The Beach House • JB

CHAPTER ONE

"Buenas noches, mi sol. . ."
(Goodnight, my sunshine)

Julian then slipped out of her bedroom and walked around the corner of the hallway toward his bedroom where his wife, Elaine, waited for his arrival in their king sized bed.

Just when he walked inside, the wide smile on Julian's lips had suddenly disappeared when he felt a tight pressure in his chest making him, on instinct, grab his chest and make Elaine gasp sharply and quickly remove herself from the bed.

"Julian?! I-I'm going to call 911, you'll be okay, baby. Hang in there, please!"

Yet it was too late, if only Julian could've given her a sign that the minute she went away from his side to her phone on the nightstand. . .Julian was dead.

And little did Winnie know, but that night would be the last night she ever heard a story from her Papa.

˚˚˚

17 YEARS LATER. . .

"Winnie, they need you at table four."

"Four, got it." Winnie breathed out as she noticed a curl from her messy bun fell onto her face making her move it as she grasped onto a pitcher full of water and made her way to the table.

As she approached the table, she got a wave through her body — a wave of annoyance. She realized they were the rich people that came into the restaurant every Monday and Friday.

Winnie never understood how people that were so rich and could buy anything in life could be so rude to other people around them.

They gave being born with a silver spoon in their mouth a whole new meaning.

As she approached the table with a wide — but fake as hell smile, she looked around at everyone, most of them looked about her age or maybe a year or two older.

"More water?"

"I'll just have some more iced tea. . .and you if you're on the menu, beautiful."

Winnie had to bite back her sly tongue, she couldn't lose this job. At least not right now, she had just invested money into her summer vacation and couldn't afford losing her job over some arrogant comment.

"No, I'm not on the menu, sir. Anybody else?"

"I'll take some."

Winnie didn't even recognize the deep and raspy voice that had spoken up until she made eye contact with him seeing he was very handsome.

He was dressed in a white button up shirt that had the first three buttons undone to show off his chest tattoos — same with the rolled up sleeves to show off his arm tattoos, he had on black slacks with some white Versace moccasins to match with gold logo trim to match the gold watch he had on his right wrist.

But his face was the most gorgeous, he looked like God himself took his time to make his face. From his beautiful hazel colored eyes that shined from the glisten of the sun to his thick — yet arched eyebrows to his perfectly plump pink lips, Winnie was mesmerized.

"Of course."

Winnie walked around everyone to give the mysterious handsome man his refill of water, he thanked her as she nodded and headed back to the front of the table.

Only to be stopped when she felt hands grab onto her ass making her gasp sharply and look to see it was the guy who made a comment earlier.

Winnie didn't know what came over her, but right on time, she threw the pitch of water onto the guy making everyone at the table, even him, look in awe with their mouths open.