The Billionaire's Personal Shopper

Coffee with Owen

Running away from Mr. Blackwood is all I did lately. I was aware that it humored him, that he enjoyed watching me struggle mentally. He was so full of himself, so smug looking all the damn time. I wouldn't lie to myself and say that he was wrong. Deep down I did wonder about him sexually, but I'd never admit that to the man himself. I was pretty sure the world would end the minute I told him what he wanted to hear.

His scent lingered around me.

It drove me insane still being able to smell his fresh cologne. It made me glance over my shoulder and wonder about the man. He was so sure I'd run back to him. He knew about Lucas yet he was still so sure about me.

Did he think he figured me out as well?

That man was a financial genius but he wasn't a mind reader. I doubted he also figured me out by meeting me once or twice. Unlike me, he didn't have the advantage of accessing my personal life. This man knew nothing. He was just really good at intimidating people, getting inside their heads to get them to do his bidding. He was good at that. I kept walking, my feet hurt with the distance I traveled on my heels. I didn't want to bother Nick, I had no girlfriends to call or run to have the famous boy talk. All I could do was walk around town. That stupid man didn't even let me finish my coffee. I needed the caffeine to comfort me. Tea wouldn't do right now. I found a little place at the corner of the street, it was quite busy. I wouldn't be having an awkward conversation with devilish men so it didn't matter. I could drown out the voices and focus on getting much-needed caffeine in my body. When I placed my order the barista looked at me with kind eyes. She knew I wasn't having my day. She probably served tons of people who looked like their life got drained out of them. She drew a smiley face on my paper cup and handed it to me with the brightest smile I had ever seen. I couldn't help but leave a tip. I sat down in the back of the room, a small table for two which was a bit away from the people working behind their laptops.

The first sip felt like I drank a piece of heaven. It seriously helped calm me down. The caffeine kick is just what I needed right now.

"Hello."

The hesitant greeting tore me away from my cloud in heaven.

I flickered my eyes up, the tension leaving my shoulders when I saw a familiar voice. I greeted him with a small smile.

"Hello, Owen?"

A massive grin similar to the bright smile the barista had shown me spread across his face.

"That's right and you are Lucas' girl."

A soft giggle left my lips, "Well, I prefer to be called Nina."

He took a seat in the chair across me, looking quite at ease around me. He placed a tall paper cup before him on the table and leaned back in his chair. He didn't mind getting comfortable around me. He acted as if we had known each other for years. The air around him felt similar to Lucas' and that's what I needed right now. I was horrible, at this point, I more or less used my boyfriend to help me settle down emotionally whenever I faced Mr. Blackwood. He deserved better, yet I didn't want to let him go, knowing he could offer me a white picket fence life.

He could offer me what Mr. Blackwood never could.

"Never would have thought running into you like this, Nina."

He made it a point to say my name. He looked more rugged than Lucas, he more or less looked like the type of person who just didn't give a fuck about anything. He lived his life the way he wanted and he wouldn't let others pull him down. But the dark look around him also made him appear like the type of guy who punched people at bars when things got out of hand. Maybe he was a bit of both.