He's surrounded by construction workers who are getting food. He's standing behind the table, talking to an older man, someone from my dad's team.
This time, he's wearing a plain white button-down long-sleeved shirt with the cuffs rolled up to his elbows, exposing his thick forearms.
It occurs to me that the food at last night's party was catered by Sky Pearl, and he must be here because he works at the hotel, maybe someone from the kitchen. Today, he's serving the buffet. I've never seen him before, though. Maybe he's a new server?
Regardless, I'm happy to see him again!
He disappeared last night after the commotion, and my parents refused to let me out of their sight until the party ended, so I didn't get the chance to look for him. I wanted to thank him and ask for his name.
I know we come from different backgrounds and live in separate worlds, but he's really handsome, and because of the incident, he's caught my attention. That's why I want to get to know him.
I walk slowly toward the buffet table, just as his conversation with the older man ends. The construction workers notice me approaching. Some look at me curiously, while others are boldly gawking and smiling.
The handsome stranger finally notices me. He's no longer talking to anyone, and most of the workers have left the buffet table after getting their food, leaving only a few behind.
I stop in front of him and give a cute smile.
"Hi!" I say.
I'm wearing two-inch heels on my slingback shoes, an inch shorter than the ones I wore last night. Now, the height difference between us is even more noticeable. He can't be just six feet tall. He must be 6'3" or 6'4".
He doesn't respond to my greeting and only stares at me seriously, as if waiting for me to say what I need so he can get back to whatever he was doing.
"I'm the girl from the third deck last night," I remind him. "I'm glad I ran into you. I didn't get a chance to thank you."
I smile, but he continues to stare with the same expression. His eyebrows are slightly furrowed, and suddenly I feel nervous for some reason, which is odd because I'm usually confident when talking to anyone.
"Thank you," I say. "You must be here for the buffet, right? You were wearing the server's uniform last night, so I assume you work for Sky Pearl. Are you new? I haven't seen you-"
"Where's your hard hat?" he interrupts coldly. "A little girl shouldn't be wandering around a construction site without one."
Little girl.
My lips part slightly, and then I chuckle.
He called me little girl like I'm a child. How old is he? I don't think he's past thirty, and I don't really care about his age. He's hot, handsome, and effortlessly charismatic.
"Well, I missed that. I just arrived and was about to grab one. Thanks for the concern," I say, staying composed and smiling, "but I'm not a little girl. I'm eighteen."
I find the term 'little girl' offending. It feels like he's talking about a seventh grader who just hit puberty. Sure, I may be petite at five-foot-five, but I know I've developed decent curves for my age, and I don't wear overly cute clothes to make myself look younger.
The corner of his lips lifts subtly for a brief moment. His eyes remain dark as they stare at me, and the way he looks at me makes me think he disagrees with my 'I'm not a little girl' statement.
"What's your name?" I ask, boldly staring at him, examining his features.
Last night, it was dark at the back of the third deck, so I couldn't get a good look at his face. But now, I realize he's even more handsome in broad daylight.
He's tanned, with sharp features, a straight nose, an angular jaw, and eyes that are such a dark shade of blue you won't notice unless you are standing right in front of him.
He's wearing a hard hat over his inky hair, but it doesn't make him any less attractive.
"Ryde," he answers with a dismissive tone, as if saying it just so I'll leave him alone.
I can tell he's a little grumpy, but I'm happy he gave his name, which means we're no longer strangers.
"I'm Blair Avory. Nice to meet you, Ryde."
"Miss Blair," someone calls from behind, and when I turn around, I see Victor, my driver and bodyguard, standing a few feet away.
"I've parked the car. Should we go to the third floor now?" he asks politely.
"I'll go ahead," I hear Ryde say quietly, and the next moment, he's walking away.
I quickly hand the paper bag to Victor and follow Ryde.
"Are you leaving now? Will you be arranging the buffet every weekend from now on?"
I'm struggling to keep up with his pace because, aside from wearing heeled shoes, he's got long legs, and his strides are wide.
He suddenly stops and turns to face me, a glint of impatience in his eyes. I purse my lips and bite my tongue, feeling self-conscious under his gaze.
"You should get going, young miss. Take care of your business here and leave. This is an active construction site, and clearly not a place for small talk."
I want to laugh because it feels like I'm being reprimanded by a teacher.
"I know, alright. Should we talk somewhere else, then? Of course, after you're done with work."
I smile, but his eyes darken.
"You've already thanked me for what I did last night, and I appreciate it. I think we don't have anything else to discuss."
He's making this… hard. But the way he's acting only makes him more appealing to me.
I'm used to boys approaching me without me doing anything. This is the first time I've liked someone, and I'm the one making the effort to get close.
I thought this summer would be boring, but now I think I have something to keep me occupied and entertained.
"I still have work, so I'll go ahead," he says coldly.
This time, I don't stop him.
"Okay. See you!" I say, still smiling brightly.
I only have his name for now, but I know where he works, so it won't be hard to find him. There's no need to rush things. I'll exercise some patience.