Serving Up Romance

Chapter 15: Double Lives and Late Nights

By Thursday night, the dual lives Cassandra managed reached a breathless crescendo.

The corporate audit at L'Aurore had gone extraordinarily well, resulting in high praise for both kitchen execution and front-of-house coordination. But success brought its own penalties: the dining room was packed to absolute capacity every night, leaving Cassandra’s feet aching by the time her eight-hour shift came to an end.

At nine-thirty in the evening, Cassandra stepped out the back service exit of the restaurant.

William was already waiting near his midnight-blue SUV in the shadowed corner of the staff lot. The cool night air swirled around them as she approached.

"You look completely exhausted," William said quietly, stepping up to her the second the metal service door clicked shut behind her. The rigid 'Chef' persona vanished instantly, replaced by the attentive, protective man who held her close.

"I am," Cassandra admitted softly, resting her forehead against his chest for a brief, comforting moment. "And I have three boxes of inventory sitting in my living room that need to be streamed tonight, or I won't have room for Jacob's science project supplies tomorrow."

William reached down, wrapping his arms around her waist, his touch warm and grounding through her denim jacket. "Cancel the stream for tonight, Cassandra. Let me drive you home and make sure you actually get eight hours of sleep."

Cassandra looked up at him, offering a tired but resolute smile. "I can't, William. I promised my regular buyers three days ago. If I cancel, I lose credibility, and consistency is everything in online sales. But..." She reached up, lightly fixing the collar of his coat, "...you can drive me home, if the offer still stands."

William sighed softly, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. "You are the most stubborn woman on the planet. Get in the car."

Thirty minutes later, the SUV pulled into Cassandra’s quiet suburban driveway.

Inside the house, Mrs. Gable was sitting in the living room knitting a scarf while Jacob slept peacefully in his bedroom. After thanking their elderly neighbor and sending her home with a slice of gourmet tart William had packed from the restaurant, Cassandra turned to face her living room.

Three heavy cardboard boxes filled with artisanal bamboo desk organizers were stacked near the sofa.

"Alright," Cassandra muttered, rolling up her sweater sleeves and unboxing her ring light. "Ten-thirty start time. I can wrap this up by midnight."

William walked into the kitchen, unbuttoned his cuffs, rolled his sleeves past his forearms, and began washing his hands at her sink. "Where do you want these boxes?"

Cassandra paused, holding her ring light tripod. "William, you don't have to help. You worked a fourteen-hour shift."

"And you worked twelve," William replied smoothly, walking back into the living room and picking up the heaviest box with effortless ease. "Where does it go?"

Cassandra stared at him, her heart doing a frantic, happy flip. "Near the folding table, please."

For the next twenty minutes, William functioned as her ultimate backstage manager. He unpacked the bamboo organizers, wiped off the fine packing dust with a clean cloth, and neatly arranged them on the table behind her phone setup in the exact order she needed them for the broadcast.

At ten-twenty-eight, Cassandra sat at her folding desk, turning on her ring light. She looked over her shoulder at William, who was sitting quietly on her blue sofa out of camera range, holding a warm cup of black tea.

"You really don't mind sitting there?" she whispered.

William raised his cup slightly, his dark eyes burning with quiet, steady devotion. "I'm not going anywhere. Break a leg, Santiago."

Cassandra smiled—a radiant, unscripted beam—and hit the GO LIVE button.

"Good evening, my late-night crew!" Cassandra’s voice rang out, instantly filling the room with high-energy charm. "Welcome back to Cass's Midnight Corner! Tonight, we have these gorgeous, eco-friendly bamboo desk organizers. Perfect for keeping your workspace clean and organized!"

The comment section exploded instantly:

* User_GirlBoss: "Ate Cass is live!! Yay!"

* User_CoffeeLover: "Love the background setup tonight, so neat!"

* User_MidnightSnacker: "Ate Cass looks extra happy tonight, may nagpapasaya ba? 👀"

Cassandra felt her cheeks warm up slightly, her eyes briefly flicking toward the sofa where William sat. He was watching her intently, a faint, proud smile touching his lips as he took a slow sip of his tea.

For the next hour, Cassandra showcased the products with her signature wit, warmth, and effortless hustle. Whenever she needed a new product variant, William silently stepped up just behind the camera angle, handing her the next item with perfect timing before stepping back into the shadows.

By eleven-forty-five, every single bamboo organizer had been sold out.

"And that is a wrap for tonight, my friends!" Cassandra cheered, waving at the camera lens. "Thank you all so much for tuning in. Rest well, stay hydrated, and I'll see you all on Sunday!"

She ended the stream.

The second the broadcast went offline, the high-octane energy drained from Cassandra’s body. She leaned her head back against her chair, letting out a long, exhausted sigh.

The ring light turned off.

William walked over, setting his empty tea cup aside. Without saying a word, he reached down, placed his arms under her knees and behind her back, and lifted her smoothly out of the folding chair into his arms.

Cassandra gasped softly in surprise, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck. "William! What are you doing?"

"Taking you to bed," William said simply, his voice low and firm as he carried her effortlessly down the short hallway toward her bedroom.

He placed her down gently on her soft mattress, taking off her white sneakers and placing them neatly near the closet. He pulled the thick quilt up over her shoulders, tucking her in with a gentleness that brought tears of pure comfort to Cassandra’s eyes.

"You worked hard today," William whispered, leaning down to press a soft, lingering kiss against her forehead. "Go to sleep, Cassandra. I'll lock up the front door and head out."

Cassandra reached out from beneath the blanket, her hand catching his wrist. Her dark eyes looked up at him in the dim light, filled with profound warmth and affection.

"Thank you, William," she murmured, her voice thick with sleep. "For everything."

William paused, leaning down to kiss the palm of her hand before releasing her grip. "Rest well, my love. I'll see you tomorrow."

As the front door softly clicked shut and the quiet hum of his car engine faded into the night, Cassandra snuggled deeper into her pillows, floating off to sleep with a peaceful heart, knowing she was loved beyond measure.