Chapter |2|
Abigail Todaro.
My head immediately flew up, only to find a pair of very light grey eyes staring at me.
A light gasp escaped my lips as I shriveled back, a late response to the shock I felt.
My eyes widened as I stared at the handsome opposite gender in front of me, probably the most handsome one I'd ever seen. Dark brown hair fell in soft curls, stopping just below his chin. His grey eyes were so light they could've been white. Pinkish lips, smooth stubble, and defined jaw lines. All these features stacked down my calculations and lead me to one conclusion.
He was an angel.
I blinked a couple of times before I snapped out of my trance and sprang up to action when I register that I'm behind the counter of a coffee shop and I'm supposed to serve customers. He must've been waiting for a long time!
My heart was racing as I tried to compose myself.
"H-hello, welcome to - uh - Sugar and Spice wuh - what can I get you?" I asked, my voice wavering as my anxiety rose to the top.
I can feel my bottom lip wobbling. I'm stupid. I'm stupid. I'm stupid. I'm stu—
"Are you okay?" The angel interrupted my mantra with his incredibly attractive voice.
This must be some sort of damnation, why am I having an attack in front of someone like him? But wait, what if he is an angel?
Forgive me, father!
"H-have you been here for long? I-i mean, I'm sorry for the wait Angel. What's your order? J-just order a-anything, I'll pay with m-my money." I babbled tripping over my words as I rapidly shove the whole gummy bears into the jar at once, deciding I'll do the Twizzlers later.
I mean, if he really is an angel then I would have to do anything to please him just to make sure God isn't mad at me. I have a lot of prayers left.
"Angel?" He questioned a little confused.
"Huh?" I grunted distractedly as I shoved the earbuds into my pockets and faced him. "What's your order?" I asked fiddling with my thumb.
He didn't say anything at first, he just stared at me - and then the corners of his lips quirked up into a slight smile, he looks amused.
Seeing him amused made me feel better that I flashed him a smile of my own. His tongue poked his inner cheek as he stood up straight. I noticed that he was wearing a blue-black turtle neck with suit pants and had his hands shoved into the pockets.
"W-what's your order then?" I asked trying my best to look everywhere but his face.
For seconds, he didn't say anything as he seemed to be in thought but then he blurted;
"A lemon cake"
"Lemon cake?" I asked for clarity.
"Yes. It's for an anniversary, nothing much, just average." He said and I can feel his eyes burning into my forehead.
I nod quickly turning around to go get it but I stop, turning to him I ask;
"How many layers do you want?" I ask, my eyes stopping at his chest.
"Two will do." He responded.
I nodded again and disappeared to get the cake, I came back in a flash and placed it carefully on the counter.
"What do you want to be written on it, Angel?" I asked once again looking at his chest, not his handsome face.
"Why do you call me that?" He asked, his low voice sending a streak of shiver down my spine.
"C-call you what?" I ask in a voice barely above a whisper.
"Angel."
I paused for a second, the piping bag in my hand going limp also. I hadn't even realized that I was calling him that.
"Uh, I just thought that you were. Aren't you? God didn't send you?" I ask confused at the fact and my question itself.
His chest started vibrating and he raises a hand to cover his face as chuckles slipped out of his throat. He did so for about a minute before composing himself making me stare at his chest again instead of his face.
"I'm not an angel, I doubt God even wants me on his side." He stated in amusement.
I frown at his statement but don't say anything.
"Happy 2nd Anniversary. Vera and Theo. Write that." He said and I started right away.
I felt his eyes on me as I tried to concentrate on my styling. Somehow, I wish he would look away so I could stare at him.
"I love your eyes." His voice came again and I wondered if he was lying about being an angel, I mean, have you heard his voice?
' You have beautiful eyes, I love them' is a usual comment I get from children and mothers and old women, never from a handsome man or any man at all.
Maybe that's because you don't interact with men. My subconscious mind bumped in.
Gabi says I'm gifted with them, I say it's just a normal thing that hasn't occurred to anyone yet. Pink and a swirl of dark grey were something you don't see in everybody's eye. Or am I just built differently, can a person have too many abnormalities?
"I like yours too," I whispered biting my lip as I styled the 'y' in anniversary, the buttercream seeming a bit thicker to me.
"What's your name?" He suddenly asked.
My brows scrunch up in complete confusion.
"What?" I blurted in plain disbelief as I paused completely, maybe if he repeated it I would hear something else.
"I asked for your name." He repeats. "What is it?"
"Oh, m-my name is Baybi, what's yours?" I answer shyly trying to pretend the cake I'm icing is more interesting than his presence. I feel so giddy, what for?
He didn't say anything and I wondered if he heard me. But I know he did hear me, does he not want to answer?
"Payne." He said after a contemplating minute.
His voice came deep, husky, intimidating.
I stopped for a moment before looking at him – well his chest technically – a small confused frown wrinkles my brows.
"Pain?" I questioned.
A chuckle erupted from his throat making my cheeks dust with pink, was I making him laugh that much, or does he think I'm funny?
I looked back down at the now-finished cake that was waiting to be put away, I hope the design was okay.
I mustered up my courage and slowly strained my neck up to look at his face, his hand - once again - covers his face as he chuckles, tattoos littered across his knuckles.
I decide to watch the way his shoulders shake as he sobers up, the stud on his ear glistening from the rays the sun emitted.
He lays his hands down and looks at me, my heart dipping in whatever blood that was circulating it. He looks so handsome, yet he looks like a danger sign. I knew that if I saw this man somewhere else, I would've been too scared to look him in the eyes, but here I am admiring his beauty.
He put his hands back into his pockets as he looks at me, amusement dancing in his eyes. Then he said;
"Pain? I'm far from it baby, I'm worse." He then took a step forward, his waistline touching the marble of the counter as he lowered his height to my eye level, my neck coming down as he did.
I froze in my spot, breathing in his woody cologne. My gaze flickered to his lips. Darn, he sure uses a good chapstick, it made me think of my dried-chapped lips.
"Worse?" I asked my voice quiet and raspy.
He shakes his head and pulls out a wad of cash, and drops it on the counter making my eyes widen.
"Uh, Mr. Payne? T-that is too much for a cake." I said pushing the money towards him.
He looks at me and then back at the money. He picks it up and places it back in front of me.
"You'll call me just Payne, okay?" He said looking me dead in the eyes.
He wasn't even about the money, and that made me not want to push the money back to him again. I nod meekly and just tuck the money in the register.
He gave me a satisfied nod and my cheeks flushed red for no reason. I asked him if he wanted plastic or cardboard for the packaging and he chose cardboard. As I packaged his cake, I explained to him that he should have his air conditioner on and make sure not to leave it in the car for too long.
He just hummed in response to whatever I said as he stared holes into my skull.
"Staring is rude though." I thought I had said to myself but he heard me.
This is what it feels like to be unfortunate.
"Is it?" He said making the heat in my cheeks invade my neck and ears.
I rolled my bottom lip into my mouth and held it with my teeth as I handed him his box.
He tilted his head to the side and gave me one a good stare before taking the box.
"Then I'm sorry." He said and my eyes widened.
He tugged the neck of his shirt once and then turned around and walked away.
"Wait, no, I didn't mean to -"
"Abigail?' Gabrielle's voice called behind me and I immediately spun to look at her.
"Huh?"
"Dianne should take the front, we need more muffins." She said and disappeared back into the kitchen.
"Okay, I'll be right there..." I said distractedly as I turned back to apologize to Payne, I wasn't even surprised that he wasn't there.
I nibbled on my lips as an uneasy feeling settled in my stomach, I don't like that he left just like that. I didn't mean to make him say sorry, I hope he understands that.
I turned to leave for the kitchen but then I stopped as a thought crossed my mind.
Does that mean I get to keep the change?