Читать книгу Secret Miami Nights - Pamela Yaye - Страница 13

Chapter 5

It was true what they said, Ashton thought, opening the front door of the Miami Soup Kitchen and marching inside. A man would do anything to impress a woman, even volunteer on a Friday night.

Entering the center, Ashton took in his surroundings. Sparsely decorated, with potted lights and chipped tables, the dining room needed a fresh coat of paint. It was a dingy space with an unsavory scent, and if Ashton wasn’t romantically interested in Haley he’d be in his car, heading back to Fisher Island to barbecue on his new grill.

Ashton shoved his keys into the pocket of his slacks. He’d driven the Porsche again tonight, in part to impress Haley and to prove to himself it wasn’t haunted. Thankfully, he’d had no visions of Mia or the accident during the thirty-minute drive from his office. Thoughts of Haley, though, had consumed his mind. More excited than a kid on Christmas Day, Ashton could hardly wait to see the petite beauty. He hoped she’d change her mind and have drinks with him at the Rooftop Bar after dinner.

The sound of boisterous laughter drew Ashton’s attention to the back of the room. A group of teenagers were playing cards, several people were texting and chatting on their cell phones and two heavyset men were arguing in Spanish.

“You look lost.”

Ashton glanced over his shoulder, spotted a short, Caucasian man standing in the kitchen and nodded his head in greeting.

“How can I help you, son?” The man’s face was lined with wrinkles, and he spoke with a lisp.

“I’m supposed to meet Haley Adams here. By any chance, have you seen her?”

“Nope.” Shrugging, the man put on a hair net and an apron. “Don’t think Haley’s coming tonight. I overheard one of the other volunteers say she has other plans.”

He felt so disappointed his shoulders sagged. He’d wasted his time coming to the shelter. He should have stayed at work, perfecting his speech for the Caracas Business Summit instead of driving across town to volunteer. Why hadn’t Haley called to give him a heads-up? Ashton wondered. Had she forgotten about him already? Was she on a date with another man?

Ashton turned to leave, noticed everyone in the room was staring at him and changed his mind. Since he had no other plans, he decided to stay and help out. Taking off his sunglasses, he tucked them into his back pocket. Having a wardrobe in his office, he’d changed from his tailored suit into a striped Ralph Lauren shirt, black pants and leather sandals. Feeling overdressed in his designer threads, he made a mental note to wear jeans the next time he came to the shelter.

“I’m Ashton,” he said, approaching the kitchen counter.

“Good to meet you.” The man in the apron smiled, revealing chipped, coffee-stained teeth.

“Everyone calls me Monty.”

“I’m here to volunteer. What do you need me to do?”

Surprise flashed in his eyes, but he gestured to the hallway. “Take out the garbage in the bathrooms, mop the floor and, if it’s not too much trouble, set up some more tables.”

“No trouble at all, Monty.”

For an hour, Ashton helped clean and organize the dining room. Giving back to the community made him feel proud, as if he was making a difference, and cracking jokes with the other volunteers put him in a good mood. Ashton was standing beside the window, scrubbing maple syrup off the walls when he heard a familiar voice. Haley’s. Curious, he dropped his rag into the bucket of soapy water and peered into the kitchen. There she was. Standing at the stove, stirring a metal pot with a wooden spoon, flirting with a male volunteer.

His eyes narrowed and the muscles in his jaw quivered. Ashton wanted to march into the kitchen and pull Haley away from the stranger, but he knew it was a bad idea. He didn’t want her to think he was a hothead, and if he made a scene she’d lose respect for him.