Maeve and Christian stared at one another. The tension in the atmosphere was crippling. She was the first to speak and clear the air. "I was assigned by the receptionist to make the breakfast and coffee for you. Before now, I didn't know you were the client.
"Why didn't you leave after making the breakfast? I specifically mentioned that I didn't want anyone here by the time I had awakened," he said.
"It was just simple protocols to ensure your approval and make sure everything meets your satisfaction," Maeve replied. It was evident from his face that he still felt suspicious of her. If the worst came, the receptionist would vouch for her. She was confident about it.
He approached to inspect the meal she had prepared. The bead of sweat on her temple trickled down slowly as he didn't speak about the food after taking a bite. "Next time, I don't want to see you the moment I wake up. And any feedback would be given to the receptionist and relayed to you."
Maeve felt the heavy burden float off her chest as she thanked him politely and left in a hurry. Her heart had sunk to the ground and her soul was barely within her.
Maeve was back at her coffee shop, the weight of the morning's encounter still bearing down on her. Her junior staff, Rachel and Aaron, exchanged worried glances as she attended to the customers at the counter. Her face was sullen and pale.
Rachel joined her at the counter, assisting her with the customers, while Aaron took care of the tables and orders.
"Hey! boss! how was the VIP client?" Rachel asked in a hyper-pitched tone.
Maeve forced a smile. "just the usual client troubles. All sorted out now. We even get to serve them again tomorrow morning," Maeve's voice lacked the enthusiasm of this splendid development. Instead, the feeling of dread overwhelmed her at the thought that she would have to return to his penthouse tomorrow.
"That's great. We get to rake the extra cash since it's a VIP." Rachel sounded elated at the news. If only she knew the trouble going there entailed for her. She would want nothing more than to avoid his path as much as possible.
"Yeah, it's a great opportunity," Maeve responded dryly. She wanted to run away. Did she have to go to another city? Cost of moving would leave her bankrupt. Her mind was in a whirl. It was hard to focus on work.
"You sure everything is okay?" Rachel's eyes lingered on Maeve's tired expression.
Maeve nodded her hands dismissively. "Yeah, just a long morning. Let's focus on the lunch rush."
Rachel butted in. "You sound exhausted. I'm happy to handle the morning order with the VIP. You could then take time to come in to work later."
Maeve turned to her, and the realisation of her words dawned on her. She didn't have to be the one who attended to him. "That's so thoughtful of you. But I wouldn't want to impose on your schoolwork. You have college to focus on."
Rachel smiled, waving her hands dismissively. "Think of it as me striving for an extra paycheck. Besides, classes don't start till 8 pm. I could be in and out of there before they know it." Maeve felt touched and relieved. "Thank you," Maeve said to her.
After that, she could finally focus on work. The stress lifted from her thoughts. If she managed it like this, she wouldn't have to bump into Christian again. The remainder of the day blurred together. Finally, the shop closed, and Maeve dragged herself home. She collapsed onto the sofa, letting out a deep sigh.
Just as she began to unwind, a knock on the door broke the silence. Maeve groaned internally, expecting it to be Mrs. Jenkins from down the hall, knocking on the wrong room door occasionally.
She opened the door. "I told you to always check the room number before you knock," she paused, seeing as she was instead greeted by a gentle smile and piercing brown eyes staring back at her. Then she felt it again, the sudden pause and the awkward silence. Oliver Hathaway stood on her doorstep, holding a covered food tray.
"Maeve..." Oliver said. Compared to the harsh tone Christian had used earlier when they recognised each other. He was more gentle and unsure. The surprise was still evident on his face. Why was this happening to her?
Maeve's heart skipped a beat at the sound of his voice calling her name. In haste, and a last-minute thought at that, she slammed the door in his face. Her back leaned against the door's wooden frame. She might have handled Christian's shock, but Oliver was someone she never expected to see again. She couldn't handle it.
Her thoughts reeled. First Christian, now Oliver. Was the day her past came crawling back to torment her?
Oliver, on the other end, stood frozen for a minute. His eyes were still glued to the door in his face. He couldn't believe his eyes. Maeve was his neighbour. And she was this close by. His heart quickened. Unsure if to knock once more and give her the smoked beef sauce he made. But he turned and entered his room. Maybe another time they would be able to speak to one another.
Maeve stood at the counter, lost in thoughts. Oliver, knocking at her door, kept replaying her thoughts repeatedly. The awkwardness in their brief meeting still lingered. She couldn't shake the feeling that their unexpected reunion had stirred up old emotions. She had an idea as to why he would be there since their family had the tradition of making the heir to the company start from scratch to the top. Meaning he had to live on his monthly pay as he worked his way up his company, but why did he have to pick her apartment, of all places? She groaned.
Her phone jarred her back to reality. " Maeve, coffee shop," she answered.
"Hi, Maeve. It's Roxane from the Grande a la Vista Hotel," the receptionist said. Maeve's heart sank. "Hi, Roxane. Is there anything I can help you with?" She wished not to know what was wrong though. Dreading whatever she was going to respond with next.
"I'm afraid our client had a problem with the bed and breakfast service you provided this morning," Roxane said gently. Something wrong? Maeve's grip on the phone tightened. "What happened? if I may ask,"
"The client complained that the bread was too crusty and the coffee not ground properly, It had so much grains in them," Roxane explained.
Maeve's face fell her eyes darting towards Rachel who handled some orders. Her regrets consumed her. "I apologize for the inconvenience and it will be amended." she would have gone herself to avoid such comments.
"Please note that if there are further complaints for the client. We will have no choice but to contact another breakfast and coffee shop henceforth. Do understand why we have to do so." Her big opportunity seemed to slip away from her palm slowly. Maeve let out a deep sigh after the call. What did she expect anyway, it's not like it could get any worse than this.
Just then the door to the coffee shop swung open and a group of suited individuals walked in. Maeve's eyes widened as she spotted Christian amidst the group. Her heart sank to her stomach. Speak of the devil himself.
Christian's gaze locked onto her, a hint of surprise once more but not as vivid as the time they had seen each other at his penthouse. It was mere seconds before he guided the men to a table.