WORTHY (8 page)

Chapter Eleven

It was another busy night at the restaurant. With the holidays just around the corner, the festive mood filled the air. Caitlin has been feeling lightheaded that afternoon but she tried to shrug it off. Both her mother and Caleb are down with the flu and she knows it will just be a matter of time before she catches it, too.

She had also missed lunch that day, too busy running errands plus the fact she had not been sleeping very well at night—she had Sebastian to thank for that. Making a mental note to take some medicine later, Caitlin faced another grueling night at the restaurant.

As the crowd started to pile up, Caitlin felt she sure she was coming down with the flu. Her immune system must have been at an all time low and the cold weather had no doubt aggravated her condition.

Shannon noticed she had turned quite pale and asked her to take some time out.

“Are you okay?” Shannon asked as she joined her outside. “You are looking pale.”

“Yeah, I’ve been feeling a bit queasy lately, my and nose is stuffy. I may be coming down with the flu or something.” Caitlin said, deeply inhaling the fresh air.

“Why don’t you take some time off from work?” Shannon suggested as she lit up a cigarette.

“Are you kidding me? You know that’s not possible Susie, not if I want to keep my job.” Caitlin barked out a laugh at such incredulous suggestion. With the holiday season in full swing, the only you can get a time off is when you are in a life and death situation. And the flu is far from being one of those.

“Haha, I know. I just wish we could stop working, you know. I wish I was the one ordering fancy dishes instead of being on the other end, taking the orders.” Shannon sighed.

Caitlin just smiled. After finishing up her cigarette, Shannon went in and told her to take her time. She’ll just think of something when the maître d’s eagle eye notices Caitlin is missing.

* * * *

The two strikingly attractive guys stepped out from the black Audi R8, effortlessly drawing admiring stares from onlookers. Born with the proverbial silver spoons and exceptionally good looks, Nicholas, together with Sebastian and Shawne had grown used to the admiration.

But instead of basking in the adoration, they have grown wary and cautious of most female advances. More often than not, there was always a hidden agenda. Through the years, the three simply regarded women as fleeting companions and not permanent figures in their lives. They were used to being brutally upfront in their dealings so women do not expect more than they are willing to offer.

Of course, Sebastian dreams of having the kind of love and partnership his parents have. The two never fail to serve as a constant reminder for him that true love does exist. But he plans to have a fine time with women while looking for his future bride. He’s too young to think of settling down.

The two guys strolled casually inside Caprice with an air of confidence that bespoke old money. It only seemed natural for people to give way as they were warmly welcomed by the maître d and in a few minutes, they were ushered to a quiet corner.

Nicholas immediately searched the room for Shannon, which was really not a difficult task with her red hair sticking out against the opulent interior like a sore thumb. Nicholas couldn’t help but smile as he observed Shannon taking orders for several minutes.

As if feeling his stare, Shannon looked up to his direction, her eyes widening in recognition. With a slight nod, Shannon acknowledged Nicholas. It took several seconds for her to notice that he was not alone.

The man sitting beside him had a sexy, brooding look about him that demanded a second look, a third and for teenagers, definitely some serious gawking. Like Nicholas, the man was also looking at her, his eyes piercing as if trying to read her thoughts. It was quite unnerving.

With a slight shake of her head, Shannon put her focus back on taking the orders of two elderly women. He must be Sebastian, Shannon’s thoughts were racing along with a number of questions that piqued her interest.

At the corner of her eye, she can see Lynette, one of the new waitresses approaching the two men to take their orders. Shannon heaved a quick sigh of relief. This would give her time to warn Caitlin of their presence. She doesn’t have an idea what the two guys are up to but knowing Caitlin, she will want to avoid any second meeting with Sebastian.

After handing the orders in, her eyes frantically searched for Caitlin across the room. As if on cue, Caitlin entered the restaurant from the back door, still looking a bit pale.

As Shannon made her way over, she chanced a quick glance to Nick’s table and saw they too had already seen Caitlin. Dammit! Shannon swore softly under her breath as she made her way towards Caitlin.

“Katie! I need to ta—”

“Shannon, here take this to table 10.” Martha, the head waitress barked out. “And you Katie, bring this bottle of wine to the two gentlemen seated at table 21.”

With the frantic pace of the restaurant, it was almost impossible for Shannon to warn Caitlin without drawing attention of the others. With a questioning look, Caitlin had no choice but to accept the tray with the chilled wine and two wine glasses.

Damn! Too late! Caitlin was asked to deliver the wine to Nicholas’ table! Shannon kept on glancing to her direction as she made her way to table 10.

It was clear that Caitlin had still not recognized the two gentlemen seated at table 21. As Shannon looked at the two, she could easily make out Nick’s amused smile and twinkling eyes even in the dim interior of the restaurant., She could have happily strangled Nicholas right this very moment to wipe the amusement off his face.

“This is not happening!” Shannon thought, closing her eyes for a full second and muttering a few expletives.

Shannon had no choice but to watch at the drama unfolding from across the room. With a sinking feeling, she watched Sebastian leaned forward; his full attention was on Caitlin—like a sleek panther stalking his prey.

God, she was even more beautiful that he remembered,
Sebastian thought as he observed Caitlin walk across the room with their order. She looked frail and tired, though. Her uniform looked bigger on her but nevertheless it did not conceal her womanly curves.

An unfamiliar sense of protectiveness welled up inside him as he observed her. If he has his way, she will never have to lift a finger ever again. The thought made Sebastian frown, reminding himself that she was just a girl selling her body for some extra cash and definitely not worth his attention.

It was only a few meters away when Caitlin realized she was approaching Sebastian’s table. The sight of him, dark and brooding, staring at her made her lightheaded once again. The force of his stare caused her to pause a foot away, her hand quivering at the weight of the tray.

The room seemed to fade away as the two stared and for several seconds, time stood still—at least for the two of them. Her steps faltered, Caitlin paled, as she swore she could feel her blood draining from her face.

Get your act together, Caitlin!
She harshly chided herself. She would die first before she made an utter fool of herself fainting right in the middle of a crowded restaurant, in front of Sebastian Avery no less. That would definitely cause a spectacle!

Hiking up her chin a notch, Caitlin drew in a couple of calming breaths to regain her composure. She approached the two gentlemen, faking calmness despite the turmoil inside her.

Turning to Nicholas, she summoned a tight smile. “You ordered 2009 Bordeaux, sir?” Her voice sounded a bit breathless.

It was apparent that Nicholas was enjoying the scene before him. Despite the scowl on Sebastian’s face, he could tell there was something special between the two. The tension was too palpable to ignore.

“Hello, Caitlin. How are you?” Nicholas replied, his voice sounded sincere despite the merriment in his eyes.

“Hello Nick… Uhmm…Sebastian.” Caitlin acknowledged, stealing a quick glance at Sebastian, who was still scowling.

“I didn’t know you worked here with Shannon.” Nicholas opened, trying to strike up a conversation, ignoring the tension.

“Uhhm…yes. I work here.” Caitlin replied simply, stating the obvious. “Would there be anything else?” She just wanted to get this over and done with and get away as fast and far as she can from Sebastian.

“Ah no… Thank you, Caitlin. I’ll open the wine myself. We’ll just wait for our steak.” Nicholas smiled, his presence was somehow reassuring, giving Caitlin energy to go through the niceties with her dignity intact. Giving Nicholas a grateful smile, Caitlin turned to leave.

“I want to talk to you, Caitlin.” Sebastian’s voice was low and barely discernible against the din. But Caitlin heard him as loud and clear as if he were whispering the words right into her ear.

Had it not been for the slight pause in her steps, Sebastian would have assumed Caitlin did not hear him. But it was clear that she did and she chose to ignore it.

Despite the snub, Sebastian had to give it to her. She’s an exceptional woman. Sebastian might have seen and been with a lot of women, many more beautiful than Caitlin. But for some reason he was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. If he could only get her to sleep with him one more time, then he could get her out of his system once and for all. He did not welcome the fact that Caitlin had been invading not only his dreams, but his waking thoughts as well.

“Sebastian, you might want to lighten up, man. You look like you are going to devour her. Cut the poor girl some slack, will you?” Nicholas teased. He was definitely enjoying every minute of this.

It was only then that Sebastian realized he was scowling. Forcing his body to relax, he opened the wine and poured a generous amount into the two wineglasses.

Staring at dark liquid, Sebastian finally voiced his thoughts. “Something just doesn’t fit the puzzle, Nick. She doesn’t act like the other women,” frustration lacing his voice.

“You mean, for the first time in your life, a girl had the audacity to ignore you? And right after a romp in bed at that! Hahahaha! Inconceivable!” Nicholas couldn’t help but tease Sebastian.

“Shut up. You know that’s not what I meant.” Sebastian scowled again.

“Nah, you’re just so used to having your way with women. I find it amusing seeing you like this—what’s the word—disconcerted.” Nicholas chuckled.

“No, she is unlike other women, all right. Or maybe that’s her ploy. Whatever, I need to talk to her and sort out a few things.” Sebastian said, brooding.

“Well, if you are really keen on talking to her, I suggest you skip dinner. I can see she’s taking an early night off.” Nicholas announced as he watched as Caitlin made her way to the back.

“Katie!” Shannon rushed to her as soon as she entered the kitchen. She was waiting for a chance to corner Caitlin.

“I’m so sorry. I was about to warn you…” Shannon said, her eyes showing concern as she looked at Caitlin’s pale face.

“It’s okay, Susie. I’m okay. No biggie.” Caitlin summoned a smile, trying to reassure Shannon. “Now, if you can help me, I need to get away from here. I’m too sick to finish my shift.”

“Yeah, sure thing. Are you sure you’re okay? You go ahead and take an early night. I’ll make the excuses. Make sure to take some meds.” Shannon shooed Caitlin, knowing her friend is desperate to be away from the restaurant and not because she is coming down with a flu.

“Thank you, Susie. You’re such an angel.” Caitlin reached out and gave Shannon a tight, grateful hug. Without further prompting, Caitlin retrieved her jacket and purse and left through the back door, unnoticed by her colleagues.

Chapter Twelve

Pulling her coat tighter, Caitlin walked briskly. It was starting to snow again, she observed, increasing her pace. She was so absorbed with her thoughts that she did not notice the black Audi tailing her.

“Caitlin!” Sebastian called out. “Get in.”

Caitlin whipped her head around in surprise. It was Sebastian, looking so handsome behind the wheel. Her heart pounding, she chose to ignore him and walked faster.

“Get in Katie, please. It’s snowing. You’ll get sick.” Sebastian tried to reason with her.

“Katie, get in or else I’ll be forced to haul you in here. I certainly wouldn’t mind.” Sebastian issued a threat. Somehow, Caitlin knew he would follow through.

Stopping, Caitlin angrily demanded, “What do you want from me? You don’t get it do you? I’m trying my damndest to avoid you. Get that through your thick skull and respect that.”

They were now starting to draw more attention from people. Sebastian was not used to this. Usually women would jump at the chance to be with him. Apparently, Caitlin wanted nothing to do with him.

Tamping down his irritation, Sebastian pulled over and covered the distance between them in several long strides. “Katie, come on. I just want to talk to you, nothing more. Just for a few minutes?” Sebastian asked, his voice like warm chocolate, smooth and soothing.

Caitlin closed her eyes, concentrating on keeping it together. She was tired, cold, hungry and feeling sick again and before she knew it, she was holding on to Sebastian’s forearm for support. Her world seems to spin out of control, literally and figuratively, it seemed.

Sebastian looked at Caitlin intently. She was so pale and fragile, no doubt cold from the biting temperature. His hands immediately went around her small waist to hold her steady. “Easy now. Are you okay?” Sebastian asked, his voiced laced with concern.

“I’m…Sebastian, I thi—”Caitlin fainted, her frail body slumping into Sebastian’s strong arms.

“Katie…? Katie!” Sebastian was alarmed when he realized Caitlin had just fainted. He had no choice but to carry Caitlin and deposit her gently into the passenger seat of his car.

As soon as he was seated at the driver’s seat, he immediately pulled Caitlin’s wrist to check her pulse then leaned forward to put on her seatbelt. Vaguely, he caught a faint smell of her perfume, which triggered a flood of memories of that fateful night they shared and against his will, his loins stirred in response.

He spent several seconds scrutinizing her features before starting the car. While looking at her, unfamiliar feelings well up inside him. He felt a fierce sense of possessiveness and protectiveness for this woman he hardly even knew except for a night of pure ecstasy. Without any makeup on, she seemed so pure, innocent and delicate.

He was still several blocks from the nearest hospital when his passenger stirred, slowly regaining consciousness. When she was fully awake, she sat up and asked, “What…Where am I?” looking a bit disoriented.

“Take it easy, sweetheart. You fainted. We’re on our way to the hospital now.” Sebastian said, giving her a reassuring smile.

It took several seconds for everything to dawn on her. The last time she remembered, she was arguing with Sebastian on the side of the road. She was just grateful he was there when she fainted.

“No, no. It’s okay. I’m okay. Don’t take me to the hospital. I think I’m just coming down with flu or something. I also skipped dinner that may be the reason why I was feeling queasy and fainted.” Caitlin said.

“Are you sure?” Sebastian is still not convinced. At her firm nod, he offered to take her to his home to fix her a simple dinner since it’s just a few blocks away.

Caitlin was not comfortable with the idea of being back at his place but did not want to appear paranoid. When they finally arrived, the house seemed larger than the last time she was there.

Sebastian opened the door for her and offered his arm for support. Caitlin never felt more acutely aware of her femininity. She was starting to enjoy the feeling of having someone take care of her, well, at least for a few hours.

Once they were inside, Sebastian guided her to the living room couch and went straight to the kitchen. “I usually eat out or order takeout so I can’t offer you anything fancy.” Sebastian said as he inspected his refrigerator. Sebastian could have easily hired some house help but both Shawne and he preferred their privacy. They just hired someone to clean up the house once a week.

Seeing that Sebastian is not exactly the type to cook his own meals, Caitlin decided to join him. While the kitchen was spacious, it now seemed cramped with Sebastian and she together.

At the sight of her, he opened the refrigerator wider to invite her to look. “I am also feeling hungry myself. I wasn’t able to eat my dinner at the restaurant, you know?” Sebastian smiled at her, effortlessly showing off the boyish charm that had no doubt sent more than a few hearts a-flutter.

Caitlin was definitely far from immune to him. Trying to appear casual and unaffected, Caitlin reached in to grab some apples, grapes and some other ingredients to make sandwiches.

“Do you have some bread?” Caitlin inquired, her eyes busy searching the pantry, trying to appear cool.

“Here. Do you need me to do anything? I’m afraid my cooking skills are limited to preparing coffee and popping something in the microwave.” Sebastian said as he leaned his hip against the cabinet, observing Caitlin.

“No, it’s okay. I got this covered.” Caitlin flashed him a smile. Their eyes met and held for several seconds. Sebastian’s look intensified, making her self-conscious. Caitlin was the first one to break the spell, her mind racing to fill the silence between them.

“Uhhm…are you still studying?” Pretty lame but it was the first subject that came to mind, Caitlin chided herself.

“Yes, I’m in my senior year at Princeton, taking up Civil and Environmental Engineering. What about you?” Sebastian asked, his arms now crossed over his chest as he observed Caitlin prepare their sandwiches using leftover food.

“I was a senior at Bloomfield College but had to drop out this semester. I am planning to enroll next semester, though.” Caitlin said casually.

Sebastian couldn’t help but wonder if her college tuition was the reason why she agreed to the deal. Having been born to a wealthy family, he never had to worry about money.

“What are you taking?” Sebastian asked, trying to make some small talk.

“Business Administration—the plan is to someday own a small restaurant or cafe.” Caitlin said as she put finishing touches to the sandwiches.

“All done. Do you want to eat this in the living room?” Caitlin said, proffering a plate of sandwiches.

‘Wow, that looks great, Katie. Who knew you can whip up something gourmet out of leftover food?” Sebastian teased, deliberately using her nickname. To him, she was more of a ‘Katie’ than ‘Caitlin’.

While she noticed him using her nickname, she tried to appear nonchalant about it. They ate in silence. Sebastian offered her a can of soda, which he had already opened.

“That was a great meal, Katie. Thank you. I’ll take care of the dishes.” Sebastian volunteered as he collected the plates and went the kitchen to wash them.

Caitlin looked around; trying to observe the details of the house she somehow missed out the last time she was here. A framed photograph of twin boys caught her attention. The resemblance was stunning, like two peas in a pod. She got up to take a close look at the picture, fascinated at the newfound knowledge that Sebastian had a twin brother.

“That’s Shawne.” Sebastian said as he came up to her, also looking at the picture. She could feel the tension in him as he mentioned his brother’s name.

Unaware of the tragic accident, Caitlin asked, “Does he also go to Princeton?” Looking up right into Sebastian’s dark eyes.

“Did. He passed away last September.” Sebastian replied, his eyes suddenly devoid of any emotion and his voice flat.

Caitlin gasped softly. She could feel his sadness and grief, despite his efforts to hide it. Reaching out to touch his forearm, “I’m so sorry to hear that, Sebastian,” her eyes showing her concern. She could not imagine losing Caleb. Sebastian must have been devastated at the death of his twin brother and it was just a few months ago. She longed to give him a comforting hug and take the pain away.

Sebastian gave her a searching look, trying to gauge her sincerity. It came as a surprise to him that she was did not know about his twin brother or his untimely death. That could only mean Caitlin had no prior knowledge of him or his family.

Sebastian thought of himself as a fairly good judge of character. Shawne used to joke and tease him about being too guarded and a bit paranoid, which Sebastian secretly thought was partly true. Despite his good looks, he found out that money was always the primary motivating factor women go after him.

But no Hollywood actress could have feigned Caitlin’s look of surprise when he told her Shawne was dead. The news of Shawne’s death had been splashed all over the newspapers for days. It was only natural for him to assume everybody knew about it.

“I miss him. Even at this age, we did everything together, along with Nick.” Sebastian shared, feeling more comfortable now to open up.

“What was the cause of his death?” Caitlin asked softly.

“I killed him.” Sebastian replied tonelessly. He backed away from Caitlin and started to pace, as if some inner demon was hounding him.

“Oh Sebastian, you can’t mean that…” Caitlin could feel his anguish. In an effort to comfort him, she came up to him and hugged his waist, laying her head on his sturdy chest.

“I was driving the car that smashed into a tree, instantly killing Shawne. My parents had to pay some people to stop them from linking his death to me. They wouldn’t want their other son to be implicated in a case of reckless driving resulting to homicide. But we all know the truth.” Sebastian said in a dead voice. It was the first time he’d spoken about the incident to anyone, even his own family. He had been replaying it in his mind over and over. It was only after his birthday that he was able to sleep better, often dreaming of a golden girl whose blue eyes haunted him.

“I don’t know the details but you need to stop punishing yourself, Sebastian. It was an accident. I’m sure Shawne would not want you to waste your life away wallowing in guilt.” Caitlin said, her voice earnest.

“I wish it were that easy. When Shawne died…it’s like a part of me died with him. I was so used to always having him around, you know. He had so much life in him, people were naturally drawn to him.” Like poison coming out from his system, Sebastian somehow felt a little better talking about Shawne’s death to someone.

He had been punishing himself mentally reliving the accident over and over, blaming himself for Shawne’s death and wishing he had insisted to Shawne had put on his seatbelt. They were young and reckless, acting as if they were invincible. Shawne had been supposed to drive that day but Sebastian had insisted, knowing he was in better shape to drive than Shawne who was still dealing with a royal hangover.

“Shhh…it’s okay. Stop torturing yourself. Shawne would not want to see you like this.” Caitlin said, hugging him closer.

He smiled at her attempt to soothe him. He had been with so many women before, but never like this. Most of his encounters with females usually had to do with sex, money or something else they wanted from him.

Inhaling deeply, he filled his senses with her presence—her smell, the feel of her body close to his, her voice… Sebastian gathered her close to him, running his hand through her hair. The air was again suddenly thick with tension, making Caitlin pull back a little.

Their eyes met. Sebastian’s were dark with longing and something else… He could feel Caitlin’s heart beating fast against him. He longed to ravish her dewy lips and unleash his passion but he knew better. It took an unusual amount of willpower not to close the gap between them and allow his instincts to take control.