Baby Be Mine(Spinsters & Casanovas Series Book 1)(72)

Yes, she would do that she thought as she continued to chew her breakfast slowly, when a sight not three tables away almost caused her to choke on her meal, breaking into her thoughts.

Clarice blinked and then she blinked again. No, it must be an apparition, she thought. The person sitting three tables away from her, all consumed in chomping away on his steak, face masked with anger like someone had stolen his beloved Ferrari, looked just like that Casanova from back in Auckland.

No, this was Queenstown. Surely she wouldn’t be running into him again. So she rubbed her eyes twice to fend away the illusion. But no matter how many times she rubbed them, Hunter’s image was still sitting there eating his steak.

Yikes, it really was him. What was that Casanova doing here anyway? Horrible, this was horrible. Why of all places must she run into him here? Why did heaven decide for her to see him now?

Hiding behind the oversized menu so Hunter couldn’t spot her from this distance, Clarice ate her meal like she vying for the Guinness World Record of who could eat the fastest. Almost choking a few times because her mind was no longer on her food and too consumed in looking at Hunter to make sure he wasn’t looking her way, she poured some piping hot green tea into her mug and automatically chucked the whole contents of the cup down her throat, and dear heaven, she almost screamed in pain when the scalding hot liquid scorched her throat.

Serves me right for eating like this, Clarice thought, but she had to make her escape ASAP. She knew if he saw her, he would ruin her day again, like all the previous times they’d met. Today, though, she didn’t want to see him. She wanted to be alone, to replay the scene of last night, so escape she must.

Without further ado, she got up from her chair and paid for her meal, then briskly walked away from the café, heading back toward Silverton Hotel. She didn’t breathe a sigh of relief until she was in the elevator, coming face to face with a painting of red roses.

Examining the painting with the intricate petals and vines winding around each other, Clarice felt a sudden desire well up inside her, which in turn made her cheeks burn. Remembering last night, she shyly turned away from the painting, thinking about Anton and herself, bodies entwined together like those rose vines. Eager to get another sneak peek, she turned back to the painting, then was suddenly reminded of Elise and Whitney. Clarice mentally noted to herself that she must pay a visit to both the girls when she returned to Auckland, to inform them of her adventure through Max’s scheme.

Behind her, Clarice heard the elevator ding, indicating the door was closing. Suddenly, a yawn overcame her. With her eyes closed and her body slouched against the wall, she suddenly realized she was tired. Luckily, she still had today to spend in the hotel before flying back home tomorrow.

She wondered what Max was up to last night, but her thoughts were cut short when the elevator door dinged open again.

Clarice opened her eyes again and straightened herself, not wanting anyone to see her in such a state. It wouldn’t be right for a gum specialist to act like a child, closing her eyes and slouching around like she could sleep anywhere.

Once she got her posture together, she waited patiently for the other occupant to appear, but when he did appear, she realized heaven was never going to be on her side when it came to that Casanova.





CHAPTER 17





“You.” Clarice squeaked, then clamped her mouth shut before she started cursing Hunter, who in fact was the occupant she had waited for. But before Hunter could turn his face to look at her, she pretended to dig into her large bag, hiding her face.

Oh dear, why all of a sudden must she have an itch in her throat? Trying to hold it in, she couldn’t help releasing a massive cough, which alerted Hunter to her presence.