The day after the storm, Elena arrived at the café a little earlier than usual, feeling the weight of a restless night. She had barely slept, her mind spinning with thoughts of the mysterious man from yesterday. She'd tried to push him out of her mind after all, he was just another customer but something about him lingered. His eyes, his voice, the way he seemed to command the room without even trying. It wasn't like anyone she'd met before.
But as soon as the door chimed that morning, she forced herself to focus. The café wasn't going to run itself.
As she stepped behind the counter, she was greeted by Sarah, her overly enthusiastic coworker, who was already rushing around with a steaming cup of coffee.
"Elena! Did you hear? The CEO of Blackwood Tech is in town. You know, Damien Blackwood?" Sarah's voice was practically a squeal. "I heard he's coming to the café today. He's the billionaire tech mogul, like, the tech mogul. Everyone's been talking about him."
Elena paused, her hand hovering over the milk frother. "Damien Blackwood? Never heard of him."
"Oh, come on!" Sarah waved her off. "He's only one of the richest men in the world. All those startups and gadgets? His company, Blackwood Tech, practically runs Silicon Valley. He's an enigma—always in the press, but somehow never really seen. People say he's all about business, no time for anything else."
Elena couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Sounds like a real charmer."
Sarah grinned. "You have no idea. He's a total mystery, but he's known to make major deals over coffee. And guess what? He's coming in today."
Elena's stomach tightened. Damien Blackwood, she thought. The name echoed in her head. The same man who had walked into the café drenched the day before—the one who had locked eyes with her in a way that made her feel as though he was seeing right through her.
Her thoughts were interrupted as the bell above the door chimed again, signaling another arrival. Elena glanced up—and there he was.
Damien Blackwood.
His presence was immediately felt, as if the entire room shifted when he stepped inside. The storm from the previous day had passed, but it seemed like the air around him was still thick with an electric tension. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored navy suit, his hair still slightly damp from the drizzle outside. His eyes scanned the room as he entered, his gaze sweeping over the tables before locking on the counter.
There was no mistake now. He was even more imposing in person than she'd imagined.
She swallowed hard and quickly went back to her work, pretending to be too busy to acknowledge him. But the truth was, her pulse quickened. The room seemed to narrow, and the noise of the other customers faded into a distant hum.
"Two vanilla lattes, Elena," Sarah called out, glancing over her shoulder with a mischievous grin. "You know who that is, right?"
Elena sighed, trying to act casual. "I'm sure I've heard the name."
Sarah's grin widened. "He's a regular here. Must've been a long time since you've been working mornings."
As Sarah prepared the lattes, Elena kept her focus on the counter, trying not to look in his direction. But it was impossible not to. His eyes were on her again. That unnerving, intense gaze.
Damien stepped up to the counter and leaned in slightly, his presence radiating authority. "Two vanilla lattes, extra foam," he said, his voice as smooth as it was the day before. His eyes met hers again, and the strange flutter in her chest returned. Get it together, Elena, she thought. He's just a customer.
"Right," she replied, forcing herself to focus. "Coming right up."
The moment their hands brushed as she passed him his drinks, a jolt of electricity shot through her, and she nearly dropped the cup. Her breath hitched, but she quickly recovered, offering him a smile.
"You're looking... better today," he said with a slight, playful smirk, his gaze drifting from her to the counter.
Elena blinked, unsure of how to respond. "I didn't realize I looked bad yesterday," she said with a dry laugh, trying to keep the situation light.
He chuckled, a low sound that sent an unexpected shiver down her spine. "Not what I meant. You look… different today. More put-together."
Her smile faltered slightly, but she kept her composure. Well, of course, she looked different today. She was doing everything she could just to survive—keeping up appearances was her only option.
Before she could respond, Sarah came up behind him, practically bouncing with excitement. "Mr. Blackwood, it's such a pleasure to see you again! I was just telling Elena about your tech empire. She's a little behind the times."
Damien turned his attention to Sarah, raising an eyebrow. "I see. Well, you'll have to forgive her," he said smoothly, "some of us are too busy running empires to follow the latest headlines."
Elena's eyes widened, surprised at the coolness of his response. He wasn't the kind of man who needed the attention, it seemed. In fact, he almost seemed to enjoy the anonymity. That fact alone was both intimidating and fascinating.
Sarah, however, was oblivious to the tension. She leaned in, eager to strike up a conversation. "So, any exciting projects in the works? You know, we have a lot of tech-savvy customers here who would love to know about what's coming next. Maybe you could share a sneak peek?"
Damien's lips curved into a half-smile, but there was something calculating about it. "Perhaps another time," he replied smoothly, clearly uninterested in indulging her further. "For now, I'll just enjoy my coffee." He took a sip of the latte, his eyes flicking back to Elena for a fraction of a second.
Elena quickly turned away, trying to ignore the strange feeling creeping up her neck. She busied herself with wiping down the counter, her thoughts a whirlwind. Why was he here? Why was he even looking at her that way?
She glanced back at himhe was sitting at one of the corner tables, his eyes now absorbed in his phone. But his attention hadn't fully left her. She could feel it. The energy was different today, more intense, more… personal.
Her heart raced in spite of herself, and she forced herself to keep her mind on work. She had enough problems to deal with without adding this man to the list.
But as the morning wore on, she couldn't shake the feeling that her life had just gotten a little more complicated.