15 Chapter 15

Once Celeste saw that Bane had left the coffee shop, she could breath more freely. That interaction was something that she hadn't been expecting from the other. In fact, it almost seemed to her like the person she met the day before and the one who had come in today weren't the same at all.

The Bane from the day before only briefly talked to her and paid her little attention after his greeting while this Bane stared at her with open affection and desire. Did he have a twin or did this have something to do with whatever weird curse or transformation thing he had going on?

She wasn't quite sure what it was, but now that he was going, she just had to focus on taking care of the long line of customers that had been held up by him. She only had an hour left before she would be done for the day and someone else would be able to take over after her.

Although no one was saying anything to her, that didn't mean she didn't feel the inquisitive stares that people were sending to her. Most likely they were wondering what she had done to catch Bane's attention. Was that all they were focused on or did they not notice the fact that she didn't reciprocate it in anyway?

Even the other two girls who were working with her were acting odd after her encounter with the other. She wouldn't count their shift in behavior as hostile, but more like uncertain reserve in their interactions with her after what had happened.

"You know, if either of you two like, I would be more than happy for you to catch his attention or talk with him instead of me." Celeste said after about twenty minutes of this odd behavior going on. Both girls looked at each other rather confused before laughing which only served to confuse Celeste.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. We're not interested in him like that." One of the girls, Amber replied, chuckling slightly as she gave Celeste an amused look.

"Yeah, we already know that someone like that wouldn't give us the time of day. He's got so much money it wouldn't be a surprise if he has a different girl for every week if not day of the month." Pepper the other one remarked.

"If anything, we're just curious as to why someone like him who always comes across as quiet and reserved was showing such open affection to you." She then explained as she moved to get into Celeste's personal space, not really caring that they were still on shift.

"Is it possible that you two know each other somehow? I heard what he said the other day about rescuing you when you got lost on the way home." She continued,

"But that look on his face says there has to be something more than just that going on." Celeste took a step back, not quite appreciating her personal space being invaded not that long after she had been having to deal with Bane doing the same exact thing with his eyes.

"I don't actually know him that well at all." Celeste replied holding her hands up in front of her as though it would act as some kind of shield between her and the other girl.

"I really only met him the first time when he helped me after I got lost on the way home. Nothing more than that. Even I don't have a clue why he's so interested in me." The word 'mate' went through her mind after she said this, but she quickly shook her head to get rid of it.

"Maybe he's just doing this to tease me since I'm the new girl here and he likes people who give such open reactions." She offered, not really knowing what other answer to give that might appease her two curious friends. She knew that Edgar would be coming back soon and would likely shoo them away to get back to work properly.

"I don't think so. He's never reacted like that before when new employees are hired here. He hardly trusts anyone either except for Edgar to take care of getting his coffee for him because of how particular he is." Amber replied as she handed off one of the lattes she made to one of the customers who was waiting.

"I would just be careful if I was you. There is one girl who works here who thinks that she has some kind of claim to Bane." Pepper told the other in a lower tone of voice as she looked around the shop as though to make sure the person she was talking about somehow wasn't listening to what she was saying.

"She's been off for the last two weeks to deal with family matters, but I don't think that she would take it very kindly if she saw the interest that Bane was giving to you when he won't even give her the time of day no matter what she tries." The risk of work drama already? That wasn't something that Celeste wanted to be a part of in anyway if she could avoid it.

"Thank you. I'll be sure to keep an eye out when that happens." Celeste replied as she thanked the other girl. Even though she said that, she wasn't quite sure what exactly she was supposed to do? Bane didn't seem to understand it whenever she tried to tell him that she wasn't interested and since this was his favorite coffee shop to visit, she doubted that he would stop coming just because she asked him to.

That might also be rather unfair on her end as well. Even though she didn't like his behavior and strange interest in her, the coffee shop had been his place to visit first before she started working there. Maybe there was something else that she could work out with him that get him to stop distracting her and giving her such blatant looks of affection while she was trying to work.

Couldn't she just live her life in peace and everything go back to normal like she kept hoping? Somehow as much as she wished for that to happen, it was feeling more and more like fate had other plans for her that she wasn't keen on being a part of.