Page 22 of You Had Me at Chateau
‘What would you like to drink?’ he asks.
‘Coffee, please,’ I say, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. ‘A caramel latte, if they do them, if not then just anything sweet.’
‘Anything to eat?’ he asks, eyeing the pastry counter.
I hesitate for a split second before saying, ‘No, I’m good.’
He smiles knowingly.
‘I’ll bring something, just in case you fancy it,’ he tells me. ‘Back in a sec.’
I sit at a table, watching him as he goes to order our drinks. It’s like watching a celebrity on the red carpet. Everyone in here is staring at him because everyone knows who he is, whether they watchedWelcome to Singledomor not. The crowd parts around him as he strolls by, casually throwing charming smiles at the ladies and nods at the fellas, making sure that every single one of them feels seen and acknowledged by him. That’s nice, I guess, because there is nothing worse than meeting a celebrity you like, only to find out they’re a dick who doesn’t care about their fans. It’s cute, that he gives them that special encounter, one that they can go and tell their friends and family about. Cynically, I suppose it’s good for business too.
At the counter, the female barista looks like she’s about to faint, her eyes turning into love hearts as she practically drools into the cups. Yum!
Watching their body language, their movements, and their expressions, I can’t help but imagine their dialogue:
‘Oh my God, you’re Caleb Carney!’ she squeals.
‘Guilty as charged,’ Caleb replies with a wink – or something to that effect.
‘This is on the house,’ she insists – I can see that she’s refusing to take his money.
Caleb thanks her, picking up the tray and carrying it over to our table.
Oh, now I’m really intrigued. What on earth could this man want with me?
He sets down my coffee and a selection of sweet treats.
‘I wasn’t sure what you’d like the most, so I got a few options,’ he tells me. ‘A brownie, a blueberry muffin, and a big cookie.’
My God, look at that big cookie – it’s the size of a dinner plate and I want to take it down whole.
‘Wow. How much did all this cost?’ I ask, slowly moving the plate with the cookie in my direction. I’m curious what a selection like this would have set him back. Caleb smiles as he notices.
‘Nothing – they gave it to me,’ he says, shrugging like it’s no big deal.
‘Why would they do that?’ I can’t help but ask.
‘Since I was on TV, this sort of thing just happens,’ he explains casually.
I try to act unimpressed, but inside I’m seething with jealousy. Free cookies? Imagine.
‘So, it was you who sent me the flowers?’ I say, getting the conversation back on track.
‘Yes, it was,’ Caleb admits. ‘We’ve definitely established that. Did you like them?’
‘Obviously, I liked them. Anyone would,’ I reply. ‘They probably cost as much as my rent.’
‘I’m glad,’ he replies. ‘That you like them. Not the rent thing.’
I pull a face at him, bemused.
‘What’s wrong?’ he asks. ‘Don’t you like your cookie?’
‘It’s the best fucking cookie I’ve ever had in my life,’ I reply instantly. ‘I’m just wondering what’s going on, why I’m here, what you want from me. Because right now this seems really weird.’
‘Well, that’s probably because it is weird,’ Caleb admits. ‘I have a job offer for you.’
