Chapter 52: Chapter 52

The sun was peeking from behind the clouds. At most, Van could say that her day was going to be a promising one except as she was beginning to look on the bright side of things Ashton or Ash as he likes to call himself walked into the café she was working at. Van didn't know his last name because she hadn’t bothered to ask and he in turn hadn’t supplied.

She swore if she had to hear him throw in one of his smartass remarks she'd dump the hot coffee she was going to serve him on his head.

Van had chosen to work for Baby and Rodrigo Martinez, the old couple who owned the little café– the only one in the small town–because it was that, it was little and is likely to draw minimal attention at most, plus it's the last place he'd think to look for her. What were the odds he'd find her in such a quaint little town as Roseville somewhere in Florida.

Thinking of Jake Calloway suddenly made her heart ache. Van had said her goodbyes, and hadn’t looked back since not even to ask whether he'd been discharged or if he was feeling any pain, Van knew that if she let her guard down with him again she wouldn't be able to get it back up again because he had the power to make her change her mind, he affected her so much.

Van needed a break from all the drama and taking off the way she had was the wisest decision she's ever made. Van walked mechanically towards Ash to serve his coffee the way he liked it; extra creamy and sweet with a smiley face, she knew that because for the past seven days he'd become a regular customer, he jokes with everyone and makes them laugh, not her though, Van did not find Ash, with his black hair and coffee brown eyes or his easy smile funny at all.

"Well you look charming this fine morning." he drawl.

"Don't start Ash unless you want me to throw you out like a sack of coffee beans."

"Ah you wound me Lemon tarts." Ash placed his hand above his heart in a dramatic heartbreak. "Besides my fans won't let you."

"Whatever drama queen." Why is she even talking to him? Van began to leave and just then he said something that completely threw her off guard.

"Now that i've had a closer look at you I think i've seen you before."

"No you haven’t." Van panicked, the last thing she needed is to have Jake know where she was and send someone to get her. "I've never been to Florida before now."

Ash seemed to ignore her comment as he pressed on, "do you have a family here in Roseville?"

"No, it's just me and my brother. Why?" but Ash narrowed his eyes at her as if to say she was lying and then he simply shook his head.

"Hmm." was all he said before he attacked his coffee and didn’t bother her for the remaining time she worked but his behaviour unsettled Van and even though she had a feeling he was hiding something she simply couldn’t imagine what.