Unlikely To Fall In Love

by Esmeralda, Debie

  My hands were shaking as I placed each tray of baked goods on the counter before starting to brew coffee and tea for the costumers. After I finished setting up, I walked to the door and slowly flipped the sign to indicate we were open for business. That was it. It was all or nothing.

  I positioned myself behind the counter as usual, plastering a smile as I waited for the first costumer who would dare to try what was on sale. Seconds ticked by and I was anxious, couldn’t help fidgeting, there was still no costumer coming.

  I fished out for my phone, in the back pocket of my new jeans brought by Damon through a personal shopper along with a new blouse, and dialed Damon’s number. I didn’t know why but I wanted to talk to him right now. He answered on the second ring right away.

  “Rhodes.” He said in a clipped business tone but to my ears, it sounded like a growl and I wanted to be scared of him. I have never heard him talked to me this way before.

  “Damon, hi.” I said in an unsteady voice, I was nervous and now I was kind of scared of him.

  “Amanda.” His voice suddenly shifted into something lighter and sweeter. “Hey baby, what’s up?” He suddenly sounded relax, and not the scary person that greeted me earlier on the phone.

  “Uh, hey.” I said trying to gauge him. “I was kind of anxious right now. My boss let me do the baking and managing of the store today. I just wanted to tell somebody to let off the anxiety I was feeling.”

  “Oh. You wanted to tell me? I am flattered, baby.” He said, pleased that I called to tell him this news. “I am so glad I was the one you had chosen to call.”

  “Yeah. I don’t know what has gotten into me that I called you, I’m sorry.” I said as I sat on the counter. There was still no costumer coming inside.

  “No, don’t be. I am happy that you did.” I could hear a smile forming on those lovely sculpted lips of his.

  Then suddenly a voice came on the other line, belonging to a woman. “Mr. Rhodes, what do you think―” She stopped in midsentence. I could imagine a glare coming from Damon might have put her to silence.

  “Where are you?” I couldn’t help but wonder.

  “In the board meeting. There are eight people sitting at the conference table with me.” He sounded pleased and surprised at himself at the same time.

  “What?” I moved down the counter and stood up in one swift movement. “Oh God, I am sorry. I’ll hang up. I’m sorry I bothered you.” I closed my eyes in embarrassment. I heard a playful smile tugging his lips on the other line.

  “No you are not bothering me baby, just go on, and tell me more. I want to hear your stories.”

  “Damon, how about I will tell you all of it later when you are done? Just call me when your meeting is over.” I couldn’t disturb him, especially when he was working. Who knows? He was probably in the middle of a multi-million dollar merging and acquisitions deal.

  He sighed and I could not help but smile. “Okay. I miss you already.” How sweeter could this man would ever be?

  “Me too. Bye.”

  “Bye.” He replied but didn’t hang up. We continued listening to each other through the blanket of silence over the line.

  “Hang up, Damon.”

  “No, you hang up.” Now he was being playful…while he was in the middle of a board meeting.

  “Okay. I’ll hang up, bye.”

  I placed my phone back inside my back pocket and wiped the table counter where I sat. I leaned down to check the napkins if they were stocked properly to hand out to the costumers. Then I walked towards the glass case where the pastries were, checked if they looked edible enough to sell. I nodded, trying to convince myself that they looked edible enough.

  Suddenly the door chimed indicating there was someone coming inside. I straightened and looked up where a woman probably in her late forties came inside the store and approached the glass case, checking out the pastries.

  “I want a blue berry muffin and a coffee.” She smiled as she told me her order.

  My first costumer!

  I placed the muffin in a white ceramic plate along with a cup of coffee in the tray for the old lady. She handed me the payment and I gave her a handful of napkin to use, and then she gave me a friendly smile as she walked towards one of the booth.

  My heart started jumping out of my ribcage as I watched her slice the muffin. My palms started sweating when the bite size muffin in her fork was on its way to her plum-colored lips. She closed her mouth over the muffin and chewed. She chewed the muffin as if trying to taste every crumble of it. My forehead was covered with beads of sweat as well as my back as I watched her. Suddenly her face lit up like she was having a eureka moment before she moved her brown eyes to looked at me.

  Oh no.

  I was doomed.

  I stared at her as she stared at me, then she smiled.

  She smiled!

  She smiled?

  I blinked, not believing what I was seeing. The woman was smiling at me after tasting the muffin I made. Guess it was edible after all. I couldn’t help but sigh in relief, she was smiling. She liked it. I couldn’t help but mentally hugged myself proudly inside my head.

  I tore my gaze away from her just when the chiming of the door indicated that there was a new costumer.

  ~***~

  “So how was your day?” Damon asked as he came inside the store and stood in front of the counter that I was cleaning before my shift ended.

  I continued wiping, where only an empty case was left, because all of my baked goods were sold and my very first costumer happened to be a pastry chef who owned a chain of restaurants. She was very happy and she loved my pastry that she took home a couple of everything I made. Susan came in around at one, just like she told me, and baked another batch of pastries for the afternoon costumers. She was very happy with what I have done, and she told me that she would let me bake some pastries to sell from now on. I couldn’t believe it! My pastries were good after all. They loved it.

  “My costumers love it. One of them even handed me a calling card.” I lifted my head and smiled at him for a brief second before returning to the task.

  “A man?” He lifted a displeased brow and a scowl formed on his handsome face, and if I say yes, he would likely glare at me.

  “No.” I said as I rolled my eyes. “It’s a woman.”

  The scowl backed out from his pretty face and now replaced with a grateful smile. Then he leaned forward and kissed the top of my head. I couldn’t help but feel my heart swelling with love for this sweet man. “I’m proud of you baby.” He murmured on my hair.

  That was the time Susan had chose to poke her head around the kitchen door. “Amanda, can yo―oh.” She stopped in midsentence and gaped at Damon. “Damon Rhodes?” She squealed in surprise.

  Who wouldn’t be? It was billionaire Damon Rhodes for crying out loud. It was not every day that billionaires came into stores, but here he was, in all his glory.

  Damon held out his hand politely to Susan. “It’s nice to meet you ma’am.”

  “My pleasure as well Mr. Rhodes.” She took his hand slowly as if she couldn’t believe she was shaking hands with Damon Rhodes.

  He slung an arm around my shoulders and kissed my temple. “I’m so glad you employed my girl here.”

  Susan blinked at first and then when it finally dawned to her, a smile formed on her lips. “Oh, she’s an asset.” She said as she gave me a genuine smile.

  Damon looked at me with pure adoration in his blue eyes and I looked back at him reflecting everything in those eyes of his. “She is precious to me. Thank you for letting her do her thing.”

  Susan smiled at us before she remembered what she was about to say earlier. “Amanda, can you come here tomorrow a bit earlier? I need you to do a cake for an order.”

  “Okay. How about six?” I asked as Damon’s finger moved in patterns on my shoulder. Honestly, it was distracting, but I tried not to get distracted by it.

  “Good. When you’re done, you can go. See you tomorrow.�
� Then she nodded at Damon. “Mr. Rhodes.” Then she left us.

  “Are you done?” Damon asked when he stepped away from me.

  “Yup.”

  “Shall we?” He held out his hand and I took it. Damon carried my bag and he opened the store door for me, like the gentleman he was.

  Outside, the limousine was waiting for us. Damon opened the door for me beating his chauffer at it and held the door as I climbed inside. He eased himself in the seat next to me and slung an arm around my shoulder again. He pulled me closer to his body, kissed my temple, and kept me tucked beside him as the limousine moved.

  “Isn’t six a bit early?” He asked while we waited for the red to turn back to green.

  “I have to decorate a cake. It may take me more than an hour to finish it.” I replied.

  “Okay.” He kissed my temple again and I looked up to kiss his jaw, leaned my head on his shoulder and let him held me all throughout the ride.

  The limousine pulled over in front of the diner and the driver jumped out as fast as lightning to open the door for us. Damon got out of the car first before me. Then we walked a few steps towards the back door entrance of the diner where employees came in.

  “Can I come with you? He asked when I turned to face him and say goodbye.

  I looked at him as if he was an alien or something. Was he for real, wanting to come with me to my work?

  “I won’t bother you, I promise.” He looked hopeful, and he looked cute.

  “Okay. But don’t expect my work place to be as fancy as your office.” I warned him as I turned around to open the back door entrance.

  He took me by surprise when he hugged me from behind and planted a kiss on my cheek. “Thank you.” He whispered.

  I couldn’t help but smile as I opened the door. He let go of me and we stepped inside together. Everyone inside the kitchen stared at us in unison. Their eyes bulged out of their heads when they saw whom I was with. Yeah, yeah, I got it. It was Damon Rhodes.

  “Amanda.” Margaret said with her eyes lowered down on her notepad as she approached me. “You are just in time. It was pretty busy out there.”

  She lifted her eyes to look at me and then slowly moved her gaze away from me and to Damon. Her jaw dropped when she saw Damon standing beside me. “Mr. Rhodes.” She breathed out.

  “Hi Margaret, it’s nice to see you again.” He gave Margaret a smile that made her blush up to her hairline.

  “Mags, maybe we should get to work. You said it yourself it’s a full house tonight.” I tugged her hand and moved her away from Damon before she fainted in front of him again. We couldn’t lose an arm if it was full house in the diner tonight.

  I put on my apron and told Margaret to go out first and I would follow, then I talked to Miss Anderson and told her about Damon being here with us tonight. She let him stay in the back and even offered to attend to him as he waited for me.

  “Are you sure you want to wait and stay here?” I asked Damon as I gestured towards where he would be sitting. He was given a seat in the back where he could work on his laptop while I did my shift.

  “Yeah.” He answered as he started firing up his laptop.

  “Okay.” I said and moved away to start working. But the moment I turned my back at him, he cleared his throat loudly. I glanced behind my back and looked at him with a questioning stare.

  He cocked his head to the side. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” He looked so adorable when he did that.

  I stared at my apron, notepad and rag, and thought that I got it all with me. I checked my nametag, and yep, it was right here. “What?” I asked.

  “Come here.” He crooked his finger for me to come to him.

  I walked towards him and stood in front of him, his laptop between us.

  He closed his eyes and pouted his lips. My brows rose up to my hairline in surprise, he looked really funny when he did that. “Amanda, I’m waiting.” He said, still with his eyes closed.

  “What?” I stopped myself from laughing.

  He opened his eyes and stared at me, like he was wounded or something. “Aren’t you going to kiss me before going to work?”

  I couldn’t help but smile as I leaned down at his level and planted a kiss on his lips. He grinned widely and his eyes danced with happiness, then he gave me another kiss and I couldn’t help smiling against his lips.

  “Ugh, even though I know your man is hot and everything, could you please stop sucking each other’s face and exchanging saliva here. It’s gross.” Margaret said when she passed us by. Damon chuckled as I straightened up and followed Margaret out.

  ~***~

  “Can I stay for the night?” Damon asked as I opened the door and let him inside our tiny apartment.

  “Are you sure?” I asked.

  My apartment was nothing in comparison with his penthouse. My house was just the size of his bathroom, and his bathroom looked way better than my house.

  “Yup. I don’t know if will be able to sleep anymore without you.” He said.

  He was behind me as we stepped inside, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me closer to his body. I savored the warmth and the feeling of him against me. He felt so right. I was getting used to his habit of hugging me from behind, I like it actually. He kissed the side of my throat and I couldn’t help but smile.

  “Amanda.” A male voice disturbed the stretching silence inside the apartment. Damon and I turned around to check who it was at the same time.

  Aiden looked tall, just the same height as Damon. He looked at me with a brotherly smile on his face before narrowing his eyes at Damon. Aiden was on his protective brother mode, as he stood in the doorway, ready to interrogate the man that was the reason behind all of my tears.

  Seventeen

  “Hey twin. Good evening Mr. Rhodes.” Aiden said.

  “Aiden.” Damon smiled at him.

  I stared at Damon and couldn’t help but love him more. He was trying his best to be like by my twin brother.

  “I asked Amanda if I could stay the night and she agreed, if that’s alright with you.” Damon told Aiden.

  Aiden shrugged. “No problem, as long as my sister is okay with it.”

  “Thank you.” He gave Aiden a polite smile, which Aiden overlooked, and instead walked towards me.

  “Hey twin.” He embraced me and kissed my forehead, which I gladly returned.

  “Hey.” I said as I kissed his cheek.

  “I’ll go get change. What’s for dinner?” He asked as he looked at me, completely trying to ignore that Damon was even here.

  “I’ll cook pasta.”

  “Sounds good.” He leaned down and planted another kiss on my forehead before letting go, then turned to Damon. “Excuse me Mr. Rhodes.”

  After I finished preparing dinner and setting up the table, the three of us gathered to eat together. Damon and I sat side by side while Aiden seated across from us. Damon rested his hand on my knee that was nearest to his under the table as we ate dinner.

  “Mr. Rhodes what’s gotten you here?” Aiden asked in between bites.

  “I just wanted to be with Amanda, if you have no problem with that.” Damon said politely.

  Aiden shrugged. “Sure, I’m cool with it.” I have a feeling he was giving Damon the cold shoulder, and I have no idea why.

  “Can you call me Damon instead? I thought we have established that before.” Damon said. He was really trying to win Aiden, for me.

  “Oh, I thought that was a moot point when you and my sister broke up.” Aiden said.

  I kicked him under the table, which made him jerked and glared at me. “We never broke up Aiden. We never even dated before. We were just friends.” I said as I stressed out every word for him.

  He rolled his eyes at me. “Whatever.” I kind of lost all of my brotherly love for Aiden right now, he was being stubborn.

  “So Trey called earlier, he was asking how you are.” Aiden segued.

  “Tell him to call me next time, instead of you.”
I said with a cheerful demeanor. How I missed Trey so much, as well as his flirty personality.

  “He sounded like he’s having fun in Europe.” Aiden said.

  I couldn’t help but rolled my eyes at Trey even though he was not here. “You know Trey, he knows how to have fun wherever he is.”

  “Who’s Trey?” Damon interrupted.

  Uh-oh.

  I kind of forgotten him for a moment the instant Aiden started talking about Trey. I risked a glanced at Damon, his hand on my knee vanished. He must have pulled it away, I was just not sure when.

  “Trey Lockhart. I know you know him, he’s the son of Senator Lockhart. He is also an actor.” Aiden answered him, unaffected by the hostility I felt coming off from Damon.

  Damon stared at him, and I could literally see the wheels turning inside his head as he tried recalling Trey’s name. “Oh, I remembered him. He was the one you are with on the museum gala, right? The handsome young gentleman with his hands all over you.” Damon turned his eyes at me and when I looked at them, all I was seeing was the coldness that was not there earlier.

  “He’s always like that with my sister, they were so close.” Aiden said.

  He was so stupid despite being a bright student, wasn’t he? I wanted to jump on the table now and strangle my oh-so-lovely brother. Maybe he had brought up Trey on purpose. Ugh! I hate him. I was so gonna served his balls on a silver platter and made him eat it.

  “I wonder how close they are.” Damon continued staring at me with those blue eyes that resembled like the Arctic. He didn’t like it when I was with another guy, that was the main reason he hired me to work for him day and night in the first place.

  “Oh, they’re super close. They’re inseparable.” Aiden replied.

  He was being talkative tonight, wasn’t he? I wondered when my twin brother would stop talking, probably, when I made use of that duct tape I kept on the toolbox under the kitchen cupboard.

  “Really?” Damon really looked angry with me, for sure.

  What could I do? Trey and I were like kindred souls, he was like family to Aiden and me now.

  “What do you think of the pasta Aiden?” I tried to divert the topic.