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even though Stu couldn’t see her. “No. I’m good. I’ll get a

cab.”

“Sorry, hon. You still good for waitressing tomorrow

night?”

“Yes. I’ll be there.”

“Take care, Cassia.”

“You too,” Cassia said, and hung up.

She felt a strange warmth in her belly that in no way should

be there. She actually liked Stu. He was frazzled at best, often

stressed. He’d lost most of his hair and his shiny, half-bald

head was at odds with the massive size of the rest of him. It

made his head look too small for his body, but he had a nice

smile, and he was a nice man in an industry where a lot of

people didn’t have to give a shit about that. He cared for each

person working for him, and that was a lot to do, given how

many employees there were.

A flash of black startled Cassia and she jerked her head up

as she tucked her phone back into her purse. Her lips parted

and the air punched out of her lungs as a woman—not just any

woman, but a breathtaking raven-haired beauty with perfectly

symmetrical features, huge eyes that were a shocking steel

hue, and full red lips—slid into the seat across from her.

“Uhh…” Cassia wanted to say something, something more

dignified, something that didn’t come out as a puff of air and a

hum at the end, but she was totally at a loss.

Because this woman… This wasn’t just any woman. She

could have been a supermodel. She was tall, elegant. Her black

dress hugged her ample curves, revealed just a hint of the tops

of her creamy breasts, and clung to a narrow waist and full

hips. Her black hair trailed down to her waist and was so sleek