The Bar

8 - Carter

8

….

Carter

It was silly, Carter thought, women were a significant part of his life but this one girl stood out awkwardly. It was getting slightly insane, there was no escape to the thoughts he was having about her. Being slightly older than his brother, you could say he had his share of women at the age his brother was.

“Sir, the accountant is here” One of the waiters walked into his office and smiled.

“Excellent, let him in” Carter told the waiter.

“Yes, sir”

Carter played around with the snow globe at his table, he was wondering, if he should expand the restaurant to a new location or should this be the only joint. He still remembered the time his father had given him the initial investment to start up his own restaurant and with his kind if business sense; he knew the hotel would do well.

“Carter Bane” the accountant entered the room and shook hands with Carter.

“Hi, how are doing?” Carter asked politely.

“Much better” he smiled.

“Well, the reason I called you today was to ask you, how is the hotel doing?”

“It’s really good, I mean I’ve never seen a business boom so fast. Your father would be proud of you; the staffs excellent, the customers have been flowing in regularly, during the weekends we are always booked and so on and to add to it all this year your total profit has been two hundred thousand dollars!”

“Wow” Carter leaned back in his smooth leather chair and looked away, overwhelmed with his success.

“It’s enough money to start a new branch” the accountant joked.

“You’re kidding? That’s exactly what I want to do, is it possible?”

“Of course it is! We just have to book a real estate agent and work it through and I’m sure your new restaurant will be up and working in no time, even with the tax payments and the new staff!”

“I’m so happy Liam!” Carter got off his seat and shook hands with his accountant. “Your one great man, I’m so happy we are working together” he nodded.

“Same goes to you Carter, you’re one of the youngest entrepreneur who is so good at what he does, I’m glad your father hired me to help you out with the business but in reality, I just did your taxes and you handled everything by yourself.”

“Thank you” Carter smiled happily, “I hope to see you tonight” he shook his hand one more time and showed him the way out.

There was a reason to celebrate, a reason to be joyful a real reason to feel on cloud nine. Sure he could treat his parents and brother but he wanted to take someone special out.

He got back to his chair and closed his eyes and leaned into it. He thought of the one woman he wanted to see right now. He imagined her beautiful long brown hair that touched his fingers, while he held her waist. He could suddenly visualize everything in slow motion, her head settling into his neck and that sweet smell that radiated from hers. Her body slowly falling into his and their chest touching each other’s as his heart finally felt fulfilled.

It was a miracle he felt so strongly about her in just the second meeting. All he wanted to do is stand under her building and wait for her to show up so he could ask her out. Wouldn’t that be such a romantic thing to do?

“Cathy” he whispered and opened his eyes.

Carter got up and opened his offices door to leave when the waiter was about to knock his chest, instead of the door.

“Yes?” Carter suddenly stopped.

“Sir, I was wondering if you needed anything” the waiter asked.

“Actually I do, I need to meet the manager.” he told him and the waiter nodded, “Right away.”

It was weird, Carter thought, ever since the manager of this restaurant had changed he had never met him. It was his bad, that he never made an attempt to check him out but he trusted the old manager to employee the right person in place of him.

Carter went back into his office and waited patiently.

With every second passing by, he doubted that showing up under a girls building, when he barely knew her, would seem so… desperate.

“Sir?” a feminine voice asked, as she opened the door and smiled.

“Hi” Carter straightened his position, wondering who she was, “Please have a seat” he told her.

“Thank you so much, I’m so glad to finally meet my boss” she blushed slightly, like she was flustered. It happened a lot to Carter.

“Oh, are you the new waitress?” he was confused why would she come meet him, it was the manager’s job to handle new staff.

“No” she seemed offended; “I’m the manager” she shot out.

“Oh my god, I am so sorry! I really didn’t expect old Sam to employee a woman as a manager, not that women can’t do an excellent job, it’s just that he was slightly gender biased that’s all”

“Well it’s not your fault, I know Sam was like that, but he said he had never seen a woman this talented in handling the restaurant business and customers so well, he saw me fit and so he made me the manager” she smiled.

“Well, that calls for a celebration. After all I’m sitting in front of such a talented woman!” Carter was shocked. He quickly called for the waiter and asked him to get the champagne bottle.

He poured three glasses; one for the new manager, one for himself and the third one was the waiter. Carter never bothered about business hierarchies and positions much.

“To?” he waited to know her name.

“Mina” she smiled.

“To Mina” he cheered! And all three of them sipped their drink.

After the celebration was over, Carter got straight to business. “Mina, I wanted to tell you some exciting news, the restaurant has been doing amazing and I’m planning to extend and open a new branch soon. How would you like to be the manager of this entire branch while I get busy with the new branch?” he could already look at the blonde girl’s eyes screaming with joy.

“It would be perfect” she sighed happily, holding her excitement together.

“Wonderful” Carter leaned back again and smiled, “So I guess I would see you tomorrow, hoping you would help me pick out the new staff for the other branch”

“Of course sir! I hope you have a great night! I know I will” she laughed and Carter couldn’t agree more.

“I hope so too” he got up and watched her leave.

After she was gone, he slumped down in his chair, slightly disappointed with his crazy decision he had made in his mind while he spoke to Mina. He had decided he wouldn’t do a nutty job and stand outside Cathy’s building, like a desperate bongo. He decided, he would just let faith decide if they would meet again or not, or maybe he would just get regular at visiting The Bar, just in case destiny wasn’t on his side.

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next chapter soon, don't worry