“That’ll be three twenty-five,” Katherine said, after clicking a few keys on the cash register.
“A cheap date,” Ben teased, handing her a five-dollar bill.
Katherine giggled, handing him his change, which he dumped in a glass jar labeled for tips. After receiving his latte, Ben sat in the corner of the bakery, typing away on his laptop as Katherine went about finishing her shift.
“He’s too dreamy,” Talia whispered, when the crowd had died down.
“Oh, I already heard your reaction,” she joked, and they both laughed.
“I just couldn’t believe he said that. Who asks people out anymore? And not over a text, but face to face! It was so sweet!” Talia whispered, making sure Ben didn’t hear the two gossiping about him.
“It was sweet,” Katherine smiled, staring across the bakery at the man who was slowly breaking down her walls with his kindness.
Counting down the minutes, Katherine watched the clock closely, peeking over at Ben every few minutes. He was engulfed in whatever he was doing on his computer, and she wondered where he would take her for dinner, deciding beforehand that wherever it was, this was going to be considered a date.
Excitement rushed through her as she got closer to ending her shift, eagerly awaiting being alone with Ben again. Even when they were in a crowded place, looking into his eyes made her feel like the only person in the world. It was a special feeling she didn’t want to end, and when Talia rung up the last customer, Katherine quietly excused herself to freshen up in the bathroom.
After removing her apron, Katherine looked in the mirror, fluffing her long brown hair, and noticing her blonde roots as she made a mental note to retouch her dye. It had been such a drastic change to color her hair, but nothing was too much when her safety was involved. For a split second, she missed her blonde locks, but quickly brushed it to the back of her mind as she focused on taming the butterflies in her stomach before joining Ben for dinner.
Chapter Sixteen
Ben
SO ENGULFED IN THE new product mock ups his designer had sent him, Ben didn’t notice Katherine until she was standing directly in front of him. Slowly, he closed his computer, a wide grin spreading across his face as he watched her shift her weight from one foot to the next, looking nervous.
“All done?” He glanced around the bakery, noticing it was empty for the first time.
When he arrived, it was packed with patrons, but now the bakery had cleared out, leaving no one but Katherine standing before him. Forcing a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, Ben was blown away by her beauty, staring with appreciation as she blushed before him.
He loved the effect he had on her. It was obvious she liked him, though she still blushed as if she was holding a secret. Amused, Ben stood, quickly packing his laptop away before offering his hand.
“Ready?” he asked.
Katherine stared at his hand for a long moment before placing her thin fingers in his palm, allowing Ben to lead her out of the bakery after she waived to Talia.
“That’s your friend from Hendrick’s, right?” Ben asked, as he led her down the street.
“Yeah, we work together,” she asked, looking around. “Are we driving?”
“I thought we’d just walk down to the park. They have a little festival tonight. Is that okay?” Ben paused, suddenly unsure of his plan.
“Oh yeah! That would be great,” she nodded quickly.
Ben took an extra second to stare into her deep blue eyes, reminded of the mystery that swirled through them. She was so secretive, and deep down he liked that. There was something incredibly exciting about not knowing the end to the story as he scrolled through the first chapter, eager to learn more.
Leading the way, Ben walked down the bustling street. Katherine’s job was located on one of the more popular blocks in the city. She was quietly observing the crowd, scanning the street like a tourist.
“Have you ever been down to the park?” His question caused Katherine to jump with shock.
Ben couldn’t help but to wonder why she was always so jumpy around him, but he pushed it to the back of his mind as a smile grew on her face. She was so beautiful, he chose to focus on nothing but the bashful look in her eyes.
“No, I don’t think so,” she finally answered.
“It’s one of my favorite places in the city,” Ben told her.
“Well, I’m glad you’re taking me,” she smiled up at him, from a vantage point at least a foot shorter than Ben’s tall stature.
The two walked closely, and Ben felt a strange normalcy around her, stopping himself from taking her hand in his more than once. It was out of his character to hold hands, but Katherine was proving to be everything he wasn’t used to. She easily brought him out of his shell of work, as he felt drawn to the bakery knowing it was the only way he could contact her.