Claimed by the Blue Wolf

2

Selene’s Perspective:

Emile was currently cutting up some vegetables for the five different types of pasta we had on our La Magie Cafe menu. We were most known for our pasta, but we also had salads, sandwiches, danishes, croissants, muffins, wine, smoothies, coffee, juices, and of course La Magie’s charming waitress, yours truly Selene.

I’m just kidding, but I did genuinely enjoy working here. I had a lot of gratitude for the fact that I got such a wonderful job in such a comfortable environment. The owner’s only requirement was to never show up in sweats, looking or smelling unpleasant or intoxicated.

Emile and I had gone on a few dates and kissed a few times, but we both were more on the friend’s side than lovers, and both of us knew it. He conveyed to me on our second date how he didn’t want to be in a relationship with anyone right now, and that he saw me as more of a friend than he did a partner. I had told him I felt exactly the same, which was the truth.

When he saw me standing there gazing at him, he wiped his hands off with the clean cloth he had by his side, then walked up to me. He put his hands on my hips, leaned in, and kissed me, then pulled away.

“Hey, are you okay? You look kind of tired.”

I kissed him back and said, “Yeah dude, I’m all good, just slept late.”

Before Emile went back to cutting his beloved vegetables, he smiled up at me and said, “Okay dude.”

Around lunchtime, a lot of customers started coming in like usual. I was bringing a sweet elderly couple that always came here on Wednesdays their orders. Martha walked by me and said close to my ear, “Hey, there’s someone at the register. I think they just want a coffee.” I nodded at Martha.

I quickly placed the couple’s pasta plates and drinks in front of them and said, “Enjoy, and don’t be afraid to holler at me if you want something else.”

As I walked to the register quickly, I saw the back of the man who was standing there. His attire looked professional. He was wearing grey casual dress shoes, black pants, and a navy blue shirt tucked into his pants. Just from the sight of his back, you could tell he was very attractive.

Even with his dress shirt on, you could see his broad shoulders and the muscles in his back and legs. He looked to be about six feet. He exuded confidence and assertiveness.

When I came around to the register, I was hit with complete astonishment.

Oh man. If I thought the sight of his back was attractive, then his front was other-worldly. This guy was perfect. I mean, P-E-R-F-E-C-T. Every feature of his face was sharp, symmetrical, and in perfect alignment with every other feature. His hair was a golden color, his waves were falling everywhere on the top of his head, his sides and back were cut very short though. Suddenly I got the urge to reach my arm out and run my fingers through his hair.

His lips were plump and a pinkish color. His eyes were a piercing greenish, greyish bright blue color, but seemed like they changed colors depending on the lighting and atmosphere. I put on an act like his beauty wasn’t distracting me and said, “Yes sir, what would you like?”

When I looked directly at him, into his eyes, he wasn’t saying anything. He just gazed at me as if I was his long-lost lover and he had finally found me again. I repeated myself.

“Ahh, Sir, are you alright? What would you like?”

He blinked his eyes and it was like he was shaken out of a trance as he said, “Yes…um, can I…I get two large iced coffees and two sandwiches?”

I answered, “What kind?”

He laughed lightly but I stayed serious. He saw my expression and said, “Oh yeah, um, what kind do you have?”

I grabbed a menu so he could see our six different kinds of sandwiches and the contents of them. I handed it to him. “Here, Sir, can you choose?”

He took the menu and said, “Will.”

I looked at him confused. “I beg your pardon?”

He pointed to himself with the menu. “I’m William.”

I raised my eyebrow at him like he was crazy. “Um…okay…nice to meet you.” He stuck his hand out in front of me all of a sudden.

I extended my arm and went to give his hand a shake. As soon as our hands met, it was like there were sparks. I gasped. He looked at me and smiled deeply. I pulled my hand back.

“Um, so do you know what you want yet?”

He looked at me trying not to smile. “Yes, two of your chicken, cucumber, tomato mozzarella sandwiches.”

I said, “Alright, that’ll be $24.72.”

Caden pulled out thirty dollars and as he handed the money to me he said, “Keep the change.” When I looked back up at him, he had his gaze fixed on my neck. No matter how attractive this guy was, now I just felt uneasy.

I averted my eyes from him and with my hand signaling to the first table to the left I said, “You can sit there if you like. It’ll be about ten minutes.” Then I made my way back to the kitchen. I gave the order to Emile, and Emile started making the sandwiches right away. As I started doing the iced coffees I told Emile everything quickly. When I was done, Emile chuckled.

“Maybe he just found you hot.”

I was putting the two caps over the plastic cups when Martha walked into the back.

“I think you’re right about that, Emmy,” — Emmy was Martha’s nickname for Emile — “cause he just asked me for your name, Selene.”

My eyes went wide in Martha’s direction. “And what did you say?”

Martha looked at me like I was an i***t. “What else? I told him your name was Jeff Bridges.”

Great. Martha had told Caden my name. Emile and Martha started laughing. Emile passed me the sandwiches in a brown paper bag with our cafe’s logo on it. I took it, and the drinks were in a cardboard drink tray. I said, “I hate you both,” before I walked back out. They just chuckled louder.

When I was in Caden’s line of sight he stood up immediately.

I went around the corner and put his bag and tray on the table in front of him. “Thank you, see you next time at La Magie.”

I turned and was about to walk away when Caden grabbed my arm tightly and said in a deep voice, “Mine.”

I looked at him in irritation and shock and yanked my arm away from him. He said, “I’m sorry, you don’t know. It’s not your fault.”

What the hell did that mean? I didn’t know how to respond to that so I just said, “Please don’t grab me, Sir. Have a good day,” and walked away.

I went to the bathroom and looked at my arm. There was a mark there from how hard he had gripped me.

I went to the kitchen and showed Emile and Martha. Emile said it was probably an accident that he did that. Martha said she didn’t see any mark. It had faded by the time I showed them. For a couple of hours after that, I kept thinking about how weird that guy was. But by closing time, I had forgotten about the whole event happening.