Zayden Wattsen stirred his coffee while scrolling through his phone. He barely noticed the chaos around him, he was buried in work emails and messages.
"You know, Zayden," Evelyn said, her voice snapping him out of his thoughts. It was calm, but it had that familiar tone that told him she had something on her mind.
He looked up, meeting her gaze. She stood in the kitchen doorway with her arms crossed and her brows slightly raised.
"What now, Mom?" he asked.
"I've been thinking about you. Your lifestyle," she said.
He raised an eyebrow. "What about my lifestyle? Mom, I work hard. I can handle myself,"
"Yes, you work hard. But all these parties, dates… Zayden, you need someone responsible. A good girl."
He almost choked on his coffee. "A good girl?"
"Don't you dare roll your eyes," she scolded gently, just as he was about to.
"I'm serious. You're smart, talented, yet you spend more time impressing people than finding someone real. You need someone who can match your drive, someone who doesn't just live for appearances." She added.
Zayden leaned back, a playful smirk on his lips. "So now you're playing matchmaker, huh?"
Evelyn smiled, shaking her head. "Not matchmaking, I'm only giving you an opportunity. You never know what could happen."
He groaned, but there was curiosity in his eyes. He knew his mother's instincts were usually right.
"Actually," she continued, "I was talking to Margaret Morgan yesterday. You remember her daughter, Ava?"
He frowned slightly. "The one who you said got fired?" he asked, curious.
"Yes, but she's remarkable. She's hardworking, and responsible. Not like the usual crowd," Evelyn said.
Zayden tilted his head. "Sounds too perfect,"
"Not perfect. Just reliable, and worth meeting," Evelyn said firmly.
He leaned back, running a hand through his hair. "Alright, fine. A short friendly meeting. Coffee. That's it."
" I'd drive you. Keep it casual, no pressure. Just a simple introduction." Evelyn said smiling.
He grinned reluctantly. "And if she bores me?"
"She won't. Trust me." Evelyn said confidently.
The morning traffic in Manhattan was chaotic. Zayden Wattsen stepped out of his mother's car, adjusting his jacket. Evelyn, his mother waved him away.
"There she is," she whispered.
Zayden followed her gesture. Ava Morre sat at a cafe table, focused on her phone. She seemed calm, different from anyone he usually met.
He adjusted his jacket again and approached the table. "You're Ms. Morre, right?"
She looked up, then smiled. "Yes, good day. You must be Evelyn's son."
"Correct," he said with a grin, holding out his hands. They shook briefly.
"I wasn't expecting anyone today," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears.
"It was Mom's idea. Just coffee, a quick chat. No pressure."
Ava tilted her head, still smiling. "Alright. Coffee sounds good."
Zayden pulled out the chair across from her and sat down. A server came, and placed two cups of coffee on the table, and left.
Zayden glanced at Ava noting her calm composure.
"So," Zayden began, sipping his coffee, "do you know the city well?"
He wanted to start up a conversation. The things he had to do to please his mother, ridiculous.
"Born and raised. You?" she said easily.
"Mostly work and travel. Not much time to explore," he admitted.
"Well, you're missing out. Some parts of the city are underrated," Ava teased.
He raised an eyebrow. "Underrated how?"
He felt curious.
She leaned forward. "Hidden parks, small bookshops, coffee spots..."
Zayden only nodded.
Ava shared her favorite coffee spots, and added stories from her childhood in Manhattan.
She mentioned a small Italian bakery and a bookstore where she spent hours reading poetry.
"So, do you ever have a day to just walk around the city?" she asked, sipping her latte.
"Not often. And when I do, it's mostly work like I mentioned earlier," he said.
She shook her head. "The city is alive, but not everything is in the spotlight."
They exchanged a brief look, each silently trying to read the other.
Ava glanced at her watch. "I should get going. It was nice talking with you, thanks for the coffee."
"Yeah, sure." He said quietly.
She smiled and picked up her bag. Their eyes met for a second, a spark of curiosity lingered between them.
As Ava walked away, Zayden let out a sigh of relief.
He was only putting on an act, playing the gentleman because of his mother.
After today, Ms. Morre would likely never see that side of him.
Back in the car, Evelyn glanced at him, her eyebrows raised. As usual.
"Well?"
"She's… interesting. Not at all what I expected."
"That's what I meant. She's a good girl, Zayden. You should get to know her," Evelyn said smiling.
He nodded, a reluctant smile on his lips. "Maybe."
Evelyn drove quietly for a while, giving him room to think. Zayden looked out the window, noticing the small cafés, flower stalls, and bookshops he usually rushed past. He wondered if he had ever had a conversation that felt that simple and real, without any pressure or expectations.
After a moment, Evelyn spoke.
"You know… Ava's still looking for a job,"
Zayden didn't look away from the window. "So?"
"I just thought you could consider her. Your company always needs extra hands," she said calmly.
He turned to her, confused. "Mom, you want me to hire her?"
"I want you to give her a chance. If she's qualified, fine. If not, that's fine too. But at least see what she can do," Evelyn replied.
Zayden sighed. "This feels too much like matchmaking."
"It's not. It's helping someone who needs work. Nothing more," she said.
He rubbed his jaw, thinking it over.
"I'll think about it."
Evelyn smiled a little. "That's all I wanted to hear."
Across the street, Ava walked out of the café and breathed in the cool morning air. The city was busy as usual, but she felt a little lighter, as if their brief chat had opened something new. She brushed her hair back and moved on with her day.
Ava walked hurriedly down the street, unaware of the black Mercedes-Benz G-Class parked a few meters away. Inside, a pair of eyes followed her every move.
But they weren't Zayden's.