A Fatal Obsession

Chapter4

At the bar, Kimberly begged the bartender to allow her to serve their drinks. “If you don't mind, I would like to handle this, please.” She said to him seductively but charming as she leaned towards the counter, her eyebrow raised and a smile tucked at the corner of her lips. With shaky hands and an ache in his groin, he offered her his apron. She instantly wore the apron and slipped behind the counter. Williams, who was confused, raised an eyebrow at her.

"I'm also a bartender," she said with a grin.

"Talented, huh?" He asked, eyebrows still raised.

Kimberly winked. "You have no idea."

With a flourish, she began mixing whiskey, liquor, and bitters, her hands moving with precision. Williams watched, captivated by her expertise. She was indeed his kind of girl, he reminded her of someone, someone very dear. But he quickly tossed her out of his mind just as quickly as she came.

"What's the creation?" he asked, curiosity piqued.

"Whiskey Sunset," she replied, handing him a glass. "Taste and see."

The first sip was like a blend of flavors – smoky, sweet, and tangy. Williams' eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow, this is incredible!"

Kimberly smiled, proud of herself. "Told you I'm good."

Seeing as Williams loved it, she took her own glass and slipping out of the counter and out of the bartender's way, sat on the stool next to Williams. Taking a sip, it burnt her throat a little but she loved it.

As they sipped their drinks, Williams couldn't help but ask, "So, what inspired you to become a bartender?"

"I love people and stories. Every drink has one." She said, emotions clouding her face but she was quick to put them aside.

“That's beautiful. What's yours?” He was quick to notice her pale face, although she was quick to push it aside

"Still writing it, but it involves adventure, pain, coffee, and good whiskey." Even death, she added mentally and gave a bright smile. Williams smiled too

“I hope I'll be included in the story?” He asked. Long ago, she replied inwardly.

Their banter was effortless like they'd known each other for years.

As the night wore on, Williams found himself drawn to Kimberly's intelligence, creativity, and passion. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this connection.

As they continued to sip their Whiskey Sunsets, Kimberly's curiosity got the better of her. She had always wanted to know how he had been faring after her sister's demise. He must have heard. There was nothing to hear, she corrected herself. He knew because he was the murderer.

"Williams, you seem like a catch," she said, her eyes sparkling. "What's your story? Are you taken?"

Williams chuckled, his expression hinting at a complex past but he gave a different answer, "Complicated."

Kimberly's interest was piqued, and she leaned in. "Complicated sounds intriguing. Care to share?"

Williams hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "Let's just say I've been focused on the family business that I haven't been all loved up.” He took a sip of his whiskey sunset. " Relationships haven't been a priority, that's what I'm saying."

Kimberly sensed there was more, so she tried to pry "And now?"

Williams' gaze drifted, his voice softening. "Now, I'm rethinking everything"

Kimberly's eyes locked onto his, searching. "Is there someone special that's making you rethink?"

A flicker of emotion crossed Williams' face before he masked it with a smile. "Maybe."

Kimberly's curiosity piqued the more. "Maybe?"

Williams laughed. "You're a persistent one, aren't you?"

Kimberly grinned. "I like stories, remember?" He smiled. “Ever you ever loved someone?”

That someone came to his mind clouding his senses and hurting him deeply but now was no time to think about her. He took in a deep breath and then exhaled “Love is a strong word,” He shook his head. “No”

That one word with two letters broke her heart so much and the tiny bit of hope she had about her sister’s death shattered that instant. That part of her that all of it might have been a mistake, that she might be wrong crumbled, she felt like killing him there and then. Fighting back the tears that were beginning to well up in her eyes, she grabbed the bag that she had tossed on the table.

“I have to leave,” without waiting for him to say anything she got up heading towards the dance floor, the road that leads to the door.

“Hey, wait did I do something wrong?” Williams yelled after her.

“No, some other time,” she said, waving her hands without looking back as her eyes searched frantically for Lisa.

“Whatever,” Williams shrugged, but his pride was hurt, this was the first time a lady had ever left him hanging. His ego was bruised.

Kimberly, later found Lisa cuddled up on a sofa with Robert making out, she didn't want to ruin Lisa’s fun, so she booked a ride and headed out to wait. Few minutes later, her ride appeared and she zoomed off.

As Kimberly stepped into her bedroom, she kicked off her heels and let out a sigh. She flopped onto her bed, her mind replaying the evening's events. Meeting Williams, his charming smile, and piercing eyes had left her feeling fluttery but he had ruined the evening in the end. She was sad their meeting ended like that, she was one step away from getting what she wanted but she had to let her emotion ruin. After spending so much money, what a waste!

Speaking about money, as she settled into her pillow, Kimberly's thoughts shifted to the unexpected job offer she'd received earlier while waiting for her cab to arrive. The secretary, Miss. Mariam had approached her with an intriguing proposal.

"Would you be interested in filling in for me next week?" Miss. Mariam had asked, her eyes sparkling with warmth. "My boss, Mr. Jeffrey, needs someone reliable to assist him. You'd be perfect for the job, I saw you earlier, your confidence isn't one to come in handy these days"

Kimberly's initial hesitation had given way to curiosity. Who was this Mr. Jeffrey, and what would it be like working for him? The prospect of a new job with a big company like that intrigued her. MILES & co, she hasn't heard of it before but it seemed like a big shot.

"What if this job leads to something more permanent?” That would mean lots of money.

As her mind whirled with questions, Kimberly's gaze drifted to her phone. She hesitated for a moment before typing out a text to Miss. Mariam.

"Hi, Miss. Mariam, I've been thinking about the job offer. If it isn't anything illegal, I would definitely fill in for you. What's in for me?”

With a sense of anticipation, Kimberly sent the message and settled into her pillow, her thoughts drifting to the possibilities ahead.