The Nation's Jackpot Girl (BWWM)

Chapter 52

JOCELYN'S POV

"What's going on? Where are you taking me to?" I ask as I follow after the man. Marcel, I guess.

He turns and stops to look at me for a while before he turns and continues to walk. "I just asked us to go to a coffee shop nearby so we can talk properly,"

"But I'm supposed to leave. I'm not going to be staying here. We don't have any deal to strike, do we?"

   "Let's get to the cafe first? Then we can talk about all that,"

   "Uhm, okay," I finally agree, hoping he's not taking me to the cafe to talk about something beyond my imagination. I am already afraid. Since yesterday, all I've been experiencing is bad luck and I do not want a repeat of that.

   We cross to the other side and Marcel keeps looking back at me to see if I am still following after him. One of his men carries my luggages to the trunk of his car and I am about to protest but when I realize that we are going to be driving for a while, I keep quiet.

   Marcel opens up the door and gestures for me to go in first. I nod and smile at him in appreciation before climbing into the car.

   This place smells really nice and I suddenly begin to feel out of place. I haven't bathed for the whole day yesterday and I stylishly lift my arm to check if my armpit is smelling.

   Thanks to the deodorant I use. I still smell like a human. I thought I was going to smell like some sort of primate.

   Marcel settles in beside me and I am engulfed by his fragrance. I want to close my eyes and inhale but I refrain from doing so. Don't want to look like a creep.

   He looks at me and I smile politely at him before leaning against the door as I try to be far away from him as possible.

   "Are you scared of me?" He asks.

   I shrug. "I don't know who you are,"

   "But you slept in a car and you didn't even know the owner,"

   "I—" I stop myself. "Yes, I did. I just had to stay there. I had no option,"

   "No option?" Marcel asks and fully turns to face me.

   I nod.

   "Why? Were you given a quit notice?"

   "Something like that,"

   "Tell me about it?"

   Before I can reply, my stomach rumbles and I feel a wave of embarrassment wash over me. "I'm sorry!"

   Marcel laughs. "Hey, hey! You don't have to apologize. When did you have your last meal?"

   "Uhm, I can't remember. I had a right day yesterday,"

   The driver stops in front of a fancy cafe and Marcel unlocks the door and steps out then he stretches out his hand which I take. "We'll talk better when we're settled and you've eaten?"

   "I'm not hungry,"

   He gives me an incredulous look. "I'm sure you don't want me bringing back the embarrassing situation of your stomach rumbling, yeah?"

   "I know. But I'm fine,"

   "I insist,"

   We walk into the coffee shop and the smell of cappuccino, pastries and cakes wafts into my nose. My stomach rumbles this time but I am glad that the clatter of a metal plate drowns it so Marcel doesn't hear it.

   "Go have a seat, I'll come meet you there," He says. Nodding, I turn and look around for a suitable place to sit. There's an empty booth by the window. I love to sit by the window. That way, I can be able to see everything happening outside and drown my thoughts.

   So I walk there with my purse wrapped around my arm. The shop is almost empty save for a few customers and the staff working.

   When I finally take a seat, I watch as Marcel speaks politely with the waiter who's blushing to death.

   He's a really handsome man and he looks like he's really rich. I mean, for him to have a clean jeep abandoned in the alleyway, he probably has a fleet of cars.

   But there's one thing that sets him apart from every other rich guy I have met. Courtesy of Julian and his stupid friends.

   He's really nice. I mean, he's a nice man. He is also respectful and doesn't look down on anyone. I was sure that if it had been Julian that found me sleeping in that car, he would have locked me up or something.

   But Marcel offers to take me to a coffee shop and now he's making an order for us. That's rare, I must say.

   I distract myself by looking outside. That way, I can forget about whatever is going on in my life right now.

   Then My phone rings. I fondle my purse, taking it out. It's Jane calling.

   "Hello, Jane?"

   "Oh, I'm so glad I could get you. I've been calling since last night! Did you check your voicemail?"

   "No, I did not. I'm really sorry, Jane. I was in a fix last night and so tired that I slept off immediately I got the chance,"

   "Did you get anywhere to sleep? How were you able to do it last night?"

   "Well, I slept in an abandoned car,"

   "What?!" She screamed. I winced. "But I asked you to stay over at my place. Now, I feel really guilty!"

   "You shouldn't feel guilty, Jane. I decided to leave on my own. I don't feel comfortable there anymore. It's really complicated and I can't really explain it to you right now," Just then, Marcel comes to our table with a tray containing two cups of coffee and a large hamburger. "See, I'll talk to you later, okay?"

   Once I cut the call, I smiled at Marcel who returned it.

   "Uhm," He started as he picked a cup of coffee from the tray and gently shifted it to me. "I got the hamburger for you because I know you're hungry. If you want more, I could ask the waiter to get it for you,"

   "I'm really okay, Marcel. You don't have to do this, you know?" I said, feeling quite embarrassed that I was being fed by a stranger.

"Well, I can do it and that's what I just did. "