I Have an Invisible Stalker (Guardians #1)

Chapter 19

Samuel's POV

For the third time since we began walking, I look at my pocket watch, yet the minute head refuses to move. It leaves me with another hour and a half until I can move to my next charge.

Usually, I don't mind the six hours with Nick, but today isn't the case. Today instead of being productive, he is strolling down the street with his hands deep in his pockets. The slow pace makes it hard for me to remain by his side and not switch back to Olivia.

I shove the watch back inside my pocket just when Nick stops. The action is so unexpected that I almost bump into his back. I manage to catch myself in time though and prevent Nick from getting spooked by an unexplainable push.

What makes the sudden stop weirder is Nick's turn to the window of the building we stopped next to. He lifts his hand and looks like he's about to start fixing his disheveled hair, but then drops it back to his side before he can touch his hair. With a shake of his head, he turns away from the window and enters the building through the front door on his left. A high-pitched bell goes off the moment we enter and I freeze a step inside.

"Welcome," a familiar voice calls from behind the counter.

Before my eyes land on her, I already know who she is. The building Nick and I entered is the café where Olivia is now working as a waitress. I can't believe the coincidence, but then one look at the way Nick is glancing at Olivia tells me this might not be a chance run-in after all.

While Nick and I focus on Olivia, she remains busy preparing what looks like a cup of coffee, which is why she doesn't glance at either of us.

"It's you again."

Nick and I turn to the side to find the old hag, Ramona, walk from behind the counter and stop a couple of steps away from us. She lowers her thick glasses from the top of her head onto her eyes and takes another look at Nick.

"I'm right," she says. "You're the cop's son from yesterday, aren't you?"

Yesterday? I glance from the weird hag to Nick, who sinks his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans.

"You've got an impressive memory, ma'am," Nick says.

"Stop with the ma'am thing." She waves him off. "Ramona is more than fine. Tell me, is my coffee so good that you decided to come for two days in a row?"

Nick's eyes jump over to Olivia, who is still busy behind the counter, and then back to the old hag. "The coffee, yep." He clears his throat. "I'm here for the coffee."

"Coffee my ass." The old hag snorts and then motions for Nick to sit at one of the empty tables.

Nick sits at the same table where he and Olivia had their first date, except that this time he sits on the chair facing away from the wall. The moment he settles down I know why he chose the chair. From the new angle, he has a clear view of the counter and the person working behind it.

With a glare in Nick's direction, I take the empty chair at the table next to his and fold my arms in front of my chest. While my charge remains busy pretending not to be looking at Olivia, I continue to glare at him and wonder when he became interested in my charge. The last time I checked he was still wary of her because of the way she spoke to what he thought was herself during their date.

A minute later, Olivia finishes the drink she's preparing and takes it over to one of the tables. She maneuvers in between the chairs and the tables without a single misstep and then sets the tray down without as much as spilling a single drop. It makes her look like she's been working at this café for at least a month and not just three days.