Chapter 4— The Balcony Escape
971 Words
Elena’s shift had officially hit that point of the night—
the point where her feet hurt, her patience was gone, and she was dangerously close to throwing a breadstick at someone’s head.
Unfortunately, that someone was a senior investment consultant who kept snapping his fingers at her like she was a golden retriever.
“Do it,” Milo whispered as he passed behind her with a tray. “Throw the breadstick. I’ll back you up in court.”
Elena whispered back, “I’m not going to jail for carbs.”
Milo shrugged. “Everyone has their limits.”
She forced a smile at the customer. “Anything else for you, sir?”
“Yes,” he sniffed. “Some attentiveness.”
She imagined hitting him with a plate—gently, but firmly. “Right away.”
She turned, exhaling sharply—
—and walked directly into someone solid.
Hands caught her elbows before she toppled.
“Elena,” Adrian said, his voice low and warm in a way that should be illegal.
She stared at him.
He stared back.
Her brain fritzed like a cheap radio.
“Please stop sneaking up on me,” she finally blurted.
He released her but didn’t step away. “I tried stomping. The other guests looked concerned.”
She snorted before she could stop herself. “You’re impossible.”
“Accurate,” he said. “But you look like you’re about to strangle someone, and while I’d love to see it, I’m guessing your manager wouldn’t approve.”
“You have no idea.”
“I might.”
He gently inclined his head toward the side door. “Come with me.”
Elena blinked. “I’m working.”
“It’ll take thirty seconds.”
“No.”
“You said that last time.”
“And I meant it!”
He smiled. “Maybe.”
Elena glanced around. Kara’s back was turned, Milo was occupied, and the awful customer was busy verbally abusing a pepper grinder.
“Thirty seconds,” she muttered. “If I get fired, I’m haunting you.”
“I look forward to it.”
⸻
The Balcony
The instant the door shut behind them, the sounds of the restaurant faded into a distant hum.
They stood on a narrow balcony overlooking the entire city. The wind was cool, the lights below blurring like stars caught in a slow swirl.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
Elena crossed her arms. “Okay. Talk. Fast.”
Adrian leaned against the railing, looking infuriatingly relaxed. “You needed a breath.”
“I’m fine.”
“You weren’t breathing.”
“I breathe all the time.”
He raised a single eyebrow.
She glared. “Fine, maybe I wasn’t breathing well.”
“Better.”
Silence stretched, but it wasn’t bad or awkward. It just… was.
Annoyingly peaceful.
And she hated that she didn’t hate it.
“What did you want, Adrian?” she finally asked.
His eyes softened. “You know, no one says my name like you do.”
She made a face. “Like what?”
“Like you’re annoyed I exist, but you’re curious anyway.”
Elena shoved his shoulder. “Oh my God.”
He chuckled. “It’s a compliment.”
“No, it’s not.”
“It is to me.”
Her breath hitched. That shouldn’t have hit anything. It definitely shouldn’t have hit her.
She looked away, gripping the railing. “I can’t do this.”
“Do what?”
“This—whatever this is.”
Adrian stepped closer. Not too close. Just close enough that she felt the warmth from him.
“Elena,” he said gently, “I’m not asking for anything.”
“Then what are you doing?”
“Trying to be near you,” he admitted. “Because it’s the first thing in a long time that feels like a choice.”
The words hit her like a soft punch.
A confession wrapped in a whisper.
She swallowed hard. “That’s… not fair.”
“I’m not trying to be fair.”
“Great,” she said flatly. “Love hearing that from rich people.”
He laughed again—quiet, surprised. “You really don’t hold back.”
“I really don’t,” she said. “Someone has to keep you in check.”
“I think you enjoy it.”
“Maybe I do,” she shot back. “Someone needs to.”
Their eyes locked again.
Too long.
Too close.
Too much.
Elena stepped back quickly, breaking the tension before it swallowed her.
“I have to get back to work,” she said.
He nodded. “Of course.”
But she saw it—the flicker of disappointment he tried to hide.
She turned, grabbed the door handle—
Then paused.
“Adrian?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t wait for me after my shift.”
He gave a slow, knowing smile. “I won’t.”
He absolutely would.
⸻
Back Inside
Elena slipped back into the restaurant, pulse racing, cheeks warm, her entire body buzzing like someone had plugged her into an outlet.
Milo caught sight of her and gasped dramatically. “Oh my God, you’re glowing.”
“I’m not glowing!”
“You are. Look at her, Kara—she’s literally emitting light.”
Kara smirked. “Called it. Twenty dollars. Pay up.”
“I hate both of you.”
But she was smiling.
And that troubled her more than anything.
Because the Glass Towers were built for power, money, legacy.
Not for a waitress with scraped-together dreams.
Not for a billionaire heir looking for something real.
And definitely not for a connection that felt like gravity tightening with every moment.
Elena exhaled.
Whatever this was…
It was only getting harder to ignore.
- Writer
