Popcorn Love Read Free

the moment she tried to put
him to sleep, if he wasn’t yet ready to go.
    “Hey, uh, Elena Vega, right?” She held out a hand,
and Elena watched the girl’s emerald eyes rake the length of her
body quickly before darting back up to lock onto hers. Women were
strange in that way, always scanning one another, sizing each other
up, and comparing. It didn’t bother Elena, though, or she never
would have survived the fashion industry.
    She plastered on a smile and nodded as she took the
outstretched hand and shook it firmly. “I am,” she said. “How did
you guess?”
    “Your friend said you were some big business
something-or-other.” The girl plopped heavily back down into her
seat. “You’re the only person who’s come in here in the last
fifteen minutes wearing anything even remotely expensive and
looking all shit-my-meeting-ran-late.”
    Elena arched one slender brow at the young woman’s
blunt speech, but she could hardly help the chuckle that escaped
her as she lowered herself into the opposite seat. “Yes, I
apologize,” she said. “It has been a terribly busy day.”
    “It’s cool.”
    “I’m sorry,” Elena said, blushing slightly. “I just
realized that I don’t even know your name.”
    “Oh, it’s Allison. Allison Sawyer.”
     
     

Chapter Two

    “Allison.” Elena repeated the name softly on her
tongue. “It’s lovely to meet you.”
    “Wow.” Allison laughed. “No one’s ever said it was
‘lovely’ to meet me. Good, yeah. Nice, definitely. But lovely ? That’s a new one. Let me guess. You went to some
fancy prep school immediately followed by Harvard or Yale or
something, right?”
    The surprised look on Elena’s face made Allison
smile. She slipped a pair of thick black-rimmed glasses out of her
backpack and onto her face as she pulled the menu toward her. This is going to be a trip , she thought as she glanced back
up at the woman, who was still just staring at her.
    “Yes, actually,” Elena said as she shifted
uncomfortably in her chair. “I earned my MBA from Harvard Business
College.”
    “Knew it,” Allison said smugly. This woman certainly
wasn’t the first upper-class person she had worked for. She had had
several catering jobs at random high-class events throughout her
first couple of years in college, and she had babysat a lot of
friggin’ kids, for rich and poor families alike. So, she was used
to the five-minute delay that the wealthy folks sometimes required
in order to acclimate themselves to what Allison referred to as normal-people speak , but they all eventually caught on. Or
they sneered and decided not to hire her.
    Whatever.
    “So, what’s good to eat here, Elena?” She paused. “Is
that okay?”
    Elena looked up at her, confusion in her eyes. “I’m
sorry? Is what okay?”
    “That I called you Elena. I can call you Mrs. Vega if
you prefer that instead, or whatever.”
    “Actually, it’s Ms. Vega.” Glancing away,
Elena rubbed a hand down the side of her neck before clearing her
throat and turning back to Allison. “I am not married, but the
formality is unnecessary. You are welcome to call me Elena.”
    “Awesome!” Allison smiled before letting her gaze
fall back to her menu. “So, what’s good to eat here?”
    The small smile that tugged at the corners of Elena’s
mouth did not go unnoticed. It was soft, more natural than the
tight smile she had worn before, and Allison hoped it meant the
woman was relaxing a bit.
    “Well, I suppose I almost always order a Cobb
salad.”
    “Okay.” Allison shrugged. “Let’s go with that then.”
She put her hand up and waved the nearest waiter over.
    When the young man reached their table, he pulled a
pad and pen from his apron and politely asked, “What can I get for
you ladies?”
    “Uh, yeah.” Allison chewed on her lip and pointed at
Elena. “She’s ready to order, and I’ll have whatever she has plus
another water with like three lemons.”
    An audible chuckle escaped the waiter as he