His Curvy Architect

Four

RHETT

To say that I was worried was an understatement. After swapping our personal numbers, I was excited for such thing for our forming relationship. It was a small sign that what we had going on wasn’t going to be just for some kind of one night stand. As excited as I was for her first message, I never expected it to be what it was.

‘We need to talk.’

It had thrown me off. Talk about what? Had I done something wrong? Assuming the worst, I told her to meet me at the restaurant. Her project was nearly finished except for a few finishing touches and I was sure she would want to check it out. Tonight would be the opening of it. But why did she want to talk?

I had opened my heart to her and she accepted it. What more could I ask for from such a perfect woman? Maybe what she wanted wasn’t as bad as I was thinking. This could be the perfect chance to let me tell her how I felt about her. Like how she has been the first person to make me feel this way in a long time. From the first time I saw her sitting on that bench, she plagued my mind.

She was an addiction that I could never get tired of.

Then there was the time in the restaurant when Angela had told me that she had come to eat. After going weeks without seeing her, I had to know why she was avoiding me. If she was eating here, I could only imagine it was because she was in some sort of relationship already. Thinking that she could have possibly been on a date, there was a fear and a rage that filled me. It drove me wild and before I knew it, I was demanding the frightened woman to take me to her.

When I saw that Evelyn was alone, it silenced all the rushing thoughts going throughout my head. Once I got the opportunity to take in her appearance, I realize that she was breathtaking. Right then and there, I accepted the fact that this woman had my heart to do whatever she pleased with it. Whether it was accepting my love or stepping on it on her way out, I would do whatever she needed to be happy.

Looking at the time on the clock hanging on the wall, I knew she was about due. Not wanting her to wait longer than intended, I did a quick check up on the staff running the kitchen as they prepped up for tonight’s business before making my way out an over towards the newly built patio.

The weather was warm against my skin as I left the restaurant. My steps were quiet as I walked the distance to the patio. Rounding the corner, I saw her. Her back was turned away from me and her attention was on her hands in front of her. She looked slightly nervous, I wondered why. Though the last few days hadn’t gone too terribly, I couldn’t imagine that she was here to bear bad news.

Once I stepped closer to her, she noticed my arrival. Looking up, she gave me another one of her breathtaking smiles. That confirmed it, I had to tell her how I felt. That I wanted her more than I have had in a long time. That I was pretty sure what I was feeling wasn’t just some sort of crush. It was love. Too bad it was easier said than done.

Taking the seat in front of her, I looked around and appreciated the add-on. “It looks pretty good out here,” I complimented with my own smile growing.

She blushed bashfully, terrible at accepting any recognition. “You think so?”

Nodding my head, I crossed my arms. “We already have customers that want to sit out here during the later rushes.”

She clasped her hands together, her expression lighting up at the news. “That’s really good to hear!” It seemed that was the perfect thing to tell her to break her from her nervous spell.

Knowing that I wanted to tell her about how I was feeling, I struggled to word it. I was not one who normally would beat around the bush but now, I was sure that I was struggling. “What can I do for you?” I asked her, deciding to use her reasoning of coming here as a distraction until I could manage the sentence I wanted to let out.

“Oh,” that nervousness look was back again. She drummed her fingers against the table, “I was going to tell you the other day but we ended up getting distracted.” She began to explain. “But when I came to eat, I wanted to see if I could figure out where your business is lacking.” She explained, her voice becoming more confident by the second.

I felt my smile slacken, I didn’t quite understand what she meant. Was she implying that the business I was running wasn’t great? Now that the patio was here, everything could return back to normal. That’s why I hired her.

Lifting up her hand, she began listing off of her fingers. She started off with the dress code, complaining that not everyone can afford nice suits and fancy dresses. Then she started on about my staff turning away customers because of reservations. Anything else that left her lips went on my deaf ears as I felt my pride take over.

“I built this place from the ground up,” I began to explain over her, my lips curling into a frown. “I know the ins-and-outs of running this restaurant. You think you can figure out what’s wrong from just sitting down and eating a meal?”

The moment the words left my lips, I noticed a layer of hurt take over her face. “I was just trying to help…” she explained to me, getting slightly defensive.

I was already too worked up to stop myself. “You can do what you’re good at and draw your pictures and I’ll do what I’m good at and run this resturant.” We were both frowning at each other before she stood up suddenly.

“You really are an asshole, you know that?” Turning her attention away from me, she stormed off.

The words I had never wanted to hear come from her mouth were now in the air, weighing me more and more with each step she took before she was gone.

Staring at the seat that she had just been waiting for me in, I knew that I fucked up. As hostile as I had gotten, there was no excuse to talk to her like that. Here I had intended on telling her that I cared about her and instead, I threw her opinion to the side and told her that her words were useless. What in the hell was wrong with me?

What if she was right? I was always in the kitchen, I could only see so much. Taking a step back and seeing it from the customer’s point of view.

Damn, I really did fuck up.

Now I just had to try to make it up to her before she could hate me more than she already did.

. . . . . .