Maid For You

Chapter 1

My goodness, he was gorgeous.

At the sound of a bell chiming, I looked up from my computer to greet the customer walking into the Souvenir Shop. When he walked in, my heart nearly stopped. His black hair fell over his ears and down his neck, and his sharp suit was tailored to fit his broad shoulders and tall, fit body. Even with the black sunglasses covering his eyes, I knew he was handsome, and I was smitten. I eagerly stepped out from behind the counter and put on a big grin. More accurately, I allowed the dopey "lovesick" smile of mine to show through.

"Hello, sir." My heart pounded faster as I stepped closer. "My name is Cassie. Can I help you with anything?"

The man took a glance, slightly lowering his sunglasses to show a flash of his striking green eyes. He scrutinized me for a moment, and a sort of sneer curled up onto his lip.

"I doubt you can help me with anything." Emphasis on the "you." His voice was rich and deep, filled with a tantalizing foreign accent; but that didn't stop the tinge of irritation that bubbled up inside of me. I could feel his sense of superiority rippling from him like waves of the ocean.

"Well, sir, I actually could help you, since I am a long time employee here, which makes me the most adequate person to assist you in selecting a souvenir," I retorted.

"You're rather full of yourself, aren't you?" he sneered. "For a girl whose worked in a souvenir shop for, as you put it, a long time."

I clenched my jaw. "I am the daughter of the owners. Of course I've worked here for a long time. And I just assumed that you would appreciate help in selecting an item." My voice struggled to remain friendly. So what if he didn't buy a postcard due to my attitude? We were a healthy business situated in a prime location of Embryia's capitol; losing one potential costumer wouldn't keep me up at night.

The condescending man turned to face me, his full attention on me now. I tried to stand up taller, but he still dwarfed me.

"You would do better not to make assumptions." He was cold as ice.

Why did someone so pretty act so nasty?

"You know what? You're correct." I was boiling inside, but I kept my voice calm. "I assumed when you walked in that you were decent, but I really shouldn't have made that assumption."

With that I marched back behind the counter and furiously picked up my book about the country of Aregano and pretended to read about great tourist spots. Smugness washed over me; I won the argument.

Unfortunately, the hot jerk walked up to my counter, his face scrunched up irritably.

"Who do you think you are?" he demanded from me.

"Have you selected an item to purchase, good sir?" I smiled lazily.

"Of course not!" he spat.

"Well then, if you aren't here to check out, I'm afraid I'm rather preoccupied at the moment." I tapped the cover of my book. "I'm moving to Aregano tomorrow, and I really would like to read more about the place. I have to find a job there."

"You're going to ignore me for a stupid book?!" he cried.

"This book doesn't offend me, unlike you." I snapped the book shut. "You...you uncivilized miscreant!"

"Me?! An uncivilized miscreant?!" His jaw swung open. "You stupid commoner!"

I hopped off my chair and planted my feet on the ground. The nerve of this guy!

"Excuse me?! I am neither stupid nor common."

"Ha! I beg to differ! You think you can talk this way to me."

"To you?" I laughed dryly. "Oh I'm sorry. Did I hurt your precious ego? I don't care who you are, you're a jerk. You come into my store, and act like you're some spoiled prince and I'm the dirt beneath your princely boot!" My calm was rapidly draining. "You think because you're hot and have fancy clothes that I'm somehow a lesser person than you, but let me tell you buddy, unlike you I don't have to go around acting all high and mighty just to inflate my fragile ego!

"Do you know who I am?!" he yelled, his eyes wide.

"No! And I wouldn't care even if you were the freaking crown prince! Anyone who acts the way you do is a waste of space, and you can take your," I paused, looking for words. "Y-your waste of space self and go waste some precious space somewhere else outside of my store!"

"Are you kicking me out!" he shrieked. "No one has ever treated me so abominably! Who do you think you are?!"

"My name is Cassandra Carmichael, and consider me the first person to stand up to an arrogant prick like you!" With that I ran from behind the counter and with a commanding finger pointed to the exit. "GET OUT!"

He blazed a trail to the door and flung it open, ready to storm out. However, as the door hung ajar, his rigid posture relaxed and he turned around for a moment. That beautiful, terrible man took off his dumb sunglasses and turned to stare at me. His gaze was different from before, no longer a disgusted inspection, but a curious look with soft eyes, as though he had stumbled upon a rare species.

Minutes before, I would have melted if he had stared at me like that. I would have made up countless imagination scenarios of how he was secretly in love with me and thought me special. Now I didn't turn into a pile of mushy goo, but I no longer felt like the big bad wolf, huffing and puffing and full of hate. He had rendered me surprised.

Speechless, the hot jerk finally turned around and walked out of the shop. I spun back to the counter and leaned my forearms on it, taking a deep breath.

"The nerve of that guy!" I muttered. The chime at the door twinkled again, and I whipped around to face the jerk for round two. Instead, it was a different man wearing a simple suit.

"Hello. I am looking for the best souvenirs you have. Might you assist me?" he asked, his accent similar to my previous, scoundrel of a customer. I shook my head, trying to clear my anger.

"Of course," I smiled. I walked over and helped the man purchase a small snow globe, some engraved coins, and my personal favorite souvenir, a soft, plush teddy bear waving the Embryian flag. He purchased the items without fanfare and left. As I watched him leave out of the big glass windows, I saw the gorgeous jerk walk up to my most recent customer. To my surprise, the customer gave jerk-face the bag of his recently purchased souvenirs!

Who is that guy, anyway?

The troublesome babe turned to give me one last look, and he sped off.