Chapter 2
Rachel
The next morning Herman gave me the address of the coffee shop and directions to the subway. I found the subway quite easily. When I got on the subway, there were no seats open so I stood in a corner and people watched. I was so intrigued with the people that I almost missed my stop.
I got off and walked to the coffee shop called Charly’s. It was a cute and cozy coffee shop with seats outside under umbrellas and booths inside and even a sofa, like on the TV show, 'Friends'. I liked the feel of the coffee shop already.
I went to the counter and a gorgeous guy with blond hair and blue eyes approached me. Like I said is everyone in New York beautiful?
“What can I get you?” he asked me
“Nothing to drink I’m inquiring about the barista position”
“It’s quiet let's have a seat, my name is Carl and I’m the manager here but today I’m everything”
“Hi Carl, I’m Rachel”
“Rachel, do you have experience in a coffee shop?”
“I worked at a coffee shop when I was in Uni but that’s a long time ago, but I can learn”
“When can you start?”
“I can start now”
“That’s all I need to know. You can start and when it's quiet I’ll train you for now. You take the orders and I’ll make the coffee”
“Thank you so much, Carl. I really appreciate it”
“Don’t thank me yet. Let's see if you make it through the week”
“Good Morning how can I help you?”
I said those words maybe 1000 times and I loved every minute.
At about 3 pm Carl said I can leave for the day but should be back at work the next morning at 7 am. I said my goodbyes and left.
I decided to walk home with a detour through Central Park. As I was walking down East 83rd Street. I looked down at the maps on my phone. I didn’t even look at my phone for a minute when I walked into something that felt like a wall. I grabbed at it to steady myself as I was grabbing 'it'. Apparently 'it' was a man because he grabbed me too. I looked up and was looking into the most clear hazel brown eyes I’ve ever seen.
“I’m so sorry,” I said
“The words I would have used was I’m sorry Sir,” he said, wow how arrogant
“I’m sorry Sir,” I said very sarcastically
I tried to pass him but he grabbed my arm.
“Excuse me SIR can I pass please”
“I just want to make sure you're okay?”
“As you can see I am”
I walked a few feet away from him and turned around to check him out… Yes. I know he was arrogant but I couldn't resist. I had to look at him and this is New York. I will most probably not see him again.
He was about 6ft tall and had tanned skin, hazel brown eyes, black hair, and a well-groomed short beard. Fuck he was sexy arrogant but sexy. He had an accent when he spoke to me. I wonder we he's from. The suit he was wearing fitted him to perfection. I would say it was tailored just for him. I don’t know about suit brands or should I say high-end suit brands. And don’t get me started on his smell. OMG, delicious. Everything about him screamed money. I saw him get into a black Escalade and his driver, drove away. I didn’t even notice the driver.
As I was walking to Central Park I couldn’t get those hazel brown eyes out of my head and I could still smell him on me.
Massimo
Who was that girl I wondered to myself.
She’s so beautiful and the electricity that shot through me when we touched was something I’ve never experienced. I must say I meet a lot of good-looking women and can get any one of them in my bed but they are definitely not her and there is no spark, not like that.
Her blond hair, blue eyes, toned body, and that soft body. How that soft body fitted perfectly against my hard one. If I believed in love at first sight I would have thought she was mine, but I’m a logical man and there is no such thing. She would have most defnitily been the Yeng to my Yang. But I have so much on my plate that I can't make room for a woman. Yes a fuck now and then but she was not the fuck and let go kind of girl. New York is a big place I’ll probably not see her again. I should defnitily forget about her.
“Luca take me to the Restaurant,” I told my driver/bodyguard.
“Is Enzo already there?” Enzo was my enforcer
“Yes sir”
“Good”
When I got to the Restaurant I went and greeted everyone my Mamma was top on that list.
“Morning Mamma”
“Morning Massimo”
“You want an espresso before you go to your office”
“Thank you Mamma but I’ll take It with me I have Enzo waiting for me”
“Good here you go”
“Thank you Mamma”
I went up to my office, my office for all legal purposes during the day was on top of my parents restuarant that I bought for them. My office was big and had big windows the light streamed in. What beautiful day. I closed one of the blinds with my remote for us to be able to see each other and not to wear our sunglasses inside.
“Morning Enzo anything to report?”
“No sir everything is going smoothly at the moment”
“Good then I’ll start with all these paperwork, thank you Enzo”
I really needed a personal assistant but in my line of work it’s difficult to get someone I can trust. Yes my office is on top of a Restaurant but the restaurant is only a front for my business dealings. So is my Night club where I conduct most of my deals at night, the night club is also a good front. I’m a Arms dealer, drug supplier and also deals in black diamantes. Yes these are illegal businesses but they are a very lucrative businesses and I’m good at it. After a few more e-mails and other paper work I started drifting of thinking about the blond, blue eyed girl with the soft body.
Rachel
I was walking around Central Park with an ice coffee and a pretzel I bought at one of the venters in Central Park I totally lost track of time and when I looked at my watch it was already past 5pm and Herman and Sally was expecting me for dinner. I quickly made my way to the apartment when I opened the door I said
“Hi Herman I’m back”
“Hi Rachel” I heard a girls voice
Hi Sally so nice to meet you”
“How was your first day in the Big Apple?”
“Great thank you I got the Barista Job at the coffee shop and even started today and then I went for a walk in Central Park and totally lost track of time so sorry I'm late"
The doorbell rang. Sally went to open the door. When she opened the door all I could smell is pizza and it smelled delicious.
“Come have you first slice of New York pizza, Herman is running late so don't worry about you being late"
We sat around the table eating pizza and talking about what to do in New York where to go, where not to go, it was awesome. Herman joined as 30 min late but he made an effort to make me feel comfortable and was there. I excused myself when it was 9pm and told them the jetlag was still getting to me. I went and had a shower then climbed into bed. As I closed my eyes all I saw was hazel brown eyes looking at me and I could still smell him. How am I going to get him out of my mind?
Rachel
My alarm went off at 5am, but I didn’t sleep much. All I could see was hazel brown eyes, black hair, beard and a rock solid body in a perfectly fitted suit and I couldn’t get the smell of him out of my mind it was like his smell was still clinging to me. So I got up got in the shower and tried to wash away the smell of him, hopefully it works the second time around. I put on some jeans and a flowery shirt and sprayed some of my expensive Dolce & Gabana purfume on hopefully that will take his sent away. I walked to the subway and this time there was a seat for me, I did my favourite pass time and peopled watch again. There was a guy that was watching me the whole time. I got uncomfortable under his stare but at least my stop was up next. Unfortunately for me it was his stop as well. I started to make my way to the coffee shop constantly looking over my shoulder to make sure he wasn't following me. He walked behind me for 3 blocks before he turned. But the coffee shop was only a block further, so that means he works near me and I'll probably have to see him again on the subway tomorrow morning. I don't know why he was creeping me out so much. I was so relieved when he turned. When I got to the coffee shop Carl was already there. I must say I was relieved about him being there already just because the guy of the subway scared me for some reason.
“Morning Carl, am I late?”
“Morning Rachel No I’m just early”
“How was your evening?”
“Good thank you I had my first slice of New York Pizza and I must say I'm hooked." And you?"
“There's nothing better than New York pizza, My evening was good, thank you."
We probably need to get the shop open" Carl said.
"I'll go and open the doors and set the tables outside and open the umbrella's, it's really a beautiful morning in New York." I told Carl smiling at myself.
After a while the creepy feeling I had from the guy on the subway went away. Thank goodness.
About an hour into my shift I looked up and looked into those hazel brown eyes that haunted me the whole night.
“G…G…Good morning C…..Can I take your order?”
“You” he said
“Yes it’s me”
“Can I take your order?”
“You work here?”
“Yes, Can I take your order please?”
"Since when?"
"Since when what? I asked him
"Since yesterday now can I take your order?"
“Can I get an espresso please?”
“Take away or sit in?”
“Sit in” Massimo said
Massimo knew he had a long day ahead but couldn’t miss the opportunity to be around her again. He couldn't believe his luck, the girl from yesterday is working at the coffe shop at the corner of his street. Massimo thought he will take his change to speak to her again when she brings his espresso, it's by pure luck he came into the coffee shop this morning, he doesn't normally stop for an espresso so early. He didn't even finish his thought when she was standing next to him with his espresso.
"Your espresso SIR" I said sarcastically thinking of yesterday's incounter.
He just ignored the sir bit and went on with the conversation.
“I’m Massimo, what is your name?”
“Rachel”
“Hi Rachel nice to officialy meet you. You got an accent, where are you from?”
“I can say the same about you”
"I asked you first" he said smiling at me, the smile changed his face completely, my knees went weak.
“I’m from Cape Town, South Africa”
“You are far from home”
“South Africa is not my home” I told him
"Now your turn where are you from" I asked
"Italy"
“Ooo ok, That explains a few things I said aloud, oops Sorry I need to get back to work. Enjoy your espresso.” then I hurried away before he could ask questions.
I can’t believe he is here in the coffee shop the most sexiest, arrogant man I've ever seen is in the coffee shop, I work in and by the look of it he was running or came from the gym. That means he stays near here...
Massimo
I thought about her the whole night and here she is. I couldn’t believe my luck. Now I have a reason to come here every morning. It is just on the corner from my apartment building. I was sitting drinking my espresso and looking at Rachel now I have a name to go with the face. I wondered what she meant by South Africa is not her home anymore. I might stay in America, but Italy will always be my home. Something to investigate there, I'm sure.
I was still drinking my espresso looking at Rachel, when my phone rang.
“Boss you okay?” Luca asked
“Yes Luca I’m just having a cup of coffee at the coffee shop at the corner.”
“You’re normally home by now sir should I come and fetch you?”
“No Luca I’ll be home shortly, see you now”.
“Okay sir, Goodbye"
I sit a bit longer enjoying the view, I need this women, I thought to myself something about her calls to me. I need to know everything about her, it's going to be tricky but I'm not scared of a challenge. The only question I have for myself am I going to get someone to find out everything or will I have the patients to let her tell me. For some reason I want to hear all about her from her and that scares me because it's something I've never done before.
As I left the coffee shop I thought I must do something or say something to get a reaction out of her.
“Good bye Rachel see you tomorrow morning”.
When I looked at her, her eyes were as big as saucers, and she looked shocked. I liked it. But I also realized I will not be able to stay away from her, not until I know everything about her and even then I might not stay away.