Page 15 of Dirty Hearts

Better to get lost in my thoughts about things like this.

“Just try it and see. As for the property, I don’t know what to suggest. I still think it’s too far.”

“It’s not. It’s perfect. The river’s nearby. Just like this.” The river ran right along the edge of the restaurant and the park. The VIP section upstairs had an excellent view.

She quirked a brow at me. “If you were going for somewhere just like this, why didn’t you get somewhere closer?”

Claudius again.That was why.

When I first got the idea to expand, my accountant had checked things out as best as he could. There wasn’t a single property within a ten-mile radius that didn’t have some influence of sorts from Claudius. I didn’t think it was good for one man to have so much power. My reason for going as far as I was, was to avoid any kind of contact with him.

I thought the properties on the east side might be fine. They were beautiful and far, for sure, but perfect. The plan was to start the setup on that, and if I got the loan from the bank, then I could start planning for New York.

The office door opened, and Ariel, our restaurant manager, came in with a mischievous smile on her face. Her red hair sparkled as she passed the hanging light.

“You guys,” she bubbled, bringing her hands together.

“What happened?” Her stories were the best. Ariel had that outgoing personality, but she also happened to attract the bizarre.

Kelly twisted around to look at her.

“There is an uber hot guy here. Just booked the VIP lounge on the balcony and requested to see the owner.”

“What?” I wrinkled my nose.

“At least he’s uber hot.” Kelly laughed. “He could be uber ugly, then you’d have problems.”

“Why does he want to see me?” I ignored Kelly’s comment. These were the parts she got out off. Basically, the shit. Like when people wanted to complain. I had to deal with that. Complaints didn’t happen often, but I hated anything unpleasant.

Ariel chuckled. “It’s weird. He wants a peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich, and he has it on good authority that this place is the best at that.”

My blood froze in my veins the moment she said peanut butter. My blood froze, and my poor heart stilled.

Kelly started saying something, but I couldn’t hear her. Ariel spoke to me too as I stood up, and started laughing, but I didn’t hear her either.

There was only one person he could be, and I didn’t think my mind was screwing with me.

“Ava,” Kelly called to me, but I was already going through the door.

Curiosity propelled me, fueling my movements. I walked through the crowd, enveloped by the smooth jazz playing in the background.

My nerves spiked, and my head started spinning.

Peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich…

It was such a simple thing. But he knew I would come if he said that. He knew I would know it was him if he said that. The time for such trivial, youthful foolishness had passed.

He knew I’d want to see him though. No matter what he’d done to me.

I hated myself for that. For the way I always fell prey to him.

I took the stairs two at a time, steadying my heals against the groves in the wooden flooring. The night air graced my cheeks and caressed the bare skin of my arms as I stepped outside.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw him standing on the balcony, next to the booth.

His black coat billowed out against the wind like a cape as the wind swept it out and around him, and his hair…

I’d always liked that he wore his hair long. He’d cut it a little shorter though, so that it was just brushing his shoulders. When I’d known him before, it was down to the center of his back.