You Distract Me - Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Shayne's POV
As soon as we found a table at the far end corner of the seventies-themed diner, the waitress came to get our order.
Her name was Gina, and she and my grandmother became besties as soon as we'd started coming here.
"Hey, Gina," I said.
"Shayne, are you on a date?" Gina said, landing her kind grey eyes on Olivia.
The glint in the sixty-something old woman's eyes told me she'd already assumed big things.
"Gina, we're not..."
She cut me short. "Although, I'm not complaining. She is very lovely."
I rolled my eyes and looked at Olivia sitting uncomfortably across from me.
Dammit! She looked so beautiful.
Her lustrous dark waves cascaded beautifully all around the oval shape of her face.
The deep blush on her smooth cheeks blossomed up her stunning makeup-less face.
And the genuine, sexy smile on her full and naked pink lips reached her amazing green eyes.
"Hi, sweetie. I'm Gina."
Olivia stretched out her slender hand for a handshake, and the older woman shook it eagerly.
"I'm Olivia," she said softly.
I seriously couldn't take my eyes off of her.
"What can I get you, Olivia?" Gina said, readying her pen and paper.
Olivia looked at me with a shy questioning look, as though she wanted me to decide for her.
"You can get whatever you want. We didn't come all this way just to talk our ears off of each other," I said, glad that the atmosphere between us was still level.
She slightly nodded her head and looked back at Gina.
"I'll have your special, thank you."
And Gina looked at me with a pointed look.
"Same," I said.
"Right away."
When she left, I found Olivia's eyes studying my head.
"Why did you cut off your hair?" she asked thoughtfully.
"Got tired of it. Why, you don't like it?"
Why the hell did I even care? What was wrong with me?
I was about to rephrase my sentence when she spoke up.
"No, it looks very attractive on you. It brings out your jawline nicely. I like it."
As soon as she said the words, a furious blush filled her face and neck.
"Well, I'm glad you like what you see," I said casually, so as not to make her more uncomfortable.
I knew that if it was anyone other than Olivia, I would have ignored the compliment with ease. But when it came to her, it meant so much more to know she found a part of me appealing.
"Why didn't you come with your grandmother?" she shyly said, pushing back a lock of hair behind her ear.
My mood immediately shifted when I thought of the answer to her question.
My grandmother had been diagnosed, a month ago, with lung cancer.
A rare check up at the hospital showed the clear images of a stage two cancerous tumor in and around her lungs.
We'd started chemo right away, but her oncologist warned that the treatment would take a toll on her.
It was either that or count the days I had left with her.
Not a chance.
Besides, she'd assured me that she could take it.
A week later, she'd passed out in her hospital bathroom, from the aggressive chemo.
I'd been assured that it was completely normal for such an occurrence.
But when I saw the evidence of the harsh treatment on her, I didn't have the strength to look at her in the eye. If it wasn't for me, she wouldn't have been miserable. All because I'd been selfish.
I hadn't seen her in almost a month. I instead focused on enlarging my company, and being successful along the way.
"I'm sorry, that's not my business," Olivia said, probably noticing the dark scowl that must have shadowed my face.
"You're right, it's not. Are you stupid?" I mercilessly snapped at her.
The look of sudden terror and hurt that crossed her face made my heart ache. And the way she moved as far away as possible from me in her seat made me flinch in regret and guilt.
Goddamit, I've frightened her. I've insulted her.
I was about to apologize when Gina brought our order, chocolate fudge served with Swiss banana loaf, plus a cup of hot vanilla scented coffee.
"Are you okay, sugar?" Gina said to a very scared looking Olivia. She forced a smile that didn't reach her eyes this time, the blush that was once on her face replaced with an alarmingly pale tone.
"I'm fine," Olivia simply said.
Gina looked between the both of us. Olivia stared out the window, while I looked at her stare out the window.
"If you say so. Shayne?"
I tore my gaze away from Olivia's trembling lips to look at Gina.
"Yes?"
"I visited Silvia last week. She misses her grandchild." Gina looked sad and sorry at the same time.
All I could manage was a curt nod in her direction before she hesitantly walked away.
After five minutes of eating in terrible silence, Olivia's phone rang in her purse.
I heard her sigh worriedly before placing the phone against her ear.
"Mother?"
I could clearly hear the familiar voice behind the phone.
"Have you gone insane, associating yourself with mischief?"
"Mom, what are you..."
"I had assumed you'd left with Christina, but soon enough, I found out that you left with that Shayne guy or girl whatever."
"Mom, it's not what you think?"
"Really, then I hope you'll enlighten me when I come pick you up in five minutes."
"What?"
Her phone clicked and she removed it from her ear.
She looked panic stricken as she bit on her lush bottom lip.
For heaven's sake, why would she attempt such a sinful act at such a time?
I just watched her as she stuffed the rest of the loaf in her mouth. I guessed it was something she usually did when she panicked.
What was the big deal? It wasn't like she'd get skinned alive by her own mother.
She soon stood up from her seat, just as I noticed, out of the window, a sleek looking Audi turning towards the cafe.
"Thank you for brunch, but I have to go," she said, so automatically and cool that I was forced to stand and face her.
"Oli..."
"No really, thanks, it was great." She wasn't smiling at all, not even a faked one.
She moved out of her seat and tried to walk past me, but I reached out and blocked her, causing her to collide into my arm with a startled gasp.
"Olivia."
"Of course, your jacket. Stupid me, right?"
She shook the jacket off and handed it to me, but I didn't take it. She just placed it on the table beside me.
She moved away from the reach of my hand and continued walking away from me.
No way.
I moved away from our once shared table, reached out for her right hand and stopped her progress.
She was still facing away from me when I heard the little bell at the entrance door.
"Olivia, you know I didn't mean to..."
Before I knew it, Olivia was yanked away from me, and a searing smack spread fire from my cheek to the rest of my face.
I turned back my head to my opponent, only to find Olivia's seething mother.
The hell! She just slapped me!
"First you try to turn us into road kill, and now you want to traffic my only child. Listen here, barbarian, if you so much as come within looking distance of my daughter, I will make sure you spend the rest of your life in a smelly prison with nothing to eat but live roaches and rats."
"Mom!" Olivia scolded.
"Shut up!"
Olivia immediately silenced.
Her mother grabbed her hand and led her away from me, leaving me standing there with a burning cheek and balled up fists.
I hoped to the heavens that for that woman's sake, I wouldn't see her face ever again.
No one hits me, no one.