Across Eternity (4 page)

The moment Rachael had the opportunity to get to Amber she hooked her arm
through Amber’s, spun her around, and pulled her into a nook beside the
entrance of the kitchen. She leaned in and whispered.
"Ooh-la-la."

"Tell me about it," Amber said as she fanned her face with her
hand and pulled at the collar of her shirt. "I feel like I’m on
fire."

Rachael’s eyes sparkled as she rubbed her hands together briskly.
"I’d love to just eat that man up."

"Rach."
Amber smacked her
friend’s arm playfully as her jaw dropped in disbelief. "I
can’t believe you just said that." She rolled her eyes. "Who
am I fooling? That’s totally something you’d—"

"It’s the truth," she interrupted. Then with a wink and a
cluck of her tongue she added. "I’d also like a side order
of—"

"Stop.
You’re shameless."

"Shameless, are you kidding me the man is gorgeous. Not to mention
sexy as hell."

Amber approved her friend’s opinion with a long sigh. "He is,
isn’t he?"

Rachael snickered and then resumed a serious face before looking over her
shoulder to make sure the coast was still clear. "Fill me in. And
don’t you dare leave anything out."

Amber reached out and squeezed Rachael’s arm excitedly.
"I’m not sure where to start."

"I would prefer you start at the beginning. You guy’s looked so
into each other," Rachael said with excited enthusiasm that matched her
friends. "And by the way, how did you get him? He was at one of my
tables."

"A stroke of good fortune," Amber said as she arched a brow.
"I guess."

"No shit, it’s a stroke of good fortune." She shook her
head. "I didn’t even see him come in. And the hostess didn’t
tell me I had someone at my table. It was like he just appeared. By the time I
noticed him you were already taking his order." Rachael pressed her lips
together firmly and then nodded. "I think fate had a huge hand in it,
too."

"Yes, fate," she repeated quietly. It was odd at how well that
seemed to fit their situation.

"Now, tell me what the heck happened over there."

Amber expelled another long sigh as she mentally relived the encounter.
"It was amazing. He was amazing." She shook her head and smiled so
big it almost hurt. "My head is still reeling. I don’t know if I
can explain it or put it into words but I had this instantaneous sense that I
knew him. Then when we started talking that’s all it took." She
raised both hands and looked heavenward. "I was lost in him."

"He looked like he was just as lost in you." Rachael’s
long, brown ponytail bounced around wildly as she spoke. "I’ve
never seen a man look at a woman the way he was looking at you." Her hand
fell against her heart. "Seriously, I’d kill to have a man look at
me like that."

God, she felt like a teenager again. Actually, Amber couldn’t remember
ever feeling like this, not even when she was a teen. "So, I wasn’t
the only one who noticed?"

"Are you kidding, half the room noticed." Rachael pulled her in
close and spoke under her breath. "You are the envy of every single woman
in here. Trust me I heard some of their comments."

Amber batted her lashes comically. "Now did you?"

"I sure did. I wasn’t the only woman in the room that wanted to
eat him up. And if you hadn’t of been so mesmerized by him you would have
seen some of their looks."

"Could they have killed?" Amber asked with a wicked grin.

"Girl, you would have been dead."

"It’s crazy but we had this connection that I’ve never
felt before" She sighed again simply because she couldn’t control
herself. "It was extraordinary and romantic. It was new but old. It
was… Rach, why are you looking at me like that? I know I sound like a
lovesick puppy but it’s true. It was like we were old friends, old
lovers—what? Stop looking at me like that. You said you wanted me to tell
you everything. Well this is it."

"You don’t know who he is, do you?"

Amber lifted her shoulders. "He said his name was Logan
Richards."

Rachael’s head cocked to the side like she was about to reveal something
big. "And do you know who Mr. Richards is?"

"No, should I? Is he famous?" Her heart began to flutter as her
insides shook. "He looks like he could be. Maybe that’s why he
seems so familiar to me."

"He’s not movie star famous. He’s entrepreneur famous."

"Yes, he said he was a businessman but I don’t understand how I
should know him."

"He is the owner of this restaurant."

"What?" Amber snapped out as she drew back in surprise.

Rachael grinned as she continued.
"Along with
several others in town.
I think he owns a handful of businesses
overseas, too. Though I’m not really sure what they are. I’ve just
heard he’s a big-wig around town but he doesn’t roll with the
social circle."

"He owns
The Pavilion
," Amber said in utter disbelief.
"Are you sure?"

"I’m positive. In the three years I’ve worked here
I’ve only seen him once. He keeps a low profile and doesn’t come in
here much. Besides, after Mr. Hendricks left your table, he made a mad dash
back to the kitchen to tell the chef that the owner was in the house."

Amber felt anger and betrayal start to rise as all the information Rachael
was giving her sank in. No wonder why Mr. Hendricks was so indulgent. Jesus,
she must have looked like a fool. Stepping back, she bumped into the wall.
Crossing her arms over her chest protectively, she began shaking her head.
"I can’t believe this."

"Believe it."

"No, he can’t be the owner. He would have told me." He had
shared so much of himself with her he surely would have shared that too.
Lifting her eyes she focused on Rachael. "You’re mistaken."

Rachael lowered her voice even more. "Go ask Mr. Hendricks if you
don’t believe me." She took her friend by the shoulders and
squeezed gently. "What’s the matter? So, he didn’t tell you.
That’s no big deal."

"The hell it isn’t."

"Maybe he thought you knew."

She shook her head. "No, he knew I didn’t know."

"Calm down." She touched her friend’s cheek.
"Sweetie, why are you getting so upset?"

"I don’t like men who play games."

"Amber, I think you’re overreacting. Besides, I don’t think
he’s the kind of man who plays games."

"It sure feels like he was playing one," Amber said truthfully.

"I saw the way he was looking at you. There was no way he was playing
you. I know a player when I see one. And he’s not one."

"Then why didn’t he tell me?"

"I’m not sure. But before you get pissed I think you should give
him the benefit of the doubt."

Amber looked down at her watch. "There’s only thirty minutes
left before closing. Could you cover for me?"

"Of course I will. What are you going to do?"

"I’m going to find the son of a bitch and give him a piece of my
mind."

"Well, I guess you jumped right to the pissed part."

"What do you want me to do, Rach?"

"I don’t know," she said honestly. "Maybe give him a
chance to explain himself." She saw Amber’s expression.
"Okay, kick his ass if he’s playing you." She held up a
finger. "However, if he’s not, and I’d like to state for the
record that I don’t think he is, you need to take that man to bed."

"Nice advice, thank you," Amber replied bitterly.

She waved her friend on. "Just go find him and try to work it
out."

Amber took off her apron and handed it to Rachael. "Thank you. I owe
you one."

"What you owe me is a detailed report tomorrow, especially, if you
take him to bed."

Amber was shaking her head at Rachael’s last comment as she made her
way to the door. The night was cool as she stepped out into it. The coastal
breeze gathered her short, black hair and tossed it around her face as she
looked up and down the dimly lit sidewalk, which was littered sparsely with
people. She wasn’t sure which way she should go but she knew there was a
large parking area to the left so that’s the way she headed.

It wasn’t but a couple of minutes of her power walking when she saw
him. He was walking casually with his hands in his pockets, his head dropped.
"Is that how you check up on your employees," she shouted at his
back.

Logan stiffened momentarily before he slowly turned toward her.

Her emotions instantly surfaced when she saw his face. It was an awkward
mix, with anger being the predominant reaction. "What was that back
there?" Her hand shot out in the direction of the restaurant. "Was
that some kind of test to see if I would come on to the customers? Is that your
sick way of checking up on your employees? If it was, it was bullshit."

His eyebrows grew heavy in confusion as she approached. "I
wasn’t testing you or checking up on you," he spoke in a calm tone.
"I don’t do that to any of my employees nor would I do it to
you."

"Then what the hell were you doing," she asked as she stopped a
few feet before him. "What kind of game are you playing?"

"I’m not playing a game."

Her face turned into a scowl and her eyes narrowed in anger when she thought
about all they had shared. In less than an hour, they’d shared not only
an immediate attraction, but also intimate parts of themselves. Not many people
could be that unreserved unless they were experiencing a profound connection.
Sadly, their profound connection had been nothing more than a
farce—nothing more than a test.

"I’m not playing a game," he repeated when she
didn’t respond.

"Why do you find it necessary to lie to me?"

"I never lied to you." Abruptly, his voice turned low and his
expression softened. "I could never lie to you."

"Bullshit."

Logan’s face whitened and he didn’t say a word. He
couldn’t.

She poked a finger at him, her voice holding both warning and resentment.
"I don’t like being suckered into intimate conversation under false
pretenses."

"I gave you no false pretense," he shot back as anger found its
way into his voice.

"Stop lying."

"I’m not lying," he said just as fiercely as she.
"If you’d calm down you might see that."

"Don’t tell me to calm down."

"There is no reason for you to be upset," he said seriously.

"Oh, please. Get the sincerity out of your voice Logan. It might have
worked before but I’m on to you now."

"I have no idea what you’re talking about."

"I don’t know what kind of woman you think I am but you’ve
got me all wrong." She didn’t bat an eye at the couple that walked
past them, hand in hand, openly staring. She was honed in on him and nothing
was going to distract her. She was going to give him a piece of her mind and no
one was going to interrupt her. "I have standards and just because you’re
rich and good looking doesn’t mean—"

He raised his hands, "Stop. For one God damn minute stop."

"I don’t want to stop," she shouted.

"I think you better before you say something you can’t take
back," his voice held a tight edge.

"Trust me I won’t be taking anything back."

"Amber—"

"And to think I thought you were different. I thought you stood out
from the rest." She shook her head in disgust as she looked into the
wind. "What was I thinking?
A connection my ass."

He winced. "Don’t say that."

"Do you know I wanted to…
"

"To what?"
For a moment he felt
desperation take hold when she remained quiet. "Please finish the
sentence."

Amber shook her head. "It doesn’t matter now."

He closed his eyes briefly, drawing in a steady, deep breath. He needed to
hear what she was going to say. "Please finish the sentence."

"I wanted to beg you to stay?" She said miserably. "When
you walked away it felt like you were taking a piece of me with you."

He wanted to pull her in his arms and breathe a sigh of relief. "You
felt that?"

She turned her head to him. "You mean you didn’t?"

"Of course I did," he said earnestly.

"My biggest fear was I’d never see you again…not—not
that you owned the place." She shook her head as if she still
couldn’t believe it. "You own
The Pavilion
," she said under
her breath.

Glancing at the row of storefronts, he dropped his head as he gathered his
thoughts. He moved his hand to the back of his neck, kneading the tight muscles
as he looked up at her. "This is not how I intended this to work. It
wasn’t supposed to be like this."

"What, I figured out who you were too soon?" Anger found its way
back into her voice. "You thought you could string me along a little
longer?"

"You’re interpreting it all wrong. I swear to you
it’s
not—"

"You didn’t tell me who you are," she pointed out
unsympathetically.

"I gave you my name."

"Knowing damn well I wouldn’t recognize it." Her hand
found its way into her hair, pulling it aside to keep it out of her eyes.
"You are my boss. Why didn’t you tell me that you are my
boss?"

"It’s not relevant."

"Damn it, Logan. It’s relevant to me." Her eyes narrowed.
"I must have looked like a fool. I was so worried about blowing it in
front of Mr. Hendricks and you’re, you’re—"

"And I was enjoying my time with you."

She shook her head sadly as her anger turned to misery. "I sat there
for almost an hour telling you about me when you didn’t even want to
know."

His entire disposition turned serious. "I want to know everything
about you. Don’t ever doubt that."

Her hands fell to her sides. How could she argue when he looked at her like
that? "Am I fired?"

"What?
No, of course not."
He let out
an exasperated breath. "Why are you so angry with me?"