She stared around, this place held nothing for her, instead it took everything away from her. She had lost it all, not when he had forced his way into her, no; she lost it when she signed the wedding contract with Leonardo.
Alisha sat at the airport thinking of where to go from there.
She had nothing left in California for now, someday she would be back, her dad and sister, and her bakery was here, but for now, she would stay away until she healed.
Alisha entered a restaurant in Georgia to have her breakfast. She was with her one bag, a little bit cold, and thinking of where to go from where she was.
"Excuse me, may I sit with you?" a man of around 30 years old was smiling at her.
"Hmm, sure" she gave him a weak smile.
He ordered breakfast and watched her in silence as she ate her food like it had no taste in her mouth.
"New here?" he asked her noticing the bag beside her.
"Yes" she was not interested in having a conversation with him, but she did not want to appear rude.
"Do you have a place to stay? If you don't I could help you out" she was not sure if she could trust him, she did not want to be at the mercy of a stranger.
In fact, she didn't need help from any man, the last time a man helped her with money for her sister's surgery, he ended up taking her dignity.
"I have everything under control, thank you" she said and got up to leave with her bag. She was about to pay for her meal when he told her he had sorted it out, she thanked him and left.
Alisha checked into a cheap motel, she had enough money to last her a year, but she didn't want to be extravagant.
Her emergency plan if she needed money to survive was that she was going to sell the diamond earrings Leonardo had given her.
Two days after she had arrived Georgia, she was walking down the street looking for a job.
When her dad had called her, she told him Leonardo and her had a misunderstanding and she was going to be away for a few days.
He and Anna had promised to look over the bakery, but he had told her no argument was worth running away from her husband, but he trusted her to make the best decision for herself.
She had asked them to promise her that they were not going to disclose her whereabouts to Leonardo if he decided to go looking for her.
She knew that sooner or later, she would have to reveal the situation of her marriage to her dad, until then, but for now she was not ready.
Alisha was not sure what she wanted to do in Georgia or how long she wanted to stay, but she knew she could not sit down and do nothing.
Alisha passed through the restaurant she had had breakfast when she had arrived two days ago, she noticed that they were in need of a server, she went in to apply, and she got the job.
They were quite desperate and asked her to resume immediately.
She put on her apron and went to the first table she was allocated to.
"Hey, you are the lady I met at this spot two days ago, please sit with me so we can talk."
"I'm sorry sir, but I am working, what would you like to have?" she replied politely
"I would like to have a conversation with you" he insisted.
"I'm sorry sir, but this is my first day at work and I would not like you to ruin this for me" he frowned a little but ordered what he would like to have and watched her as she served him. He gave her 10 dollar as tip after he was done eating.
"You know I heard rumor that that man you served owns the place" Liza a fellow server whispered to Alisha after the man walked out.
She didn't know if she should be interested in the restaurant gossip or mind her business.
"He uses that particular spot each morning when he comes for breakfast, you are lucky you've being assigned that table." Liza continued.
"Are we allowed to swap tables among ourselves?"
Alisha asked hoping she could give Liza that table in exchange for another since Liza was interested but she wasn't.
"If it was the old manager, it would have been a problem, but the new manager said it was fine if the customers had not issue with it, why did you ask?"
"I was hoping we could, swap you know, you take his table and I take one of yours."
"I"d love that, you and I are going to be good friends" Liza danced as she looked forward to serving the man breakfast the next day.
The next morning, Alisha was heading back from the new table she had gotten from Liza, when Liza approached her with a frown.
"He wants you" she didn't sound happy about it.
"Who? The manager? Have I done something wrong?" Alisha panicked
"Mr Alfonso"
"I do not know any Alfonso" she said in confusion.
"The man at the table I swapped with you" Liza left her standing, as she collected the tray from her hand and went to her initial table.
Alisha looked towards his direction and saw him smiling at her.
She needed to give this man a piece of her mind, so he could get it straight into his head that she was neither available nor interested.
However she had to be careful, if it was true that he owned the place she would not want to be rude.
"Good morning Sir, what would you like to have?" he asked him, she was neither smiling nor frowning, she kept a straight face.
"I would like to have you, sit with me"
"I'm sorry sir, I am working it's not appropriate"
"I could speak to your manager, if that is the problem"
"No sir, that won't be necessary, I am not comfortable doing that here".
He nodded in understanding, and ordered his breakfast, Alisha was surprised he did not suggest anything stupid to her.
He also left her a 15 dollar tip when he left.
"I don't know why that man never seems to notice me, I've been trying to get his attention since I started working here at the restaurant," Liza complained during their break hour.
"You like him or it's all for the good tip?"
"A mix of both"
"Maybe we could try again tomorrow, serve him when he comes"
"No Lisha, I would die of embarrassment if he rejected me again"
"We can at least try"
"Come on Liza, he is here, go wait on his table" Alisha nudged Liza the next morning.
Liza reluctantly went to Mr. Alfonso's table and was surprised when he told her what he would like to eat. Alisha sighed in relief as she attended to other tables.
"Lisha, he gave me a twenty dollar tip" Lisa rejoiced flashing the money before Alisha.
Alisha smiled, she was free from this man.
"I'm so glad, now I can breath fine when it's breakfast hour" she said and massaged her temple, she was feeling slight headache.
"By the way, the manager asked you to come to his office." Lisa said and went back to her duty.
Alisha took off her apron and went to the manager's office. She knocked and he asked her to come in.
She was surprised when she saw Mr. Alfonso sitting opposite the manager.
"Hello Alisha" Mr. Alfonso smiled at her and waved his hand at her direction.
"Alisha, Mr. Alfonso here says he would like it if you are the only one who waits at his table every morning, so please don't let any other person serve him, do you understand?" the manager said in one breath.
"Yes sir" she could not dare to argue, she didn't know who this man was but his money and influence had paced a way for him.
"One more thing, if he asks you to sit and have breakfast with him, you must not decline the offer" the manager added.
Alisha nodded her head, gave Me.
Alfonso a firm glance and excused herself out of the office.
Alisha was able to secure a small apartment. She had decided that she was not ready to face anyone she knew at Califonia, so instead of staying in the motel, she She as able to find a small place. She was putting in place a few things when she heard the door bell.
"Probably one of her new neighbors coming to say hello, she thought as she went to the door.
"Mr. Alfonso, what are you doing here?
Are you stalking me?" she was offended, why was this man always bothering her?
"I need to speak with you" he said with a confidence as if it was normal for him to show up at her door on a Sunday evening.
"I'm listening" she said less politely. She stood by the door not giving him an hint to come in.
"I don't care if you think I'm a desperate freak troubling you, I really like you and I want you to at least allow me into your life."
"I'm sorry but I am not interested in what you have to say or offer" she was going to shut the door to his face.
"I know you are soft at heart, don't act this way, give me just one chance to take you out for dinner, then if you still don't want to be my friend even after you've met me, then I"d let you be, but that is not a promise either."
If accepting dinner was going to be the only way she could push him off, then she was willing.
"I"d get my purse" she said and shut the door.
Alisha sat at the table with Alfonso as they are and laughed over what he was saying. She was enjoying his company and had no track of time.
He was 30 years old, single, she could tell he was rich too, he told her that he was once engaged but his fiance had left him for no reason.
She tried not to talk about herself, and when he asked her what she loved to do and she mentioned that she loved to bake, he offered that he had a large kitchen in his house and she could bake from there and deliver orders.
She was not ready to let her guards down around this man, so she declined. He was very understanding towards her, he told her h knew she was being careful because he was a stranger to her, but that his offer still stood when ever she was ready.
When he drove her back home, she invited him in for coffee.
"I just changed some furnitures, and I have not been able to figure out what to do with them, I think I have a few that can fit in here." he said after going into the house and discovering that she had no furniture yet.
"I can't take that from you" she declined yet another offer from him.
""I could sell them to you then for a cheap price."
"Sounds good, I"d check them out within the week."
After Alfonso left her, she had a shower and was set to sleep when she decided to check her phone, she had kept it in her purse all along and didn't hear it ring. She had missed a few calls from her dad.
She promised herself she would call him the next morning, she was about to keep her phone and sleep when a message came in from her dad.
Alisha opened the text message and it read: "Leonardo is coming...