I turned back to the blonde, taking the plane from her. “Thanks, doll.” I winked, handing her the flower for the small part she played in making Ava happy. She giggled again, stepping closer to me, but I pretended not to notice, turning and walking away before she could say anything else. Fear was my preferred method for making people do what I wanted, but unfortunately, flirting was more effective in most cases.
I positioned myself at the end of the street, leaning against the streetlamp behind the last stall, and waited.
Ten minutes later, Ava emerged from the thinning crowd, roses and another shopping bag in hand, biting her lip, unsure of which way to go next. She decided on the wrong way, so I lifted the paper airplane above my head, flicked my wrist and watched it soar on the breeze, landing right in front of her feet, perfectly according to my calculations.
She halted, then picked it up, reading the words. She twisted around, searching for the owner with a chuckle that warmed myinsides. When she found no one, she flicked her hand and let it soar back into the crowd, then lifted her face to the wind with a smile still tugging at her gorgeous, full lips, and turned right, into the next street.
Good girl.
I followed behind her, unable to keep my eyes from her swaying hips, almost walking right into a street sign. Ava looked around, trying to decide on where to go next. She had to go right at the end of the block. I searched through the chess pieces and found a delivery truck. I crossed the street and tapped on the driver’s window. He rolled it down with a puzzled look.
“I need you to block off the road on the left until that girl turns to the right,” I gestured towards Ava who had stopped to look at the display window of an antique shop.
The man looked at me as if I was daft. “Dude, I can’t just…” He shut right up as I dropped the wad of cash in his lap. “So I just park there in the middle of the street?”
I nodded once. It wouldn’t create too much of a problem. Hardly anyone drove down that side street. It was mostly used by pedestrians.
The man started the engine, grinning broadly. “Consider it done.” He moved the truck and blocked off the left side of the street, never questioning my intentions with Ava, which I found a little agitating.
I turned my attention back to Ava.
People were hardwired to find the easiest route with the least number of obstacles. Ava’s brain would classify the truck, blocking the left side of the street, as an obstacle, automatically making the right turn seem more desirable without her ever thinking of it consciously.
I grinned as she took the right turn, walking into the street where the coffee shop was. The delivery driver saluted me, then drove off.
I punched in the number from the coffee shop I remembered from their sign when Gemma and I had lunch there, two years ago. Someone picked up in two rings.
“This is Deo Vista Coffee Shop, how may I serve you?” A girl answered in a quirky voice.
“Who’s speaking?” I asked.
“You’re speaking to Shannon.”
“Shannon, how would you like to make a shit ton of money today?” Money worked even better than flirting.
The girl hesitated. “Umm…”
I didn’t have the patience for her indecisiveness. “A pretty redhead will be walking past your shop in…” I quickly calculated the time, relevant to my girl’s pace, “three minutes and twenty seconds, give or take a few seconds. I need you to invite her in. Get her to sit and eat something. Take good care of her, and I’ll reward you handsomely. Are you in, Shannon?”
“Is there a reason you want me to do this?” she questioned suspiciously.
I ground my teeth together. At least Shannon showed more emotional intelligence than the delivery man, but it was still very inconvenient. “That woman is the only reason I have to keep breathing, and she hasn’t eaten today.”
“Aawh, that’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard!” Shannon squealed, her suspicion all but extinguished.
So much for the emotional intelligence.
“Ooee, I can see her now. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of her, mister.”
“Be sure to mention the caramel cheesecake. It’s her favourite. You still have it, right?”
“Yes, we do. Cheesecake is our specialty. Will you be joining her?”
I sighed. “No. I’m not her favourite person at the moment. Don’t even mention this call to her.”
“I see,” Shannon said. “But you guys will work things out. Just apologise and I’m sure she’ll come around.”
“Thank you, Shannon,” I said, before dropping the call, wishing there was a truth in the naïve girl’s words.
