"Oh… Sweetheart, he's just a customer," Elena said and held his small hands gently while she led him to a clean table by the glass windows. Elena proceeded to help Savannah put the disarranged chairs and tables back in their respective positions.
"What the hell just happened?" Savannah whispered to Elena shakily. She inhaled deeply and then exhaled to calm her heart.
"I….. I don't know what just happened" Elena replied as she wrapped her hands around herself.
Savannah took a deep breath and walked to Liam and gave him his drawing notebook. "Sweetheart your drawings keep getting better and I'm super proud of you" she complimented, hoping it would take his mind off the commotion that just happened.
Liam grinned"Thank you, Mummy!"
As she walked towards Elena, Savannah let out a sigh of relief. She was glad Liam didn't ask any more questions she didn't have answers to.
"What should I do?" Savannah asked, frustration evident in her tone.
"About?" Elena replied.
"This job….. About working for him" Her voice dropped low as if speaking about a taboo subject. "I need the job but I….. I don't think I- "she began, but Elena interrupted her.
"Hey, hey, we'll talk about this later," Elena replied.
Later that night, the heavy rain tapped loudly against the roof of Savannah's apartment, which was just a few blocks from her café.
She sat curled up in the dim living room, as she hugged herself tightly. She could not get her earlier encounter with the men of her mind. Her hair was a mess, damp and tangled. Liam had finished his drawings and was fast asleep in his room.
Elena walked into the room. She wore a black small top with matching shorts. Unlike Savannah, her red hair was tied in a neat bun. She started to pace back and forth, arms crossed, keeping a close eye on Savannah.
"You need to take the offer," she blurted out.
"I can't." Savannah began, taking a deep breath to organize her thoughts. "I can't leave—"
"You owe him," Elena interrupted. "He saved you. He saved the café."
"I know Elena! I know!" Savannah snapped. "But the fact remains that I did not ask him to."
"Why was he even nice to me? Maybe to him, I'm just a charity case," Savannah whispered, as she looked at her reflection in the glass window. "I'm sure he doesn't remember me. But I can't forget him; I remember everything."
His voice.
His words.
His touch.
Savannah walked over to the couch and lay down on it as she stared at the ceiling. "I think he's Liam's father, Elena. But he doesn't even recognize me. How? What if I ruin everything by working there?"
What if he takes Liam away?
She did not voice that thought but it did not make it any less real in her mind. Asher was powerful. There was no doubt about it because who buys a stranger's cafe for double the price just to save it? What if he found out about Liam and decided to take him away? She could not imagine life without her son.
Elena moved closer to Savannah. "Then don't mention it to him. Just get the work done."
Elena leaned closer. "That's not what's important right now. You need to buy back this café legally. You need to gain control of it again. To do that, you need money. Work for him, and you'll get paid. You said he was nice. You said he wasn't rude or pushy, right?"
Savannah turned her face away from Elena. "No. He just seemed frustrated." Savannah knew Elena's advice was right to take. Under normal circumstances, she would do anything to repay the stranger for his kindness. But there was a lot at stake here. Her cafe. Her son.
Elena looked at her and sighed. "You're just feeling guilty. I know that you do not want to leave the cafe, you want to relive a memory of your parents, especially after opening it again recently. But, you don't have to worry. The cafe is good. We will take care of it." Elena paused and watched Savannah carefully to gauge her friend's reaction. She just seemed disappointed. "You'll be okay. Go see him tomorrow. Be yourself. Have confidence in everything you do or say to him. Set your boundaries. Keep it professional."
"Make things right," Elena said as she squeezed Savannah's arm. "You need to keep Liam out of all this, and he clearly doesn't remember. So take this chance to rebuild."
Savannah bit her lip. "Do you think I should do it?" Elena nodded.
Savannah nodded slowly. "Okay, I'll give it a try."
"That's great. But if you don't do well on your first day and you change your mind, we'll both think of other alternatives to keep the cafe" Elena assured her with a smile then stepped out of the room.
"Okay," was all Savannah could say.
Savannah thought about Elena's words and realized that she was right. "I will make things right." She whispered determinedly before she drifted off to sleep.
The next morning.
Savannah picked a soft cream blouse, black pants, a black bag, and matching black stiletto heels. She was dressed and ready.
Liam held her hands as he walked beside her down to the café, Elena followed closely behind them.
"Mom, are you going to see the hero again?" he asked.
Savannah smiled softly. "Something like that."
As they reached the cafe's front door, she crouched beside her son as gently tucked a stray curl behind his ear and held his tiny hands in both of hers.
"Be a good boy for Aunty El, mommy will be back soon. Okay?" she said as stopped a taxi.
"Do you have to go Mommy?" he said as he held her hand tighter.
"Yes baby, I'll be back before your bedtime. I promise" She gently released her hands from his grip, gave him a kiss on his head and then she walked toward the taxi.
"I love you, Mommy!" he called out.
She paused at the car door and turned slightly to look back at him. Their eyes met. She gave him a little wave. Then entered the taxi
"Good luck," Elena shouted, as she encouraged Savannah with a thumbs up.
The taxi man drove off and headed in the direction Savannah gave him.
The building looked daunting. It was all glass, with cold steel that seemed sharp and sleek. This modern design felt nothing like the cozy warmth of her apartment or the cafe she loved.
She hesitated outside the imposing structure.
"I can do this. I need this job. I have to take it. For Liam. For the cafe," she whispered to herself as she stepped inside, her stomach churning.
Her heels clicked on the marble floor as she walked through the reception area.
"I have an appointment with Mr Asher," she told the receptionist, showing her the card she had received.
"Are you the new assistant?" the receptionist asked.
Savannah gulped. "Yes, yes I am."
The receptionist gave her a quick once-over, informed her of the floor she needed, smiled tightly, and pointed toward the elevator.
She got into the elevator, she was alone and the only thing she did to calm herself was to sing one of Liam's bedtime lullabies.
Savannah got to the last floor which looked more modern. She knocked and was asked to enter.
She entered a spacious, minimalist office. As she walked into Asher's office, she took a deep breath to calm herself down. She had to be confident.
Asher was seated at his desk, he faced the window with his side toward the door, as he talked on the phone. When he turned to look at her, surprise flashed in his eyes, and he stared a bit too long. He paused for a moment, his lips slightly parted.
Savannah felt out of place in her simple blouse and worn heels, but she stood tall.
Does he recognize me?
No.
Just a trick of her heart.
Stay grounded.
"You came," he said, as he finally faced her. "I didn't expect to see you so soon."
"I'm not here for charity. You said I have to work to repay you, right?"
"I sent you my CV via email. Now I'm here," she said as she approached the table.
"Let's be clear about something. I'm not here to trade favors. I won't be sleeping with you," she added firmly.
Asher leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, looking amused. "I reviewed your CV. Now let's discuss the details. Miss?"
"Ms. Savannah Lucas," she replied, handing him her documents.
He raised an eyebrow in response.
"You've made yourself clear. Please take a seat, Ms. Lucas," he indicated a large black chair facing him. "I don't pay for favors, Ms. Lucas. I'm paying to protect your café. You will work for me, you'll be compensated, and you will repay me."
"I don't mix my personal life with business. Ever." He assured her.
She looked at him, unsure of her feelings at that moment—was it embarrassment or relief?
He stood up and handed her a contract. "I am Asher Maximillian, a perfectionist and I expect and believe everything that deals with work should be done exceptionally well. You'll start by being my assistant then move to other marketing tasks."
She nodded and then reached for a pen in her back. Signed the contract and then handed it back to him.
He extended his hand to shake her and as she was about to get up, she accidentally brushed against his desk which caused her back to fall, and some contents spilled out.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed and quickly bent down to gather them.
Asher crouched next to her and helped her pick them up. Their hands touched, and for a brief moment, they paused. His gaze locked with hers. The room felt warmer, or perhaps it was just the tension in the air.
A long silence passed.
Skin on skin.
Electricity.
She looked at him, but his expression was hard to read.
Quickly, she stood up. "Where's my office?" She cleared her throat to get past the moment.
"Next door." He said stoically like he had not been affected by the spark between them.
She stood up slowly. "Alright. Thank you."
As she walked away, his voice followed her. "I'll walk you to your office since my executive assistant is out on an official task."
His heart had this strange familiarity like déjà-vu. He tried to place it, but the memory slipped from his mind like a fog.