Chapter 11 - Colliding Hearts by Delaila Adams
Chapter 11
Eden's POV
“Miss, excuse me!” came an impatient voice from two tables over. Sighing to myself, I forced a smile as I turned toward the customer.
“Yes, how can I assist you?” I asked, keeping my tone polite even though all I wanted was to wrap up and head home. It was nearly 11 p.m., and I was exhausted.
“I ordered my steak medium rare, but this is well done,” the man complained, lifting his plate like it was a science experiment gone wrong. To make it worse, he wasn’t even seated at one of my assigned tables.
“I apologize, sir. I’ll take care of it right away,” I replied, taking the plate from him.
“Yes, and I won’t be paying for it,” he added brusquely. Clamping down on my frustration, I nodded and bit back a retort. Back in the kitchen, I asked the chef to redo the steak, this time making sure it was medium rare. Five minutes later, I returned the fresh plate to his table and resumed checking on other guests. Just when I thought I’d have a brief moment to catch my breath, the hostess, Anna, called me over.
“Eden, I hate to ask, but Kim can’t make it in tonight. Could you cover her shift?” she pleaded.
“What hours?” I asked, suppressing a groan.
“From 11 to 4,” Anna replied. I felt a pang of dread. This night was getting longer by the second.
“Fine, I’ll do it,” I agreed, knowing I’d regret it but not wanting to leave her in a bind.
“Oh, thank you, Eden! You’re the best. Kim’s tables are 2, 4, 6, 14, and 17,” she said, looking relieved. I jotted them down in my notepad and got back to work.
After four more grueling hours, I was completely drained. My feet were aching, and my head was pounding. I took a deep breath and picked up a tray of food from the kitchen, heading toward one of my tables. Just as I placed the plates down and turned to leave, I felt a rough hand grab me. Spinning around, I found myself facing a man with dark hair, brown eyes, and a sharp jawline, smirking at me with a look that made my skin crawl.
“Excuse me,” I said through clenched teeth and tried to walk away, but he wouldn’t let go.
“Where are you going, sweetheart?” he called, tightening his grip. Trying to keep my composure, I pulled my arm free and kept moving. Before I could get too far, he grabbed my wrist and yanked me closer, pulling me flush against him.
“You can’t wear those shorts and expect no one to notice,” he whispered in my ear, and my stomach churned. This was one of those moments I hated my job, where I felt more like an object than a server. When his grip tightened, panic surged within me, so I did the only thing I could think of: I drove my knee up and into his groin. His hold released instantly as he crumpled, groaning in pain. I stepped back, my whole body shaking with anger.
“Don’t you ever touch me again,” I spat at him. Just as I was about to add more, a loud voice cut through the room’s shocked silence. I turned to see my boss, Greg, glaring at me from across the restaurant. Great, just my luck.
With a simple jerk of his head, he indicated that I needed to follow him to his office. Trying not to lose my cool, I wove through the tables toward the small back office. Greg held the door open, and I slipped inside, dropping into the chair across from his desk.
“Ms. Clarke—or can I call you Eden?” he asked as he settled in across from me.
“Eden is fine,” I managed to say, barely keeping the tremor out of my voice.
“Eden, what you did out there was unprofessional. We don’t harm customers.” I opened my mouth to defend myself, but he held up a hand to silence me. “I don’t care what he did. You’re not allowed to lay a hand on anyone here. So, we have two options.”
I swallowed hard, but his eyes drifted downward, lingering inappropriately. He leaned back, eyeing me up and down with an unsettling smirk.
“You need this job pretty badly, don’t you?” he asked, lacing his fingers together as he continued to stare.
“Yes, sir,” I answered, my voice unsteady.
“Well, to stay employed after a stunt like that, I’m going to need something from you.” He leaned forward, his gaze predatory. “You see, I’m a lonely man, and every now and then, I need...someone to take care of me.” His meaning was unmistakable, his eyes gleaming with expectation.
“Are you seriously asking me to sleep with you to keep my job?” I demanded, my fists curling tightly in my lap. I could barely believe what I was hearing.
“I wouldn’t put it so bluntly. Think of it as a...mutual arrangement,” he replied smoothly, as if proposing a business deal. I could feel rage rising in me like a tidal wave. Standing up, I could barely keep from shouting.
“Listen to me, Greg,” I hissed. “I am not sleeping with you to keep my job. I’m done with this place and your disgusting, predatory games. I don’t need a job that badly. I quit.”
I stormed out of his office, ignoring the stunned expressions of the other staff members as I made my way to the employee lockers. My hands were shaking as I grabbed my bag and slammed my locker shut, not even bothering to say goodbye. Once I was outside, the weight of it all hit me, and tears began streaming down my cheeks. With trembling hands, I fumbled for my phone, finally dialing the last person I’d expected to reach out to.
“Hello?” answered Gavin’s familiar deep voice.
“G-Gavin… I need you.”
Gavin’s POV
I woke up the next morning, a bit later than usual, but my mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Eden. I couldn't shake the idea of stopping by her work, but I knew it would only irritate her more. A rare, nagging question popped up—since when did I actually care about someone else's feelings over my own? Brushing it off, I strode to my office floor.
"Good morning, Mr. Hayes," greeted a soft voice from my right. I glanced over to see a petite blonde woman I vaguely remembered from marketing.
"Good morning," I replied, noting her tight pencil skirt and sheer blouse, barely concealing a hot-pink bra. Normally, I'd be tempted to flirt, maybe even let things go further, but Eden had changed things for me. Somehow, no other woman seemed to measure up. I nodded politely and continued to my office.
"Morning, Judy," I greeted my receptionist with a smile. Judy was more than just a receptionist; she’d practically become a second mother since I started here. In her late fifties, with hints of gray in her hair, she had a knack for keeping me on schedule and grounded.
"Good morning, Gavin. How’s it going?" she asked warmly.
"I'm doing well. And you? How's Bill?" I inquired, referring to her husband, her high school sweetheart, married nearly forty-five years.
"Bill's great. Thanks for asking." She flashed me a proud smile. "By the way, you have a board meeting in fifteen."
"Thanks, Judy," I replied, heading into my office, with its sweeping view over downtown New York—a breathtaking sight, especially at night when the city lights shimmered like stars.
The day flew by in a whirl of meetings and endless details, and by the time 3 p.m. rolled around, I was exhausted. I rubbed my temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache, and checked my phone, wondering why I hadn’t heard from Eden. I’d been glancing at it all day, expecting… something. Maybe she really was upset with me. Just as I was about to reach out, my phone buzzed. Eden’s name lit up the screen, and I answered immediately.
"Hello?" I said, hearing a faint, shaky breath on the other end.
"Gavin... I need you," she whispered, her voice barely holding back tears. I shot up from my chair, grabbed my suit jacket, and bolted from my office.
"Where are you, Eden?" I asked, my heart hammering.
"Outside… work," she murmured.
"I'm coming." I hung up, calling over my shoulder to Judy to cancel my appointments for the rest of the day. I practically lunged at the elevator, pressing the button repeatedly until it finally arrived. On the way down, I called Clark, telling him to meet me outside in two minutes. As soon as the doors opened, I hurried out, spotting Clark already waiting by the car.
"Take me to The River Cafe. Fast," I ordered, sliding into the back seat. As Clark sped through traffic, I tried to ignore the creeping thought that I might be making a fool of myself, rushing across the city just to check on her. But it didn’t matter. In no time, we pulled up to The River Cafe, and I jumped out, searching for Eden. I finally spotted a figure hunched over a little ways away, and my heart squeezed as I saw a flash of her brown hair.
"Eden!" I called as I approached. She turned, and before I knew it, she was in my arms, holding on tightly as her body shook with silent sobs. I wrapped my arms around her, feeling her tears wet my neck as I gently rubbed her back.
"Shh, it’s okay," I murmured, realizing I’d never comforted anyone like this before, but somehow, with Eden, it came naturally. "It’s alright, love."
As her sobs softened, I scooped her up in my arms, carrying her to the car. Clark opened the door, and although it was awkward getting in with her still in my arms, I managed. Laying her gently in my lap, I signaled to Clark to take us to my apartment. As we drove, I held her, rubbing her back, feeling her finally relax. We hit traffic crossing the bridge, but I didn’t mind. Having her so close felt right, in a way I wasn’t used to.
Eventually, her breathing steadied as she drifted off, her tear-streaked face resting against me, looking even more delicate and beautiful. I brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, the pang of protectiveness in my chest stronger than ever. Whatever had made her cry—whoever had done this—I’d make sure they regretted it. I couldn’t bear to see her hurt, and I knew, without question, that I’d do whatever it took to keep her safe from now on.
Chapter 10
Chapter 12
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