Dark One- The Khiara Banning Series Book 1

Fifteen

When I arrive at work, I’m pleased when Cael tells me it’s been a slow day, and when he tells me that he’s found somebody to work part time when I need days off and for weekends.

“Her name’s Lisa,” he says. “She’s a friend’s daughter.”

I smile and think about where I’ve heard that name before. “Lisa Foster?”

Cael nods, “Yeah, she goes to your school. I guess you’ve met before? Her and her father moved here a couple of years back around the same time I did. I grew up with him and his daughter’s become kind of a niece to me.”

"Yeah, I’m supposed to help her with her French.”

He smiles warmly, “She’s a lovely girl. Lisa will be coming in today, actually. Maybe you can show her the ropes.”

I find myself grinning at the prospect of seeing her today, because she really was very sweet. “Maybe today I can help her with her French on my break, if she’s here.”

Cael claps his hands together, “Excellent idea. I’m sure she’ll be thrilled.” His messy hair falls into his face and without thinking I reach over and gently push it away. His electric blue eyes meet mine, then trail up and down my whole body and heat instantly rushes to every part of me as they leave a trail of goose bumps in their wake. 

“I should get to the cash,” I whisper. He nods, but his eyes hold a mischievous glint to them that matches his grin. “Yeah, you should, I suppose. Nobody is manning it. Luckily there are no customers.” Winking, he leans in close and kisses the tip of my nose, then walks away towards the kitchen.

“Oh,” comes a voice from behind me, “that was uhh, intense.”

I whip around, and Lisa is standing there with cheeks that are as red as roses. “Hi, uhh,” she says, “I see that you and my uncle are enjoying yourselves.”

It’s my turn to blush, but I can’t stop the dopey smile that’s plastered onto my face. “Hey. I’m supposed to show you how things are done around here. It’s really not so hard; I’ve only been working here since it opened.”

Her head bounces in a bubbly nod. “I can’t wait to get started.”

“Well then,” I say, “there’s no time like the present. How about we start now?”

Lisa almost bursts with palpable excitement.

~*~

In between training Lisa for a bit, which proves not to be difficult at all because she is a very fast learner and a natural with the customers, and helping her with her French on break, I fall fast in love with her quirky attitude. Even though she’s only thirteen, she acts so wise sometimes, and is composed when she has to be.

Cael is manning the cash while Lisa and I work on her French verbs, when I suddenly remember about the necklace that’s in my pocket. It’s been stored in the back of my mind since I got here, and I almost completely forgot about it – but now it begs for my attention. I reach into my pocket and as soon as my fingers touch it, it pulses with a strange heat. I look around the room. Thankfully, nothing freezes this time and I wonder if I’d been imagining it all along – but no. I know what I saw, even if it sounds insane.

I pull the necklace out of my pocket and look it over. The red ruby of the heart sparkles beautifully in the light of the café, and the brass wings that cradle it suddenly seem so frail compared to the beauty of the stone.

“Wow,” marvels Lisa. I look up to see her staring at the necklace with a look of complete awe. “Where did you get that?”

 I bite my lip. “Oh, it’s actually kind of a funny story.”