.”
“Do you want to go across the street to the café?”
Charles shook his head. “I know this place that has the best cheesecake.”
“I do too. We bumped into each other there two days ago.” Not that she could forget any time they crossed paths.
“That place is good, but this one is amazing. It’s a bit of a ways. Are you in a rush to get back to work?” Charles asked.
Normally she’d say yes, but Liz was correct. What was an extra half hour? “I have until two.”
“Perfect.” Charles waved for a taxi and one pulled right to the curb.
How was that? She sometimes stood hailing a taxi and thought she must be invisible. Then again standing next to him . . .
While they drove, Charles actually held up his end and gave her a lecture about the do’s and dont’s in the city. Most of it was common sense.
“I really don’t know what came over me. I’m not that type of person. Usually everything rolls off my shoulders and I let it go. But there was a look in his eyes, like he wasn’t even sorry that he almost hit me. And I . . . lost my temper.”
“That’s you losing your temper?”
She knew it didn’t seem like much, but for her, it was. Rosslyn didn’t go around slapping hoods of vehicles and yelling. “Guess I’m more of a quiet person.”