chapter 3
1748 Words
Amara Bello had a system.
A very good system.
Wake up at 5:30.
Gym twice a week.
Answer emails before breakfast.
No distractions.
No emotional nonsense.
No dating men who smiled too much.
Especially not older men who owned cozy bookstores and spoke like life was a poem.
Which was why she absolutely refused to acknowledge the fact that Adrian had been stuck in her head for three straight days.
It was ridiculous.
Embarrassing, honestly.
“Amara.”
“Hm?”
“You’ve been staring at the same email for ten minutes.”
Amara blinked and looked up from her laptop.
Teni sat across from her at lunch, chewing fries while watching her with the patience of a disappointed mother.
“I’m working.”
“You typed ‘Kind regards’ three times.”
“That means I’m polite.”
“That means you’re distracted.”
“I’m not distracted.”
Teni leaned forward dramatically. “You like bookstore man.”
Amara nearly choked on her water. “I do not.”
“You absolutely do.”
“He’s annoying.”
“Mhm.”
“Too relaxed.”
“Mhm.”
“And he thinks he understands me.”
“That’s usually how liking someone starts.”
Amara pointed a fry at her. “You’re projecting.”
“I’m observing.”
“There’s nothing to observe.”
Teni grinned. “Then why did you ask me what moisturizer I use before coming here?”
Amara froze.
“…That’s unrelated.”
“You wore lip gloss to work.”
“People wear lip gloss every day.”
“You ironed your blouse.”
“I always iron my—”
“You absolutely do not.”
Traitor.
Amara groaned and buried her face briefly in her hands.
“This is exactly why I avoid men.”
“Oh please. You avoid emotions.”
“I have emotions.”
“You schedule your feelings like meetings.”
“That is efficient.”
Teni burst out laughing.
Amara hated that the woman wasn’t entirely wrong.
Before she could defend herself, her phone buzzed on the table.
UNKNOWN NUMBER.
She frowned.
“I swear if this is another bank loan offer—”
She answered reluctantly.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Amara.”
Her stomach flipped instantly.
That voice.
Calm.
Deep.
Annoyingly smooth.
Adrian.
Her eyes widened slightly while Teni nearly climbed across the table trying to read her expression.
“How did you get my number?”
“Your friend is weak under pressure.”
Teni looked proudly unapologetic.
“You gave him my number?”
“He bought me cheesecake.”
“You sold me for dessert?”
“It was good cheesecake.”
Amara closed her eyes briefly.
Unbelievable.
“What do you want?” she asked carefully.
“I have a question.”
“What?”
“Why do you sound angry every time you speak to me?”
“Because every time you speak to me, my stress levels increase.”
Adrian laughed softly on the other end.
And somehow that laugh felt unfairly intimate through a phone speaker.
“I think you secretly enjoy talking to me.”
“I think you enjoy being incorrect.”
“Come have coffee with me.”
Direct.
Confident.
Easy.
Like he already expected her answer.
Amara sat up straighter automatically. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m working.”
“It’s lunch break.”
“I have standards.”
“You think I’m beneath your standards?”
“I think you’re dangerous.”
That went quiet for a second.
Then Adrian said softly,
“Dangerous is dramatic.”
“You flirt like a criminal.”
Teni slapped the table silently, trying not to scream.
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Adrian replied.
Amara hated smiling.
Especially when he couldn’t even see it.
“I’m busy,” she said again, weaker this time.
“Five minutes.”
“No.”
“Three minutes.”
“No.”
“One coffee.”
“You’re persistent.”
“You noticed.”
Amara sighed deeply.
This was how kidnappings probably started.
“…Fine.”
Teni’s mouth fell open.
“But only because I need closure.”
“Closure?”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
“For why exactly you irritate me this much.”
Adrian chuckled softly. “Meet me at the café after work.”
Then he hung up before she could change her mind.
Teni stared at her in horror.
“Oh my God.”
“It’s not a date.”
“That was literally flirting.”
“It was a conversation.”
“He asked you out.”
“He invited me for coffee.”
“In a café.”
“Yes.”
“That he owns.”
“Yes.”
“With romantic lighting.”
Amara grabbed her bag. “You’re making this weird.”
“You’re already blushing.”
“I am not blushing.”
“You absolutely are.”
Amara walked away before Teni could continue exposing her.
Unfortunately, the woman’s laughter followed her anyway.
—
By 6:45 p.m., Amara regretted every decision she’d made in the last twenty-four hours.
Especially the decision to stand outside Adrian’s café pretending her heartbeat was normal.
This was ridiculous.
It was coffee.
Not marriage.
Still, she checked her reflection in the café window twice before entering.
Just to ensure she looked effortless.
Even though effort had absolutely occurred.
The café was quieter tonight.
Rain tapped softly against the windows while jazz music floated through the room.
And behind the counter—
Adrian looked up immediately.
Like he’d been waiting for her.
That realization did something uncomfortable to her chest.
“Well,” he said slowly, smiling, “you came.”
Amara walked toward him carefully.
“I almost didn’t.”
“But you did.”
“That confidence is irritating.”
“That’s your favorite word for me.”
“It fits.”
Adrian leaned casually against the counter.
Tonight he wore a dark grey sweater with the sleeves rolled slightly upward, exposing strong forearms that honestly felt unnecessary.
Amara immediately looked away.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“You make me sound like a villain.”
“You enjoy this too much.”
“I enjoy you too much.”
Silence.
Actual silence.
Amara stared at him.
Adrian looked completely calm after saying something that outrageous.
“How old are you?” she blurted suddenly.
One eyebrow lifted. “That’s your first serious question?”
“Yes.”
He smiled slightly. “Thirty-six.”
Her stomach dropped.
Okay.
That was older than she thought.
“And you?” he asked knowingly.
“Twenty-four.”
“Twelve-year difference.”
“You say that very casually.”
“You say it like we committed a crime.”
Amara folded her arms tightly. “It’s a big age gap.”
“Does it bother you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Because you make me nervous.
Because you look at me too carefully.
Because part of me already likes you and that feels incredibly unsafe.
Instead she said:
“You’re too old to be flirting like this.”
Adrian laughed quietly. “There it is.”
“There what is?”
“The part where you pretend logic can control chemistry.”
Amara looked away first.
Which annoyed her immediately.
Adrian’s expression softened slightly.
“You overthink everything, don’t you?”
“I think the correct amount.”
“You think enough for five people.”
“And you don’t think at all.”
“That’s not true.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Then what are you thinking right now?”
He held her gaze for a long moment.
Long enough to make her heartbeat noticeably less professional.
Then he said quietly:
“That you’re trying very hard not to like me.”
And the worst part?
He was right.
- Writer
