Page 226 of When We Fall: Part Two
I sighed, noting the steely look in his eyes. I wasn’t going to get out of it. Chances are, he’d run back and tell Matteo, and I’d be dragged back to him while he tried to house me in his mansion and give me a manicure.
I left him and got his coffee. I slid it in front of him.
“Do you need anything else?”
“Yes. I came in for a muffin. I heard there were blueberry ones.”
“Sure. I can get you one.” I went back, grabbed him a muffin, and returned. “Anything else?”
He held up his finger, bit into the muffin, and chewed slowly before washing it down with a sip of coffee.
“This is good. My compliments to the chef.”
“I’ll let him know. Anything else?”
“You to sit with me.”
“I can’t. I’m working.”
“What are they paying you?”
I shuffled nervously. “I make a lot in tips.”
“I’ll give you five hundred dollars right now if you sit with me.”
“I can’t. I have to work,” I repeated. “I just got this job. I don’t want to ruin it by sitting with a customer.”
“OK. I’ll give you fifty thousand to quit and sit with me.”
I scoffed at him. “You’re insane.”
“Am I? You’re the one not accepting fifty thousand dollars. I’d say you’re crazier than I am.” He leaned in. “I’m good for it, by the way—fifty thousand, hummingbird. Sit with me. We’ll talk.”
“Klaus.” I laughed and glanced to see Sabrina and Angela watching the exchange. “We can talk when I’m off, OK?”
“Fine. Bring me a milkshake. Strawberry.”
I left him and set to work making his milkshake.
“What’s he saying?” Sabrina asked, coming to stand next to me.
“Uh, nothing. Just wants a milkshake. Said he likes the muffins.”
“Girl, don’t lie. He’s into you. He’s staring at you likeyou’rethe milkshake.”
“No, he isn’t,” I said, letting out a nervous laugh. I chanced a look back to see he was definitely watching me.
I finished making the shake and returned to him.
“Forty-five minutes,” he said, taking the shake.
I smiled wordlessly and went back to working without saying a word. I took a few more orders before my shift ended, acutely aware of Klaus’s eyes on me the entire time.
I dropped his check on the table before serving a burger basket to another table. He left a few moments later, and I noted he was waiting on the sidewalk.
I went to where he’d been sitting and picked up the bill and cash he’d left, along with a slip of paper.
I unfolded it to find a check for fifty thousand dollars and a tiny note in the memo area that said,Quit your job, hummingbird.
