Sleeping With The CEO
Chapter 140: Going Nowhere

Chapter 140: Going Nowhere

Derek Haven was a man of logic. He was not one to believe in things like spells and magic. But this time he was starting to believe that there might have been some truth in all of that superstitious stuff. There had to be some sort of spell over Bee’s Diner.

That was the only thing that made sense.

When he had walked into the diner, his intent had been clear. Get in, apologize. If she accepts, great. If not, then he would see what to do. But so long as she knew that he was not some pervert, he would be able to live with himself.

But that was not what ended up happening at all.

For once, he had walked into the diner and things had aligned in his favour, in that he found Emily on her own. That was it. That was the chance that he had been waiting for. All he had to do was apologise. But the moment that he opened his mouth, the words that came out completely betrayed him. There was no apology in sight.

"May I trouble you for some tea and muffins? He found himself saying, instead of getting straight to the point, and apologizing for the misunderstanding that they’d had the last time they had seen each other.

Derek felt a smile stretch over his face all the while his internal self was screaming. What are you doing? Apologize! Explain! That is what we came to do. And as he stood there smiling like an idiot, Derek was waiting for her to attack him for having such audacity to just walk in and make an order, like things were just dandy between the two of them.

But it seemed that whatever it was that had Derek in its grip the moment he walked into the diner, it also had Emily in its clutches as well. Rather than attack him like he was certain that she was going to do, she smiled too.

Leaning slightly against the counter behind her as she looked at him. "Of course, sir, take a seat and I will bring out your usual. Tea and muffins, right?" He nodded and she continued to smile at him before turning back and heading towards the kitchen.

It felt as though the two of them were not in charge of their own actions, as though there was some puppet master high above them pulling the strings, and no matter what they wanted to do, they could only move in ways that the puppet master allowed and never do anything of their own free will.

It was enraging and it was also very scary. But still, caught in the trap that was Bee’s Diner, Derek made his way to a table by the corner, and then he sat down waiting.

A few minutes later she came back with his order and placed it in front of him. But by then the chance to talk was greatly diminished. Derek was no longer the only customer in the diner. There was someone else. And right after placing his meal in front of him, Emily went to help out that customer.

No longer focusing all of her attention on him. Forcing his eyes not to follow her like some sort of stalker, Derek looked down at his meal. It did not look appetizing in the least. He was so nervous that his stomach was in knots, but he still found himself picking up a muffin, and taking a bite. Then he washed it down with the tea.

Slowly but surely he made a dent in the food, not because he was particularly hungry or because it tasted good, but it was a way for him to pass the time while he waited for Emily to be done with the customer that she was serving.

Halfway through the meal he gave up on all thoughts of even finishing the food.

Instead he started playing with it, something that a younger him would have been reprimanded for. But in that moment Derek did not care. He tore the remaining muffins to bits, lining the pieces up on the plate, and then he swirled the tea that was left in his cup, making a mini whirlpool that instantly stilled when he put the cup down.

The longer he stayed with Emily busy serving someone else, the more Derek wanted to just get up and head out the door. That unfortunate case of cowardice that he had developed threatening to come back full force. But each time the feeling arose, he pushed it down. He had come to apologize and explain. He had already begun the journey.

He might as well finish it.

But it seemed as though the current customer that Emily was serving had opened up the floodgates. The man had barely been gone a few seconds with Emily having just enough time to clear up his spot when the door opened again, signalling the arrival of more customers. And when those left, more came in, and just when Derek thought that the final couple that left would be the last ones that Emily would serve during her shift, the door jingled one more time, and his worst nightmare came to be. The police were back, and as was usual in the times that Derek had been at the diner, it wasn’t just one police officer or two.

Looking up Derek counted six heads and his heart sank. It was going to be a very long time before Emily was finally able to be free enough for them to talk. The last time such a thing had happened Derek had not hesitated. He had taken the opportunity to run, all the while telling himself that he was doing the right thing, not burdening Emily. But this time he held himself back. He watched the officers file in, and he said nothing, he did nothing.

Focusing only on his breathing and on making sure that he stayed rooted to the spot. He would not be leaving, he would not be running away. This was going to be settled and it was going to be settled that very day. No more excuses. And so Derek stayed and he watched.

The police gave various orders, wanting their meals to be made to their specific likings.

Some of them calling her sugar, others sweetheart, the little terms of endearment making him curl his loose hands into fists, flashes of rage going through him. They were talking to her as though they were addressing property and he did not like it. But that was the way it was. He had seen worse in the upscale restaurants that he often frequented.

But it bothered him that Emily had to endure it. And it sickened him even more to realize that she thought he was just like those men. He was not. And if he ran, she would always have that opinion of him. He had to correct that. And he was going to do it that day.

And so, with Emily so busy she could not even look his way. Derek took out his phone and decided to use it to pass the time. No matter how long it took, he would wait.