Sugar

19

chapter nineteen
florence thompson
song: if i can't have you – shawn mendes

Friday night came quicker than I was expecting and for the entirety of the day I was a complete anxious mess. I had the morning shift with Ben and Rico at the diner, Ben and myself sporting our new employee of the year hoodies and putting poor Rico to shame for calling out yesterday.

By the time half an hour before I had to leave rolled around, Rico had me dressed in a black bodysuit with a lace border paired with a pair of dark wash skinny jeans and a brown cardigan thrown over for warmth.

He tried to get me in a body con dress but I somehow convinced him to go more casual this time around, it is the third date after all.

An hour later I was back at Vincent's towering apartment complex and this time as I passed the front doors, a dapper looking older man called my name, successfully catching my attention.

What is it with the people around here knowing my name? Do they have special powers or something? Is it written on my forehead?

"Miss Thompson," he called out, nearing me.

He had graying hair, but was dressed to the nines in a very polished black suit. He had wrinkles written deeply in the thin skin around his eyes which were a mesmerizing shade of gray.

"Uh, hi," I hesitated, slowing my pace to a halt and glancing at him inquisitively. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" My tone remained consistently polite as I looked at the man, trying to rack my brain of where I may have met him before.

His eyes flickered with an unreadable expression before he slipped back into a more passive glance.

"My apologies, Miss Thompson. I should've approached you better. I'm Darby, Mr. De Bellis' chauffeur," he clarified, his hands clasped neatly in front of him. "He asked for me to accompany you up so there are no...complications."

I felt my brows furrow in confusion at his choice of words.

Complications?

My mind drifted back to the last time I was here and the handsome gentleman I'd met in the elevator—Sebastian Vanderbilt–who also very mysteriously knew my name.

I couldn't help but wonder if that was what Darby was referring to.

"Oh," I spoke, slightly surprised. "Well, alright then."

Darby nodded curtly before turning on the heel of his nicely polished shoe and heading inside whilst also making sure I'm still behind him. I watched the back of his head as we continued through the lobby, quickly approaching the elevator.

I couldn't help but feel wildly underdressed as I looked around at all the expensive looking people sauntering around the room. They looked as if their outfits were about as much as my tuition.

Finally Darby and I piled into the empty elevator. The silence was quick to envelop us, my cheeks heating up when I felt the pressure that I needed to break the ice but still no words came from my mouth as I stared ahead at the sliding metal doors.

Finally the elevator arrived at the top floor that was entirely Vincent's, the doors sliding open would a loud ding.

"Thank you for accompanying me, Darby." I smiled kindly before stepping out of the elevator and turning to face him.

"My pleasure, Miss Thompson. Enjoy your evening." He returned my smile with a polite nod of his head and some sort of resemblance of a tight smile on his lips.

"You too."

The doors slid closed and Darby disappeared behind them. I couldn't shake the odd feeling of our encounter, but I made a mental note to ask Vincent about it.