“Ooh.” Moira nodded. “See, Mr. Addington, our Charlotte here is so quiet and shy. I wouldn’t know if she’d been involved in an accident had you not told me. Was it a hit and run?”
“Unfortunately,” said Addington. “The gentleman in the blue Camry was rather reckless indeed. I’m quite convinced that he didn’t even realize that he’d injured a cyclist due to his carelessness. Shocking. It makes me wonder how such a driver was granted a license in the first place.”
“I know,” Moira quipped. “People these days drive like
such jerks, you wouldn’t believe it.”
The fangirls quickly jumped into the conversation to gain his attention. He listened to them with patience and replied politely; the man was naturally charming. Each word was enunciated clearly with eloquence. It wasn’t something she saw every day. He was a cut above ninety-five percent of the male population.
Addington glanced at his watch. “Ah, look at the time. We must get going. Ms. Winters, shall we?” He offered his arm.
Huh?
“Didn’t you read my message? I said I’d pick you up for dinner after work.”
The bouquet! Damn. She’d thrown the card that came with the roses away without reading it. It was impossible to back out now without sounding like an ass. He had put her in a difficult position in front of her coworkers. Clever bastard.
Charlotte feigned ignorance. “Sorry, I forgot.” She inclined her head. “Please, go ahead. I’ll follow you.”
Moira noticed that she didn’t take his arm. “Charlotte has a phobia about germs, Mr. Addington, so you’ll have to excuse her. She doesn’t like being touched.”
“That was presumptuous of me. I’m sorry.” He gestured toward the stairs. “After you, Ms. Winters.”
Charlotte walked with awkwardness under the jealous stares of the fangirls. If her boss wasn’t watching, she’d have taken off running like the Roadrunner.
He herded her to the front of the building where his chauffeur waited by a shiny new black Mercedes.
She turned around. “Mr. Addington—”
“Please, call me Daniel,” he interjected.
“Daniel. I forgot that I have errands this evening. Can we do this some other time?” Yeah. Like never?
He didn’t seem to be buying her lie. “Then I shall accompany you to your destination. Driving is much faster than public transportation.”
Charlotte sighed. “I don’t know how to say this, but I’ll try.” She paused. “That time we first met, I didn’t see anything, didn’t remember anything, and I won’t breathe about it to another soul as long as I live. You have my word on it.”
Daniel only smiled. “I know who you are. A rarest of the rare. A Dream Eater.”
Dream Eater? That’s new.
“Have you been like this your entire life?” he asked.
“Like, being weird?”
“Your gift, I meant.”
“Gift? It feels like a curse to me.”
“Do you dislike your talent that much? I find it very intriguing.” Daniel searched her eyes. “If I touch you, will I see my future again? Our future—together?”
“Please don’t do that.” Charlotte took a step back. “Let this one slide. What you saw was nothing but an illusion.”
“How could you be sure?” he pressed. “Has this happened to you before?”
She shook her head. “My gut feeling says no.”
“Then I can’t accept this. Since the day we met, it has been driving me insane. I can’t get you off my mind. I simply must know if we are fated to be together. I believe that you’re destined to be my mate.”