He made some phone calls and found out where she was. When he discovered where she was working, his bad mood deepened even further. He really shouldn’t give a damn where she worked, or what she did. She shouldn’t matter to him in the least but when he thought about her working overnight at the dive of a truck stop, his stomach clenched. He knew the kind of people who habituated a place like that in the wee hours of the morning and it was certainly no place for a woman.
He gathered up his things and called his driver. It looked like he was dining out that night. He smiled to himself, when he pictured her reaction to him entering the joint. Hell, when his car pulled up, he was sure there would be a bit of a stir. People like him simply didn’t go to places like that. At least people like him nowadays. He would’ve been happy to go anywhere when he was a kid. That would’ve been a real treat.
It took the driver about forty minutes to navigate traffic and pull up in front of the diner. It was fairly busy and he looked through the windows, spotting her almost immediately. She’d changed in the years since he’d seen her last but not much.
Her young, sleek body had matured and now she had curves, though he couldn’t see them well beneath the loose clothing and apron she was wearing. Her hair was still dark and hung low on her back in an unflattering braid, which looked like she had made up in minutes.
As he stepped through the diner doors and quickly browsed before she noticed him, he could see the weariness in the set of her shoulders. When she finally turned to see who’d walked in and caused a silence to fall over her customers, he felt a kick in his gut by the sheer exhaustion of her expression.
She’d always been so full of life and now she looked drained, as if she bore the weight of the world on her shoulders. She approached him slowly, as if he was a dangerous animal ready to strike any moment. His lips turned up in a sardonic smile because he was a dangerous animal, far more deadly than any four legged creature she may encounter.
“Do you want a table?” she asked him suspiciously. She knew he normally wouldn’t be caught dead in a truck stop restaurant.
“That would be great,” he responded overconfidently. Her manager was watching the pair of them and she couldn’t afford to get fired so she gritted her teeth and showed Ryan to the table. She didn’t get why he’d come to her place of work but she couldn’t make a scene and as humiliating as it was she was going to be forced to serve him.
“What would you like to drink?” she asked through clinched teeth.
“I’ll take a coffee,” he replied. He’d determined within minutes of walking in, she’d be leaving with him. He knew exactly what he wanted in payment for helping her sister and he would get it. He would enjoy a little bit of cat and mouse in the meantime. He knew he would win, so he could be indulgent for a while.
“Here’s the menu. I’ll be right back with your coffee,” she said and walked off. He enjoyed the sway of her hips, which were slightly thicker than when they were teenagers. She’d definitely turned into a woman and he couldn’t wait to explore the new her. She was still stunning, even with the stress and exhaustion etched into her features.
She returned with the coffee and he noticed the mirth in her eyes, as he took his first sip and a grimace passed over his features. It was horrible tasting and he had the feeling she was enjoying his suffering. He controlled his face and took another long sip, just so he could wipe that smug look off her face. She controlled her own expression but couldn’t hide the twinkle in her gorgeous brown eyes.
“Are you ready to place your order?” she asked him.
“What are your specials?” he asked in a serious tone. She thought two could play at him being just an ordinary customer.
“We have the chef’s meatloaf special and we serve breakfast all day,” she said sweetly. He perused the menu, like he really cared what he ordered. Her foot started taping impatiently, as she continued to wait for him.
“Ms. Lander, can you please come over here?” her boss asked and she couldn’t keep the twinge from showing in her expression. She walked over to her obnoxious boss with what she hoped was an obedient expression pasted on her face.
“Yes, Mr. Archer,” she said.
“Could you please try and act more professional. That man showed up in a jaguar and you’re taping your toe in impatience. Do you want to keep your job?” he threatened her.
“Of course, sir. I’m sorry about that,” she said, hopefully humbly enough. He dismissed her and she walked back over to Ryan, even more furious with the man. She saw the look of steel in his eyes and she was scared he was going to cause a scene.
“I’m sorry about making you wait, have you decided yet?” she asked him.
“I’ll take a turkey sandwich and the soup of the day,” he responded. Ryan didn’t like the way her boss had spoken to her and it only solidified his decision she’d be leaving with him. She jotted down his order and quickly disappeared.
Nicole served him his food quickly and he forced himself to choke some of it down, while he continued to watch her. She never stopped running, as she refilled coffee and took down orders. She kept his glass topped off, along with the other twenty or so customers. He almost came out of his seat when he saw some trucker get a little bit too friendly. He had to admit he was impressed how she handled the man, letting him know she was unavailable, while still being polite.