Moonlight Lovers

Nine

THE following day, Godric Octavius has not come to Café Bliss again. Selene sighed as she cleaned the table where Godric usually sits. What could have happened to him? She wondered. Was he actually disappointed that he has not been able to see Dahlia? Maybe that’s why he stopped coming altogether.

That’s a bummer. Even if Godric’s coming to the café for a different reason, she’d love to continue seeing him on the daily. Selene hoped Dahlia would return soon so that Godric would come back, too. She had never wanted so badly for their boss to show up in the café in all her years working there. Where was she vacationing this time, anyway?

Selene felt someone poked at her face. She immediately looked up and saw Caleb, holding a tray of cold beverages in one hand. He brushed her cheeks with his knuckles. “Put a smile on that face, will you?” He said, beaming.

She just smiled and went back to cleaning. Caleb has returned to his usual mood since Godric stopped coming to the café. He really was so overprotective of her. As if Godric is going to take her away or something. That’s just so unlikely to happen even probably in her wildest dreams.

And speaking of dreams, Selene had not dreamt about her faceless lover ever since seeing Godric in person. She didn’t know if there was any correlation to it, maybe it was purely coincidental. But she wanted to believe the dreams had stopped because she already found the man in her dreams. Or that he found her. Although, she’s not exactly sure if her faceless lover is actually Godric because she only started seeing his face when she first saw him in his car that night. And she still thinks it was just her subconscious telling her how much she wanted to see him again that he appeared in her dreams.

This is just crazy, her mind countered. I need to stop thinking about it.

Later that day, a shiny black car stopped in front of the café. Selene’s heart leaped as she imagined that it was Godric. He’s probably checking in to see if Dahlia’s in the café now.

But Selene immediately scolded her hopeful heart. There are probably a few rich people driving around Clairhill in luxury cars. Godric’s wealthy, but he wasn’t the only rich family in town. Why is she assuming it was him?

Get over your stupid infatuation for that man, Selene, her mind told her.

When the driver stepped out of the car, Selene saw a tall, good-looking man, wearing a gray business suit and dark framed eyeglasses, walk into the café. She was sure she had never seen him before, but something in him seems familiar. Maybe because rich people look the same to average people like her. Much like how average people like her look the same to wealthy people.

She could not help but wonder, however, is Café Bliss actually starting to get a reputation for being the caffeine joint of the rich and pretty? Rich folks in their expensive suits just keep coming to the café lately.

“Hi, welcome to Café Bliss!” Selene greeted the man before she could forget herself.

When the man was finally standing in front of the counter, Selene found herself staring at his face. He really was good-looking, he has a set of deep dimples that shows even by the smallest movement of his mouth and cheeks. And he carried himself really well.

“May I take your order, sir?” She asked.

The man glanced at the name tag on her chest. “You’re Selene?”

She blinked. The tone of his voice when he asked that sounds like he came there to look for her. She just dismissed it as her imagination. “Yes, sir. What can I get for you?”

“Good. I need to talk to you.”

“A JOB? You want the spellblood to work for you?” There was a crease between Silas’s forehead when Godric told him he had to talk to Selene, the spellblood, and offer her a job.

They were at the topmost floor of The Orchid Corporations building as Godric’s home office is currently being renovated. After the altercation that the brothers had yesterday, Silas insisted that they should work at the office in the meantime.

The entire room was flooded with light from the huge glass wall that overlooks the lovely side of Clairhill. Unlike Godric’s home office, his CEO office in the building had a more minimalistic décor as he never really spends most of his time there. He usually only appears in the building when there are important meetings and business gatherings. For any other activities that do not require his presence, Silas or another company representative would usually chair in for him.

“Don’t we have an opening for an entry-level staff?” Godric queried.

“Wait, you’re serious about this?” Silas asked.

“Yes. I want to keep an eye on her. There are a handful of vampires in Clairhill, what if they go after her too?”

“Didn’t you tell me last time you could not handle the spellblood? What if she caused something in you to snap? You can’t go looking for trouble again now that you just had a violent confrontation with your brother,” Silas worriedly asserted.

“I know what I’m doing,” Godric simply said. “And don’t even bring up that bastard, just hearing about him puts me in a bad mood.”

Silas sighed. “What if the spellblood says no?”

Godric looked up at his assistant. The side of his lips curved up. “That’s why I am sending you to talk to her. Because I know you can convince the hell out of anyone.”

SELENE still had not responded to the man who walked into the café and demanded that she talk to him. The shop only has a few customers at that time of the day, so Caleb took a quick break to buy them sandwiches for lunch and she’s all by herself.

What should I do?

She cleared her throat. “Do you have any questions for me?”

The man narrowed his eyes in refusal and pressed his lips together, shaking his head. “I need to talk to you in private.”

What?

Selene pressed his palms together in front of her chest. “I’m sorry, I cannot leave my post. It’s still business hours.”

“Ah.” The man nodded. “That’s alright. I understand. I can wait for you when you get off work,” he said.

“Oh, no, sorry. Later I can’t—”

“Which is what time, by the way?”

Selene was stunned. “Huh?”

“Is it at five o’clock?” He offered. “I noticed you don’t have a 24-hour sign.”

“N-no, we don’t.”

He glanced at his silver wristwatch. “Cool. That’s almost five hours from now, but I can wait. Do you mind getting me hot tea while I do?”

“U-um, yes, sir.”

The man retreated to the nearest table and sat charmingly, one leg over the other, as he leaned back on the chair. His slender fingers tapping silently on the wooden table.

Selene did not know what just happened. Did she not say no to him? Why did it feel like they seemed to have reached an agreement which is why he was waiting so they could talk after her shift. She shook her head and went to prepare his tea.

Caleb arrived a few minutes later with a bag with a logo of the popular sandwich chain.

“Sorry, the deli was packed. Do you want to take your break now?” He asked, putting his apron back on that he left under the counter.

“Sure,” she said, grabbing her sandwich from the bag and slipping inside the employee quarter.

“THAT customer seemed to be waiting for someone,” Caleb mused as he glanced at the tall man in the adjacent table, who was sipping quietly on his cup of tea. “He’s been here for hours.”

Selene quietly set down the glasses she was drying with a towel. “Um, yeah, he’s waiting for me. He said he wants to talk to me after my shift.”

Caleb darted his eyes at her. “Do you know him?”

Selene grimaced. “Not exactly.”

Caleb’s shoulders dropped, and he looked at her with questioning eyes. “You agreed to talk to a stranger? Where is he taking you? And why are you only telling me this now? It’s almost closing time.”

“Relax, Caleb!” She chuckled. “We’ll talk here after the rest of the customers leave. Actually, I want to ask if you can wait for me.”

Caleb sighed, obviously relieved. “Good. Of course, I’ll wait for you. I’ll sit in with you if you want.”

“That’s okay. He wants to talk in private.”

Caleb’s face turned serious. “What does he want?”

Selene’s shoulders raised up and down. “I don’t know.”

“YOUR co-worker is threatening me with his gaze,” the man muttered with a chuckle. “Or is he your boyfriend?”

Caleb was standing outside the café, leaning against the cemented sign board of the café’s name near the door. He was looking at them.

Selene tried not to blush at what the man said. She shook her head. “No, he’s just my friend.”

The man nodded, smiled and extended a hand to her over the table. “I’m Silas, by the way. Silas Asmington.”

Selene took his hand. “Selene Roseburn.”

“I’m sure you’ve met Godric Octavius, right? He frequented this establishment lately,” Silas began.

Selene looked at him. So, he knows Godric. “Y-yes. He attracts a lot of customers every time he drops in.”

“He does that a lot. Did he ever talk to you?”

“No. He mostly just reads when he’s here.”

“Huh?” Silas wondered. “So, he was telling the truth.”

“Excuse me, but why are you asking me questions about him?” Selene politely asked. “I personally don’t know him.”

Silas pulled a card from his vest pocket and handed it to Selene. “I work for Godric Octavius. I’m sure you’ve heard of the Orchid Corporations?”

Selene nodded. Even before knowing that Godric was the young CEO of The Orchid, she knew about the company. There probably wasn’t a single soul in the whole country that doesn’t. Founded a hundred years ago, The Orchid Corporations continues to successfully rise above the business game, and has become one of the most profitable companies across the globe.

She stared at the business card. “I swear not to tell any media representative that your CEO was ever here. Don’t worry, our café is not after publicity.”

Silas let out a curious laugh. “I’m sorry?”

“Isn’t that why you are here? To make sure your company’s reputation will not be dragged down by small businesses like this?”

“Oh, no.” Silas shook his head. “No. Godric couldn’t care less about that.”

Selene paused. So, maybe it was really because of Dahlia. “Well, if this is about our boss, you can just ask Godric to go back in a couple of days. Dahlia’s on holiday, but she should be here next week.”

“That’s not what this is about either.” Silas chuckled again as if she said something very amusing. “Miss Roseburn, can you please just let me explain first?”

Her brows furrowed. Wait, so Godric wasn’t coming to the shop for Dahlia after all?

“My boss wants to offer you a job.”

Selene blinked. And blinked some more. “I’m sorry?”