More Than A Favor

Chapter 53

Ashton?

04) Meny

Wasn’t he just a cab driver? How come he was also that amazing lighting tech I’d been blown away by?

Right then, I felt like I was in some weird dream.

“Mr. Drake, meet Ms. Hart,” Mr. Gray did the introductions.

He stuck out his hand. “Hey, Ms. Hart.”

He acted like we’d never met before.

I sat there, frozen. From where I was sitting, I could see his perfect jawline and that sexy Adam’s apple that, honestly, had crossed my mind a few times.

Maya gave me a little nudge with her elbow, snapping me back to reality. I reached out to shake his. hand

Our hands barely touched. He quickly said, “Don’t let me interrupt your lunch, Ms. Hart. I’ll check out the lighting setup.”

“No way. I’m coming with you guys,” I said. I was about to leave, but Ashton stayed put.

He turned to Mr. Gray and asked, “Have you eaten yet, Mr. Gray? I’m starving. Any good places around here?”

Mr. Gray smiled. “Yeah, I’ve eaten,” he said before looking my way, “We can order delivery here, right?”

Getting what he meant, I told Maya, “Maya, grab some food for Mr. Drake.”

“On it!” Maya pulled up her delivery app and asked, “What’ll it be, Mr. Drake? Want pasta? A sandwich? We’ve got all kinds of options.”

He pointed at my half–finished container. “I’ll have what she’s having.”

I was eating this super spicy aglio olio pasta that I’d specifically asked Maya to get.

Since Ashton was from down South, I wasn’t sure if he could handle this level of heat. I was pretty shocked he wanted to try it.

“Cool! That’s one of our go–to dishes here. Who knew you had the same taste!” Maya said while placing his order.

I cleared my throat awkwardly and looked at Ashton and Mr. Gray. “Should we ”

“Let’s fi

finish lunch first. Can’t work on an empty stomach,”

Ashton said as he dropped his backpack and pulled out some water. He tilted his head back for a drink.

Watching his Adam’s apple move as he swallowed, I found myself swallowing too.

would take about 20 minutes. He looked at me while holding his half–empty water bottle and said, “Go ahead and finish your lunch, Ms. Hart. We’ll take a

nudged me again saying, “God,

Chapter 53

always fall for the good–looking ones. Maya had

blame her though – girl’s got

a boyfriend?” I said, taking another bite

only here for the lighting job,

that. She always seemed so proper,

“But remember this is work. Don’t let those thoughts

act you.”

boring without some eye candy. Don’t worry, Ms. Hart I know where to draw the line,” Maya said, clearly crushing on him

had told me before, I shook my head slightly.

arrive, and Maya spent every single minute talking about Ashton

Maya proved love at first

guilty if Maya ended up dumping her boyfriend for Ashton.

Ashton wouldn’t be

though Maya was just trying to kill boredom, I knew falling for someone could hurt as bad as a

getting hurt, better

I said, “He’s already got someone

at me. “How do you

I said yes, that’d mean more explaining.

was sure it’d just make things weird between Ashton and me if Maya jumped to conclusions.

had clearly pretended not to know me earlier. That convinced me even more to keep quiet about our previous

“Nope,” I said.

“Then-”

cut in, ‘Just

touched her lunch, too distracted by Ashton. Usually, she’s got quite an appetite, and she’d even ordered her favorite grilled

good looks beat good

Maya was like a dog with a bone. “How can you guess that?

let her imagination run wild without one. Just then, I spotted

this super cute

nodded toward it. “That’s

18:16%

Chapter 51

OLY

asked,

such a cutesy keychain? Don’t you think that’s

Way too sweet.

ordered it for

lemonade or

at the keychain, muttering, “So you’re saying his girlfriend put it there to mark her territory.”

and stood up, but she tugged my

I went quiet.