Lana's POV
I was caught up in the beauty of his entire face, his nose was sharp and pointed and his jawline could slice through my most forbidden pleasures and I wouldn't complain.
His eyes burned into mine with a look of dangerous familiarity and I knew I had seen this face somewhere before but my mind couldn't pick up where I had seen him. I felt his warmth from our closeness and I could feel him harden underneath and that was when I realized the position we were in.
I quickly pulled back on instinct. "My apologies" I muttered shakily and immediately bolted away from him as far as I could. I didn't know where I was going. All I knew was that I had to reach the top floor and meet my supervisor as soon as possible. I checked the time when I was finally out of his sight and I was almost out of breath but I had made it. I quickly slipped into my apron and rushed to see my supervisor. I got there just in time as he was about to leave his desk.
"Good day sir" I said even though I knew my cheeks were still a bright shade of red from my encounter with that mysterious guy.
"Lana" he said with his eyes gleaming with fondness, I deeply respected this man and for a lot of reasons too. When I applied to work at The Three Pigeons, he made it a lot easier for me and he asked me the most unexpected questions too.
Questions that made me reveal the truth about the reasons why I needed this job badly. Back then, It felt unprofessional for me to say it out but at the same time it also felt liberating because no one had ever asked me about my life or how I was doing and unburdening myself like that made me feel so much lighter that I wasn't even going to hold it against him if he somehow decided that I wasn't going to be working at The Three Pigeons.
"Lana my dear, it's always a pleasure to see you," I replied to him with my usual smile, I'm here for my shift and I wanted to check in with you first, it's always a pleasure to see you."
"Oh that's okay, you know you do not have to, I know you always show up to work and on time too so you really do not have to Lana, and how's your mother doing, any news from her yet?"
Tears almost welled up in my eyes, even though I knew he cared about me in his own fatherly way, it always made me feel so much better when he asks how I am or how my mom is. Low-key hate how I've become a cry baby.
"She's okay, hasn't woken up yet but at least she's still here with us and at this point, that's really all that matters to me. Thank you so much for always caring about me and inquiring about my well-being, when my mom awakes you'll be the first person I shall tell. I should get back to work now"
"Very well then Lana, do come back in about 30 minutes, I have a very important guest I'm expecting and please bring with you our best wines."
I will do just that sir. I nod while I exit the room.
Back in open air I felt like my breath had seized and I was struggling to collect my thoughts. I was worried, tensed and anxious and I knew the reason why. I just remembered who that man was; he was the man from the other day in the restroom with that lady. I could feel my cheeks turning red from the mere thought of that one image I've been trying to forget.
I quickly rushed to the bar and took the notepad and the pen so I can begin taking the orders of our guests, I made a mental note to make sure that I do not forget to return to my supervisor's office with the wine. My eyes scan the room and the tables and I half wished I would see him again and half wished I wouldn't.
What if he's here to threaten me to keep quiet about our last encounter? Well then I'd just have to act like I didn't know who he was and when he realizes that I have no memory of what happened, he'll leave me alone, hopefully. I began taking the orders of our customers and by the time I was done with the serving, 30 minutes had gone by.
I head for the inner chamber where we kept exotic wines and I picked the one my boss usually tells me to get. I rinse the wine glasses and carry it on a tray to his office. I got there and there was no one else in the room except for my supervisor.
"Thank you Lana, and before you go, I'd like to know your opinion of the Three Pigeons."
"My opinion? Well I think it's a really wonderful and interesting establishment, when you count how much our clients value our services and how most of them truly feel happier when they're here, I'd say it's a really great place to be and from my experience as a worker here, I wouldn't ever want to trade the feeling of home this place gives me for anything."
Something about the way I spoke must have made my supervisor almost tear up. I may be hallucinating but I could have sworn that I saw tears well up in his eyes but almost immediately, they disappeared.
He looked at me with warm appreciation and though it was heart warming, I sensed that it was probably because of something else.
"Lana, you're one of the few people I can count on here at the Three Pigeons, you've always proven to me that I made no mistake hiring you and you have absolutely no idea how much being here has helped me gain better clarity on things, you'll always have my best wishes Lana."
I stood, relatively speechless because I really didn't know what to do. I could only muster a smile but truthfully, his warm voice warmed my insides and if I wasn't trying to keep it together, I probably would have slumped down crying.
"Wow…" I heard a very deep voice and it wasn't that of my supervisor. I turned and there he stood, leaning against the door staring with those eyes.
It was him, the way he leaned against the door and the way the lights reflected on his entire body made him look like a scene one could only behold in museums. He was so tall, taller than Mr Gonzalo and way taller than me by far.
I remembered our encounter and suddenly the room felt so empty but choked with tension; tension that only I could feel. His eyes remained on me like a tiger would look at his prey, hungrily and calculating.
It was indeed him and this time, I had a feeling that I wouldn't be getting away anytime soon.