Hired To Love

Chapter Three

"You're too cute for your own good. I'd be afraid of you getting harassed. And besides, I'm returning the money."

She handed me the receipt again. "Why? That would really help you out, Henley."

"Yeah, but it's not right. He was really drunk."

"So? Drunk and rich. I doubt someone like him would even notice they were missing ten grand. Ah, it's annoying to even think about. You should just keep it," she advised, poking at the finished braid.

I slapped her hand away. "You'll mess it up. And I'm not keeping it. It feels weird." Besides, the note had said the tip was an advance. An advance for what, I didn't know, but an advance was something you had to pay back and I'd rather just avoid the whole thing altogether.

Ariana turned to me, her brown eyes taking on a serious edge. "All honest heart aside, you should at least keep it for emergency money. What if something happens to you or your brother or your apartment? How much do you have saved up on your own?"

Not enough was the answer to that. And as much as I did want to keep the money for extremities, I couldn't bring myself to do it. It just didn't feel right. Taking money from drunken people was like taking candy from a baby. "I just can't keep this money. I'd feel gross. I'm giving it back."

Resigned, she sighed lightly. "I know. I'd probably do the same in the end. It kinda sucks though. Ten grand to the rich is nothing. Ten grand to us is everything."

"Hey, at least we appreciate each dollar more than them," I responded brightly.

"Mmm," she responded, trailing off and gazing out the door. Then her eyes widened and she turned back to me. "Oh my god." She pointed toward the door. "It's... Callow... Look!"

Just as the door jingled, signaling the arrival of a customer, I pivoted to see none other than Bennett Calloway coming through the doors. I felt like I could spot that confident gait and that trussed up hair from a mile away.

I stood rooted to my spot in front of the counter. What in the world was he doing here?

"Henley," he greeted me, a handsome smile on his face.

I wasn't sure if I was more weirded out by the fact that he was here, or that he remembered my name. I glanced at the young man he'd come in with and realized it was the same guy Bennett had been with at the restaurant a week prior. What was his name again? Bates? Bastion? Like from The Little Mermaid? "Uhh, crab?" I said aloud, eyeing the light-haired man.

His expression became confused and Bennett quickly put a hand to his mouth, disguising his laugh as a cough.

Realizing what I said, I felt my face warm up. "Wait, sorry! I didn't mean to say that. I meant to say Sebastian. I was just thinking of The Little Mermaid."

"It's okay," Sebastian said, smiling a little bit. "I'm pleased that you remembered my name, actually."

Was it weird that I remembered his name? Probably. I was just as strange as Bennett now. "I haven't met a Sebastian before, that's why," I covered.

Bennett smirked. "Have you met a Bennett before?"

"Most likely," I answered, his smug look annoying me.

He immediately dropped it and folded his arms over his chest. After brooding for about point-five seconds, he glanced around the shop, now seemingly interested in it. I followed him with my eyes as he walked over to the painted mural on the wall, then to one of the wooden tables, and then finally to the marble counter. Ariana stood behind it, near the register. She shot a bewildered look at me and I gave a slight shake to my head as if to say I have no idea what's happening.