Page 6 of Yours, Forever

"I don't mind. I get it." I organized the chocolate bars we kept by the till. "I had to write grants to get this place started and it's a whole culture on its own, how to write them correctly."

Ale bent close to me, her voice low in my ear. "Act casual, but look out the window in a sec. There's a guy standing there, staring inside."

I frowned. Ale's words didn't make complete sense. A guy standing outside, looking in? That wasn't a common occurrence around rEvalution, or in Laguna Island at large.

I pretended the chocolate bars needed more care than they did, and resisted the urge to inspect the man right away. "What is he doing?"

"Studying the place. Oh! And he's looking at you."

"Someone from out of town, I take it?"

"Yeah. Full three-piece suit and all. Maybe he's lost. Ran out of battery on his phone or something."

If he was lost, approaching a coffee shop made sense.

I straightened and faced my patrons, rather than the unidentified man outside.

Ale elbowed me. "Eva… he's hot, and looking at you like you have all the answers."

A chill ran down my spine—a premonition. Never mind that I had never had one of those before.

I finally turned and froze on the spot. Random Guy from Vegas gazed at me, unwavering.

Time slowed down. My body stilled. Even my synapsis appeared to stop firing. What the hell? What was he doing here?

A cheeky smile took over his mouth.Hello, he mouthed. It triggered the first full reaction to his presence I could pinpoint; my heart took on a full gallop.

He opened the door and came in with movements that broadcasted confidence, holding my eyes captive every step of the way.

He stood in front of Ale and I, on the other side of the counter, hands in his pockets. Casual and secure in himself. Sparkly eyes that would not let go of mine.

"There you are." His voice, just like the memory of it in my head, demanded attention. "I've been looking for you, Eva."

I lifted a fisted hand to my heart. How did he know my name? He didn't know it that morning in the hotel. Had he remembered? But, most of all…

"What are you doing here?" I had hoped my voice would sound self-assured, but it echoed breathless in my ears.

His grin turned brazen. "I finally found you. I didn't want to come into the shop until you saw me."

My heart beat faster. Louder.

"Oh my god!" Ale's exclamation resounded with as much shock as it coursed through the circuitry of my nerves. "Is this… Vegas?"

I'd told her what I could remember of that wild night; it made sense that she had put it together. Still, I ignored her comment. I could barely handle the man standing in front of us, and with everyone in the shop staring at Random Guy and me…

"I am much more than that." He released my eyes for once, and stared at my friend next to me. He pushed a hand toward Ale. "Hi. I'm Maximiliano Errázuriz, and I'm Eva's—"

Not having him locking eyes with me freed me, and I jumped into action.

I put my hand between theirs before they could shake hello. "No. Listen… Maximiliano—"

"Call me Max." He placed his hands on the counter and leaned forward, eyes inspecting my face. Still sparkling, still with a cheeky curl to his lips.

I ignored the intensity of his sight. "Max. I don't know why you're here, and to be frank it's unsettling that you showed up like this—"

"Unsettling?" He shook his head, and I would have thought the gesture charming, if the spark in his eyes hadn't betrayed a hint of mischief. "I suppose it makes sense, but I am here with a purpose."

"Which is?"