Chapter 9

On Thursday, I was working on cleaning tables and readying for closing time. Ashton’s was empty, save for the cook at the back. It was late, and police officers had already come in to recharge their coffee intake of the night.

I was exhausted and ready to call it a day when someone walked into the deserted place.

I turned to greet the customer when I realized it was Graham, all by himself. He moved to take a booth and leaned over the table with both forearms, conquering half of the space. It was incredible how his mammoth silhouette could make the sizable booth look small and tight.

I closed my eyes for a brief second, swearing at Melissa for her big mouth before I reluctantly walked over to Graham. I didn’t have the energy to deal with him; a headache was pounding in my temple from exhaustion and stress. It was hard enough to juggle work, swimming practice, and school—now I had to add Graham St. Claire into the mix.

“Are you now my own personal stalker?” I asked him harshly the moment I was within earshot. I wanted him gone.

Graham’s expression softened when he saw me. He smiled at me like he was glad to see me. “Told you I never give up, Miller. Also, I want to learn more about you.” He was in a playful mood. I wondered why, then pushed my curiosity away.

I crossed my arms over my chest to signal complete animosity. “And now you decided to follow me to my workplace and taunt me here?”

“Taunt you?” he asked like the idea was ludicrous. “I’m a changed guy. I’m only here for the fries.” He smiled, and I pressed my lips hard. “And your company, of course.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, not trusting him.

“You can also tell me at what hour you get off and we can go and get something to eat. You can tell me all about your future plans,” he said casually but it felt anything but.

“No, I’m not going anywhere with you, but I can tell you about my future plans. They involve forgetting about Friday night and hoping you do too,” I said, the last few sparks of energy draining from my body.

Graham smiled. I couldn’t lie—he looked incredible when he did so. His smile made me want to stop for a second to enjoy and reciprocate it because it made me feel better and all warm inside. It felt like a reward, which was ridiculous because I didn’t even like him.

“Or you could bring me a coffee and something for yourself,” he added. “Then, you can sit here, and we can talk.”

“You are not dropping it,” I stated instead of asking.

“I’m a persistent guy.”

“I’m seeing it.” I exhaled, tired. I knew he would continue with this all night until I gave in. “If I agree to this, will you leave me alone?”

“No.”

I scowled. “If I sleep with you, will you leave me alone?” He probably saw me as hard to get and was enjoying the chase.

“As much as I want to fuck you until you can’t walk”—he stopped, and I had to swallow—“I won’t leave you alone.”

Oddly, I was flattered and confused.

He read the bemusement on my face.

“I mean it. I want to get to know you. Get me a coffee and something for you and sit here.” He patted the space next to him. Normally one bench was for two people, but given St. Claire was above average size, I didn’t believe I could fit next to him. Not unless I was willing to sit on his lap, and I ~definitely~ wasn’t.

I blinked back at him but didn’t fight him. I wasn’t prepared to fight tonight. Instead, I left him and poured a cup of black coffee and another cup with hot water, to which I added an herbal tea bag. I came back and sat in front of him. I cupped my tea with both palms.

“Will you be able to sleep after that?” I nodded to his black coffee.

“Caffeine doesn’t affect me,” he answered, taking a sip.

“Sucks,” I commented. “What will you do in college when you’re cramming for a test?”

Graham smirked at me. “There are other ways to keep me awake at night.”

I scrunched my nose at him. “Don’t you think about anything other than sex?”

Graham chuckled and it was a delicious sound that tingled my arms, causing the hairs on my arms and nape to stand on end. “I’m not the one thinking about sex all the time. Sex won’t help me with any cramming. I’m a light sleeper. Any sound, movement, or light wakes me up. That’s what I was talking about.”

I blushed, embarrassed. “I see.” I nodded slowly. “Well, that sucks too.”

Graham shrugged. “It comes in handy. Every single time someone tried to paint a dick on my forehead at a party after passing out, I woke up. No embarrassing photos of dicks on me.”

I fought back a chuckle but couldn’t help smiling. He had the best stories. “Good point.”

“What about you?”

“I don’t have embarrassing photos of dicks either.”

Graham laughed. The fact that I was the one who’d elicited that cackle made me feel special. I shouldn’t care about it. “Disappointing.”

I shrugged. When I wasn’t fighting him, it was nice to be in his presence. This was one of the reasons I avoided him. He could charm me and that scared me. I’d already done a stupid thing. I didn’t want another regret.

Despite that, I replied in earnest. “I’m a heavy sleeper. It takes me a while to fall asleep, so I need lavender tea before going to bed. Afterward, I swear a battle can go on outside my bedroom and I would be none the wiser.”

“You’re probably going to be one of those chicks who pulls all-nighters, cramming for exams, just to be too tired the next morning, and you’ll end up oversleeping and missing the test.”

“Hey, don’t jinx me!” I narrowed my eyes. “I’m sure I’ll need to study all night long in college but I can’t miss a test. I’d need to keep my GPA up.”

“Why? Scholarship?” He took another sip of his coffee.

“That’s the plan.”

“Any colleges in mind?”

“Yes, I want to go to Mountbatten University. It’s the closest one, so I wouldn’t have to pay for accommodations except for the first year. Also, they have good programs for biology and pre-med,” I began to ramble. “There’s a good chance I could get into a good medicine school like Harvard afterward.”

“You want to be a doctor.”

I nodded, feeling something inflating in my chest at the mention of my dream. “I do. I want to save lives.”

Graham looked satisfied but not impressed—as if he’d expected the answer.

I cleared my throat. “What about you? Of course, you are playing football in college.” I rolled my eyes.

“I already signed with Alta Bahia University.”

I was surprised by this piece of information. Alta Bahia was really good but not the best out there if you wanted leverage to play professionally. Seeing how Graham’s father was Dean St. Claire, a football legend, I’d thought Graham would pick another university. Maybe Graham didn’t feel the need to go to a superb university at all. His father’s influence could be enough to get him to the best teams out there.

“I thought you would like to go out of state,” I commented.

Graham shrugged. “There were a few proposals but, like you said, it’s close to home,” he answered calmly. “I wouldn’t be far away from Dad, and my mother lives a few hours away. In fact, once I move to Alta Bahia, she’ll be a few minutes away. I could visit her more often.”

“Your parents are separated?” I asked. Though his father was a legend, I didn’t read gossip. I didn’t know anything about Mr. St. Claire’s private life.

Graham nodded. “Yes. Since I was five. I don’t see her much…so if I went out of state, I’d probably never see her.” His face got somber. I realized talking about his mother was a sensitive topic. He looked away.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I offered, but it wasn’t enough. There was something in his eyes I couldn’t decipher. I almost reached for his hand to squeeze it but suppressed the urge. I decided to clear my throat instead and flee the place. “I think I better get back to work.”

“You have to?” he asked and there was a hint of desperation in his features, a desire for me to stay with him. It made me uncomfortable, but not in a bad way. I almost gave in.

“Yes,” I said softly, avoiding his gaze. “I have to start closing the place.”

I heard him exhale in disappointment. He seemed to do that a lot around me. “I’m guessing you won’t let me drive you home after closing.”

My heart stuttered at the thought. I blamed it on the vulnerability he showed a few seconds ago. Only because I was warming up to him again, I had to decline. I needed to keep the walls between us high. “Correct,” I said.

Graham threw a few bills on the table, more than enough to cover his coffee and tip. “Okay, then, Miller. Have a good night.” He rose from his seat and towered over me.

“You too.”

He narrowed his eyes mischievously. “I’m also sensing you won’t give me your phone number.”

“Correct. Wow, St. Claire, you’re on a roll tonight.” This managed to bring a reluctant smile to his face, and it made me feel much better.

“You could accept my follow request on IG and tell me when you get home safely,” he proposed.

“I actually declined it.”

He raised his brows but didn’t hesitate to take his phone out and send a new request. “There. Problem solved.”

I shook my head. “You seriously are relentless.”

“My best quality.” Graham smiled down at me, his gaze tracing my features before his lips pressed together, preventing himself from saying something. “I mean it. Text me when you get home.”

“Fine.” I rolled my eyes.

He nodded and left without another word.

I cleaned the tables, swept the floor, and arranged the tables before turning off the lights and locking up. The chef was already gone by the time I finished.

I walked home and when I arrived, the first thing I did was take out my phone and check Instagram. I accepted Graham’s request but didn’t follow him back. I shot him a brief message, informing him of my arrival.

He replied within seconds.

~Good. Have a good night, Miller.~

It took me a while to fall asleep. My body was awake and alive.

And though I tried not to care, my brain kept repeating, ~I’ll see him tomorrow~.