Starlight and Secrets

Chapter 5

The cool breeze of the morning filtered through Evie's half-open window as she stirred awake. It has been two weeks since the gala and memories of the event are still fresh in her memory but a bit blurry now. She had thought about that night every day for the past two weeks, each time with more feelings than the last, creating scenarios each time, but most of all, she remembered how she felt and now, even though the feelings had begun getting old, she still found a way to savor the moment.

She had told Chloe about the gala and all that happened. She obviously would have felt guilty if she had not, and Chloe wouldn’t have taken an “it was fine” for a reply. For Chloe, she was all about the full gist. But all the while, she described it as just a fling to Chloe. Meanwhile, she knew in her heart it was more than just a fling. It was a dream come true. It felt like she was living in a fairy tale. She had begun daydreaming again even though she had just woken up, it dawned on her that she might be running late for work. She walked hurriedly to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face, and mumbled a few words. Yes, she was fully awake now. The morning routine went on, so did the subway ride to work, although with a little bit of jostle of bodies and thoughts.

At work, Gustavo grunted a greeting from the kitchen, flipping burgers with impeccable skill, the type you only acquire from prolonged practice.

“Late night?” he asked, eyeing her yawn, not that he cared. He just wanted to know the mood for the day.

“Something like that,” Evie muttered while tying her apron.

“Ohh,” he said simply and went back to what he was doing.

The morning rush hit hard, orders coming in endless streams, and with Chloe off duty, it was going to be a long morning. But in the midst of the chaos, a delivery guy pushed through the door, with a package in hand.

“Evie Marlowe?

“Yes, that's me,” Evie replied.

"Sign here," the delivery guy said.

She signed, looking perplexed. She had never received a package before, coupled with the fact that it had no sender's name, just her address scribbled in neat print. Gustavo waved her off for a short break. Like he understood the overall situation, some days he was nice.

She slipped to the back alley, with the package in hand, a bit heavy, but she could bear the weight. Tearing it open, her heart skipped.

Inside the package was a curated selection of premium baking ingredients, vanilla beans, chocolate bars with a deep cocoa scent, a jar of organic honey infused with lavender and exotic spices like cardamom that filled the air with a sweet flavoring aroma as she lifted the lids. Her hands trembled as she examined them. These weren’t grocery store staples, they were gourmets. The kind she read about in books. Tucked underneath was a card which read

“You deserve the best,” no name.

Her mind raced. Only one name came to her mind: Chloe and no one else. But her friend was broke too, Gustavo? Naahhhh couldn’t be. Who then could it be? She took out her cell phone to confirm. She texted Chloe: Got a weird package, baking stuff you?

Her phone buzzed almost immediately. Not me! Pics? Secret admirer from the gala? Spill when I swing by later… winking emoji.

Evie's feet went cold, she pocketed the card. Unease settling in like indigestion. Could it be him? No…! But… she just couldn’t wrap her head around it, but why? When forgetting feels safer? She headed back inside, the ingredients were put away in her locker for now, the mystery gnawed at her for the rest of the shift.

* * *

Across town, in the towering glass of Warren Enterprise, Cassian sat, leaned back in his desk chair. The merger prep meeting with company executives was live on conference call. But Cassian had zoned out on the meeting. His mind wandered through his catalog of thoughts; Nadia…, Evie… and back to Nadia again. He thought about Nadia’s last visit, the chemistry between them and back to her last words;

“We could be more”

This statement made his heart skip a beat, and for some reason he knew she was right but staring at the anonymous order confirmation on his laptop reading; package delivered! Guilt twisted sharper.

He had placed an order at dawn, impulse overriding caution. Lucien, the lawyer, had handled the discreet shipping. He had to. He was the only one Cassian trusted with such matters and to ensure nothing traced back to the Warren name. Besides, there wasn't much, just some baking ingredients for a waitress, a small act, to keep complications at bay and maybe out of pity for the poor waitress he had dragged into his chaos.

Or could it be something deeper? A reluctance to let the spark fade? Or was he attached to her of some sort because she saw him for who he was? To Nadia, it would be betrayal, to his father, weakness, but here he was risking it anyway.

His phone buzzed, it was Lucien; Package delivered. He smiled and pocketed his phone; this was his little secret rebellion. But the smile quickly faded away with thoughts racing through his mind. Would she accept it? Would she through the anonymity and trace it back to him? Nothing was certain, all he could do was wait.