Chapter 36
~ NYSSA
The café opened about five minutes later and before I could even blink, there was already a line outside the door.
I watched the owner move with a grace and precision that I didn’t think was possible as she served her customers, each one greeting her with a smile.
She spoke to them like she knew them, like they’d been friends for ages, and even when her other workers came, they extended the same greetings to each other. I couldn’t help but smile the longer I watched.
There was so much love and warmth in here.
“Something to eat,” one of the servers said, placing a blueberry muffin in front of me.
“But I didn’t order p>
“I only do as I’m told,” she said, raising her hands in mock surrender. “Feel free to take it up with management p>
She winked at me before disappearing into the sea of people to take some more orders.
My cheeks flushed pink from embarrassment. I wasn’t used to people doing nice things like this for me. it was as nice as it was uncomfortable.
I reached into my pocket for my wallet. The least I could do was drop a tip.
I’d barely opened it when someone dropped a hundred dollar bill on the table in front of me. I glanced up and locked eyes with Aria.
“I got it,” she told me. “Can we talk p>
I could’ve said no, but there was no use avoiding a conversation that I knew would only come up later.
Placing my empty cup on top of the bill, I grabbed my muffin and waved to the owner as I left.
“Come again later!” she yelled out and I made a mental note to do just that.
Aria’s car was parked right outside the café and she gestured for me to get in. Normally, I would’ve done it just to get the conversation over with but I was done being everyone’s doormat.
“Where are we going?” I asked, hands crossed over my chest.
“We’re just going to drive around. I figure it might make things easier.” I still didn’t move and she sighed. “I’m sorry. You were right, I was trying to test you, and I shouldn’t have. It was cruel. I like to play games, and sometimes I forget that not everyone wants to play them as well p>
I stared at her intently, watching her face for any sign that the apology was not genuine but judging by the sag of her shoulders, and the genuine embarrassment in her eyes; it was clear she meant it.
With a sigh, I got into the passenger seat and shut the door behind me. “How did you know I was here anyway p>
“Everyone was talking about it. You may have only been out once but everyone took note. People are curious about you p>
“Do they know that I trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.
She shook her head. “A few of them suspect, but Rowan hasn’t confirmed anything p>
I nearly scoffed at that.
I doubted he’d confirm anything. He seemed as interested in this mating as I was in dry paint. It still didn’t make any sense to me that he’d agreed to this whole arrangement when his plan was to keep me at arm’s length the entire time.
It had to be some kind of game and I was losing… badly.
“If he p>
“Can we not talk about Rowan?” she asked, cutting me off. “I understand that this is confusing and I want to help you, Nyssa, I really do, you look like a sweet girl but he’s my brother and I can’t go against him. I don’t want to get in between this because I’m going to end up covered in piss p>
As much as I didn’t like her choice, I couldn’t understand it… or at least, try to,
I didn’t have any siblings or family that I owed loyalty too, but if I did, I’d probably act the same way she was right now.
I was a stranger, and he was the guy she’d known her entire life. It was only natural that her loyalties lay with him.
“Okay then,” I agreed, clearing my throat. “Let’s start over, I’m Nyssa.” She glanced at my outstretched hand, a brow raised in amusement. “Don’t leave me hanging, it’s considered rude p>
She laughed.
The sound was soft and melodic, like the sound of wind chimes. She threw her head back, her eyes squeezed close as her lips curled up in a wider smile than I’d ever seen on her face.
I’d come to realize that the smiles she gave to me before were all fake. This was pure joy.
She took my hand in hers.
Her grip was soft, her hands dainty but slightly larger than mine. “I’m Aria. It’s a pleasure to meet you p>
I grinned, shaking her hand with mine. “Where are we going, Aria p>
“Well, I was a bit of a bitch to this girl earlier, and I’m trying to make it up to her. She seems to have already gotten breakfast so I can’t bribe her with food, but there’s a bonfire happening in two days, and I was wondering if she’d like to go dress shopping for it p>
I hummed, pretending to think about her words. “Would you be paying for this girl p>
Her lips curled. “Of course, I would be an even bigger bitch not to. I’ll even throw in lunch afterwards as an incentive p>
At that point, I laughed.
If someone had told me a week ago that Aria and I would be sitting in her car and having a laugh together, I would have called them insane, but here we were.
She was much different than I originally thought. There was so much hidden underneath her rough exterior. In another life, we could’ve been best friends, maybe even sisters.
“A bon fire sounds amazing.” I said finally. “I think she will be more than happy to go with you p>