Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potter, the pleasure's all JKR's despite my countless wishes and worshipping of Fred and George.
How was I supposed to think after that?! Oh this guy was just so gorgeous…ha, knowing that it probably means he's a complete prat.
And it was at that moment the thought of an old classmate from her second ear, Draco Malfoy, entered her mind. Lynn started laughing. Laughing hard. People in her office turned to look at her and she blushed a crimson red. That was like Lynn, attract attention to herself when she absolutely didn't need it. She turned back to her papers and began sifting through them for the Waverly deal. Windows would partially merge with Apple, they'd sell the new iScreen with Microsoft's LaserTech hardware. The new computer was flawless, it was perfect. The screen was a little thicker than your standard piece of paper and could be folded up and put in your pocket. Everything was wireless, Bluetooth. The keyboard, mouse and tower were combined into one tiny box that looked to be just bigger than a quarter. The box was not only the world's smallest biggest storage hardware EVER, but there was a tiny hole in which displayed out a laser keyboard and laser touch sense like mouse pad. The whole set up was disgustingly cool, Lynn kept hers in her Fendi.
She signed the deal sheet with a flourish and gave it to Casey, her secretary, to mail it out. Heading back towards her office, she noticed the rather nasty turn the weather had taken. The sky had almost at an instant gone from the brightest blue to the darkest grey. I seemed the world wasn't in the mood for anything pleasant today. She sat in her leather chair and twirled around while looking over the financial books. It'd be good for the company to invest in the stock a bit more, they had the money to. She write a note down for James to look into that.
Soon enough it hit 3 and Lynn was out of there. She took it upon herself to find a coffee shop and ordered the largest cup they had. A venti. Love it. She dumped about five packets of sugar in there and was on her way. Coming out of the shop's door, she saw the man she had run into that morning. Her breath caught for a second. He walked into the diner across the street. She discreetly made her way over and looked through the window. He was a very very attractive man and this was not the average diner either. Hell, it shouldn't even be called a diner, that completely insults the place. She saw the name, Jake's, and instantly put her finger on who this was. Jake Johnson. He was filthy rich, and this hot spot charged literally like the pound equivalent of 15 dollars for a cup of coffee and 30 for a salad. It was well worth it though, the food smelled, looked, and tasted mouthwatering. It was the elite of gourmet in London, probably that side of England for that matter. Everything from the from the crystal chandeliers to the expensive goblets on the tables looked effortlessly perfect.. Lynn had bussed tables here years ago, when she had first shifted out of, well, that place. Jake had said to her "You're a very pretty girl, your face, it fits here." She had blushed at (at the time) the younger good looking guy's compliment.
Lynn decided on coming here for dinner that night. She had to talk to Jake, it was obvious he didn't remember her at all. Anyone from Hogwarts that she would run into would guess her face and shrug, but he didn't even say hello.
She found it strange that she was slightly nervous that night as she pulled on a cute little black dress she found on It was a Lotta Stensson number, and fit her figure well. She pulled on some pumps to match and headed back to her bathroom. Her long brown hair had fallen over her shoulders perfectly, she wasn't going to even bother doing anything to it. She laughed at old pictures of herself, she had a huge gap between her two front teeth and her hair was a rat's nest. That had all been fixed though, after a "reality check". She brushed on her beloved American imported makeup, MAC. She looked flawless, and that's exactly what she'd been aiming for. Lynn Veglia was known to look polished and collected everywhere, unlike Hermione Granger, who was noted for having bushy hair twenty four seven.
She decided she'd walk to Jake's. The air was refreshing and it was a little light out still. She remembered how she loved using the floo network years back.. Everything muggle took so much more time and effort, but she found that she appreciated things a lot more. She had an entirely different perspective on her life.
She walked into Jake's, warmed by the taste bud driving aroma and the atmosphere itself. It was dim, sconces lit on the walls, chandeliers turned down to provide just enough light.
"Table for one tonight, miss, or are you meeting someone? Perhaps a reservation?" The hostess asked her,
"Nah, just one, thanks." She followed the hostess back to a small round table near the bar. The woman passed her the thick menu and told her of the specials. Fillet Mignon, all of these tres chic Italian dishes and a ridiculous amount of other food that left Lynn wondering how on earth she was going to chose. She had to be figure conscious though, too much alfredo and everything in her closet would dub her a large woman who couldn't pick out a size that fit her.
After small talking with the waiter and ordering her homemade linguini in the famous white wine sauce, she was left to look around the restaurant. Many couples were here tonight, a few rich families among them. Everyone dressed in the latest fashion, it was almost funny how for once Lynn blended in with everyone instead of standing out like she usually did.
She never saw her waiter come back, and was entirely surprised to find that Jake was the one handing her the plate of the steaming, picture perfect pasta.
He refilled her water glass and asked if there was anything else he could do for her. She nodded no, and instead of leaving like she thought he would he pulled up a chair and sat down across from her. "So tell me, Lynn Veglia, what the hell you're doing here by yourself?"
She laughed, "How'd you know who I was?"
"Come off it, everyone in this city, probably country for that matter knows who you are. You still look like you're seventeen, it's not easy to forget a face like yours,"
Her stomach did somersaults at that remark. What is a compliment? Again? Did her hair look okay? Was her dress still holding shape?
"So tell me Lynn, how've you been? It's been 16 years since you've shown your face in this place."
She laughed at that one. "Well Mr. Johnson-"
"Please, Jake."
"Fine then Jake, I've been pretty well. Things aren't exactly interesting all the time but life hasn't killed me yet. How about you? I see you haven't changed much." Why on earth was she talking like this with him, oh god forbid there was something in her teeth. He made her so nervous.
"I know. You'd figure my hair would be white thanks to all the stress of this place," he gestured to the bustling waiters and waitresses, the stock full dining area and bar, "but that's not the case. I sadly pretty much live here. I go home to shower and sleep, that's it.."
"Jake! Cmon! You're the manager, you're allowed to take days off you know."
"Yeah, but not everyone's the successful Apple CEO that you turned out to be. God Lynn, of all the people I would see doing that sort of work, I would have never pictured you."
She bit her lip at that, for some reason his words almost seemed harsh?
"Well, your not the first to think I wasn't cut out for it."
"No I didn't mean it like that at all, I meant it as in why Apple? You were good enough to model for Chanel-"
HA! Someone's been reading a lot of the US's In Touch Weekly..
"You could've done anything. You could have owned this place! What made you want to work there?"
Nothing. In all honesty, nothing had prone her to serve her life at Apple, except for the fact that the job was open and they were pretty much handing it to her on a silver platter. Someone more deserving should have gotten the job.
"The technology's fascinating, it's nice being at the top of it all you know?"
"Yeah I could imagine, let me know when that widescreen, touch screen ipod comes out..fear I'll die if I don't get my hands on that."
She laughed. "You and about a million other people."
He grinned. "The lives of millionares..billionares at your rate.."
"Oh for heaven's sake Jake, you should talk. Really. I never paid the equivalent to $30 in Hollywood for a cup of coffee!"
"Hey, we all gotta eat.."
"Jake.." He truly haden't changed at all.
"Lynn...well when your free from your busy successful life you should stop by the loft, I've got wine that costs less than that that I'm sure you'll go crazy over."
"Ha do you.."
"Absolutely, come by for a glass whenever. I won't let you starve, go ahead and tuck in, I'll catch you around." He got up and walked off to hunt down the hostess. There was a line outside getting longer and longer by the minute.
He had such a great smile.
Lynn ate nearly the entire plate of pasta, it was unbelievably good. It was past midnight when she got out of there, she caught Jake's eye as she walked out the door. He flashed her another smile and turned back to putting up some chairs. She wondered what this nutter feeling was that was messing with her stomach, but then it dawned on her.
She was falling for Jake Johnson all over again. He had walked right back into her life just as fast as she walked out of his.