The Prince And The Waitress
What's Your Name?
Naveen groaned as he stretched on the bed to his room in the bachelor house. The club he went to with Charlotte was as boring as a straight line, but the other club the mysterious lady of the night took him to was more of his style. Hot dancing, hot women, hot alcohol and hot jazz. But something about his night out made him not fully enjoy it. Like something was missing but he couldn't put his finger on it.
Despite anything he enjoyed himself and once morning hit he felt somewhat satisfied at the outcome.
"Oh what a night." Naveen rested his hands behind his head, clearly in a good mood. But that quickly changed when an arm wrapped over him and the voice of a woman moaning came soon after. He turned to see the brunette he met at the first jazzclub from last night still in bed. Making him groan in annoyance.
"You're still here?" He asked without looking at her.
The woman only grinned. "What's for breakfast, darling?" Her twang dragging out the 'dar'.
Naveen gave her a sidelong grin before slipping out of his bed to dress, leaving the bedroom. He was relieved when he found Lawrence sleeping on one of the couches and eased his way towards the man.
"Lawrence." He whispered.
The man snorted before opening his eyes. "Yes your majesty?"
"Code 'legs'." He hinted.
Lawrence stretched as he stood. "Where is she?"
()()()()
Tiana walked down the hall of the LaBouff estate and saw the back of a woman being escorted by the short man she saw hiding under the table at Duke's the other day.
She then knocked on the door to Charlotte's room before walking into the room to her friend finishing up on her make-up.
"Oh Tia!" Charlotte got up from her make-up table to hug her friend. "I'm glad that you came."
"Are you felling any better?" Tiana said as they sat on the bed bench.
"Not really." Charlotte answered honestly. "Naveen left me at the jazzclub last night and I haven't heard from him since."
"Aw Lottie." Tiana took her hand. "You don't need him."
"He's just being a man." The blonde defended him.
Tiana shook her head. "He's a playboy-
"Anyway, I was thinking about trying that makeup product call Max Factor. Do you think Naveen will like me in extra pink rouge?"
Tiana raised an eyebrow in disapproval.
"I guess not." Charlotte took the hint. "What should I do, Tia? The masquerade ball is tonight and-
"Wait. It's tonight?" Tiana frowned.
"Why yes, I thought I told you already?"
"No, I must've forgotten." Tiana said.
Charlotte then thought of Naveen. "I wonder what he likes to eat?"
"I promised Mr. LaBouff that I'd make beignets for the party!" Tiana stood, wondering how she'll be able to make enough on time.
Charlotte's eyes lit up at what her friend just said. "Ya beignets are delicious and you do get attention from the men because of it!" She shot up to hug Tiana. "Oh Tia! You're bonified genius."
"Huh?" Tiana asked.
Charlotte ran over to her purse and pulled out a large amount of dollar bills and handed them to the waitress. "I'm gonna need for you to make those man-catchin' beignets for the party!"
Tiana started counting the money and her eyes widen. "This is it! I'm getting my restaurant!"
Charlotte squeaked. "I'll simply give Naveen a beignet and he'll instantly fall for me! I just know it!"
Tiana's smile fell after hearing her friend's in denial plan. She pitied for the woman. 'Will she ever learn?'
Charlotte began prancing around the room in excitement. "Oh Tia I'll be a princess in no time!" She then squeaked again.
"But what if he isn't the right man for you?" Tiana tried to be rational with her friend without telling her what she saw at the jazzclub lastnight.
"Oh but he is, Tia!" Charlotte said dreamily. "He's a prince and that's all that matters to me!"
"But what about being in love?" Tiana couldn't believe she even asked about it.
"Oh we'll be in love, but what's more important is me becoming Princess Charlotte of Maldonia!" Beamed the bubbly blonde.
Tiana raised her hands up in defeat. The girl was sticking to her ridiculous plan. Why even bother naysaying about it to her?
()()()()
The ball began later that night and the most elite residents were all invited. The night was going perfectly for Tiana as everyone wanted to try her beignets and would even leave her compliments about the pastries. Just as she put the fresh batch of beignets in the basket, another guest approached her.
"I would love to try ya marvelous beignets!" A woman dressed as mermaid said.
"Here ya are. They're pipin' hot." Tiana served the woman the pastry in a small plate as she saw the Fenner brothers standing next in line. She brightened up. "Good evening Mr. Fenner and…Mr. Fenner!"
"Evening Tiana." Greeted Henry Fenner.
"Fine smellin' beignets! We'd like to give them a try." Harvey Fenner said, taking more than he should.
"Take as many as ya want!" Tiana offered. "Now about that old sugarmill-
"Yes…about that…" Interrupted Henry Fenner
"…you were outbid." Harvey finished.
Tiana's heart dropped. "What?"
"A fella had a higher bid and we eventually sold it off to him." Henry Fenner explained.
She couldn't believe she lost the bid. "You know how long it took for me to save that money-
"Exactly, which is why a little woman of ya…background would've had ya hands full. It wouldn't have worked out anyway." Henry smirked.
"Ya better off where ya at, gal." Added Harvey in a crude tone.
Tiana frowned at the men, clearly offended by their racist remarks.
"Unless..." Henry Fenner grinned.
Tiana heard 'unless' and grew hopeful. "Unless what?"
"You're an attractive young gal who seems very bright." Henry Fenner said, resting a hand on her lower back.
Tiana stepped away and saw the devious look in the middle age man's eyes. "Never."
"Are you sure about that now, gal?" Henry Fenner grinned. "No one in this town would ever hand over property at such a tempting price."
"There's nothing tempting about your price!" Tiana spat.
Harvey chuckled while stuffing beignets down his throat.
Tiana didn't bother saying anything else to the men. They were obviously playing a game with her all along.
"I'd take just one more of ya beignets." Said Harvey Fenner, stuffing several more in his pocket.
Tiana was furious at this point and didn't want neither men around her or her beignets. So she took a hold at the other end of the beignet from the shorter man. "Now hold on there!"
Charlotte impatiently waited for Naveen to arrive at the ball and was beginning to worry that he wouldn't make it. 'He was suppose to be here an half hour ago.' She thought.
"Where is that prince of mine?" She asked loud enough for only her to hear.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
Her eyes brightened when she heard the announcer.
"…his royal highness, Prince Naveen!"
Her blue eyes sparkled as she watched him proudly walk down the aisle and onto the dance floor. She quickly trotted her way over and pulled him to her.
Naveen hated having to wear his prince costume. It pinched and itched all over.
"Oh Prince Naveen." Charlotte's voice interrupted his thoughts.
He raised his eyebrows while giving her a smile. The dress wasn't exactly appealing but her breasts definitely made up for it.
"How do I look?" She asked, fluttering her eyelashes.
"Very perky." He wiggled his eyebrows.
Charlotte giggled, loving that his attention were finally on something of hers. That was until she heard a crash from behind her. Both she and Naveen looked over to see Tiana on the ground with powdered sugar and honey all over her.
The blonde gasped and excused herself to assist her friend.
Naveen studied the messy woman and couldn't help but to find her familiar.
"What happened?" Charlotte asked with a hint of concern.
Tiana was humiliated after dealing with the Fenners and made spectacle of herself all for a beignet? She didn't know what's gotten into her. "I just-I-
"Oh ya poor dear." Charlotte helped her up before looking back at Naveen. "Oh Prince Naveen, we'll be right back, sugar! Tia I got just the dress for ya!"
Both girls started walking up the stairs and back to the very pink room.
Tiana felt as if her dream of owning her restaurant was over and she would have no other choice but to marry Charles. "Maybe it's for the best." She said to herself sadly.
Charlotte walked out of her closet with a blue gown in hand. "Oh Tia honey get out of that dirty thing and put on this gown."
Tiana didn't pay much attention to the gown as she walked in the changing room.
"Tia, I believe I finally got Naveen to fall for me!" Charlotte said, handing her friend the gloves and heels before going to re-touch her make-up. "The way he was looking at my…" She looked down at her breasts. "…assets and the way he held me let me know that he's interested."
Tiana remained silent as she undressed while thinking of a very unhappy life with Charles. She could learn to love him and the fact that he was around her age helped, somewhat. He's also very handsome with a chiseled face and his muscles were very impressive to look at, but it didn't do anything for her.
Once she was done changing she slipped on her gloves and shoes. Trying to suppress her tears as best as she could.
"…and just to be on the safe side. I will give him some beignets anyway. Like Ms. Eudora always tells us. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach..." Charlotte stopped when she saw Tiana walking out in the blue gown. She smiled dreamily. "Oh Tia you're as pretty as a magnolia in May." She picked out one of her favourite tiaras and placed it in her friend's head before pulling her alongside her in front of the mirror. "Now we both look like princesses."
Tiana sighed. Not caring how she looked at the moment.
"And who knows Maybe one of those service cleaners could be ya prince charming! I saw a nice looking one picking up some broken glass not too long ago."
She sighed at her friend. Always trying to set her up some kind of way.
"Well, back into the fray." Charlotte made sure her breasts were looking even more perky and locked an arm with Tiana. "Come on, Tia! Let's show the world how princesses are suppose to look like."
Tiana walked on with her friend feeling defeated and humiliated. Her dreams were finally over, and the Fenners were right about no one wanting to give her a vacant building for her restaurant. 'Why didn't I think of a backup plan?' She thought to herself. Then the thought of marrying Charles came to mind again making her shutter at the thought.
Naveen yawned as an older woman spoke to him on love and romance but could care less on the topic. The last thing he was feeling was love for Charlotte. She was simply a convenience for his life of partying and women.
"Naveen, sugar!"
He sighed when he heard her voice before turning to see the bubbly blonde and her…friend.
"Here I am, my scrumptious prince!" Charlotte wrapped her arms around him. "Isn't he the most handsome prince?" She asked Tiana.
Tiana didn't answer. Instead went back over to her area to clean up.
Naveen kept his eyes on her. She looked a lot like the waitress he met the other day. "Who's your friend?" He asked, still watching her.
"Oh that's Tia." Charlotte answered. "She's a waitress." Confirming his curiosity.
"Hmm." He nodded.
"Pardon me but Charlotte, honey." Eli cut in. "The mayor's daughter is looking for you on something-
"Oh Mary Willis is always asking for something!" Charlotte shook her head in annoyance before turning to the prince. "Naveen sweetie I'll be back." She gave him a kiss on the cheek before leaving with her father.
Naveen sighed and glanced back over at Tiana, who simply known as…'Tia the waitress'. He knew she looked familiar. Who could forget a beautiful face like hers? And her name couldn't possibly be just 'Tia'. He had to think of a smooth way of approaching her or he'll go crazy. 'No, not crazy.' He thought. 'I'm too unbelievably amazing to go crazy. I'd say more like...remarkably curious. No, no, no that doesn't work with me. Marvelously handsome. Yes, that'll do.' He loved a good compliment, even if it came from himself.
Tiana picked up the ruined pastries and threw them in a waste bag that was provided for her. She couldn't believe that she didn't pay enough attention to the dress Charlotte let her borrow. Any wrong move could cause her breasts to pop out, and that would just be another moment to add on her 'My life is utterly hell' list.
As Naveen neared her he couldn't help but to notice how the dress was hugging her in all the right places. From her hips, her waist, her skin, her breasts. He just had to speak with her again.
So he cleared his throat.
Tiana heard the male voice from behind her and turned to him. "I'm sorry sir, but…" She stopped when she realized that it was Prince Naveen.
"Good evening, mi benita." Naveen flashed her his smile.
She rolled her eyes. "There aren't anymore beignets."
"Really now? Because I see a fresh batch in this basket." He picked up the basket from the ground to show her.
Tiana was surprised that she missed the basket. "Oh um, thank you." She reached out for it.
But he pulled it away. "May I have one…?" He asked, hinting on her to complete his question.
"Tiana." She answered.
"Pretty name." He grinned and took out a pastry. "Do you mind?"
"Why not?" She said, not really wanting him around her. "You can have them all!"
Naveen rested his elbow on the table as support while watching her clean. "I've heard about you American women and overfeeding your men to win their hearts." He said, taking a bite of the pastry. "Mmm. If I had to eat these sweet somethings everyday I could fall inlove myself."
Tiana didn't want to be bothered with the man. She knew what he was about and didn't have time for any of his games. "I'm sure Lottie will be feeding you enough."
"Lottie?" He gave her a puzzled look.
"Charlotte LaBouff." She clarified.
Naveen nodded. "Cute nicknames. She calls you Tia while you call her Lottie."
"Why are you really here?" She asked, resting her hand on her hip.
"To try more of your beignets and to learn the name behind the beauty in the now...blue dress." He took another bite.
"Well now you know, so if you don't mind-
"You aren't giving me the blind eye because of your fiancé." Naveen smirked.
"I'm not engaged." Tiana replied.
"Your boyfriend?" He asked.
"I'm not seeing anyone. At all." She picked up the final ruined pastry and threw it into the bag.
"What's a beautiful woman such as yourself doing alone?" Naveen was very curious but pleased by her answers.
Tiana snorted. "You're a charmer. Nice." Her voice hinting in sarcasm.
Naveen took it as another compliment for himself. "Yes, I am…" He looked at his fingernails.
She rolled her eyes at his vain behavior.
"Oh there ya are!" Charlotte locked her arm with his. "Thanks for keepin' my prince charming company, Tia." She winked at her.
Tiana gave her friend a half smile before continuing her cleaning.
Back on the dance floor Naveen kept glancing over at Tiana and couldn't help but to find her feisty and guarded attitude towards him intriguing. But he wondered why? It couldn't be her kissing his praises because that was the last thing she was doing. Or her seducing him with her eyes since they were barely on his.
He watched as she finally left and almost wanted to follow her, but he just remembered being occupied by a woman who was the complete opposite of the waitress name Tiana. He tried shaking her from his thoughts. The blue dress alone made her irresistible, much more enticing than that yellow dress she wore when he first saw her. Her voice was seductive but sweet which made her sound all the pleasurable for his ears. The way she carried herself was of class and elegance, she seemed very determined and mature for her age. She looked between 17-19? Her lips looked inviting...wait!
'No one haunts Prince Naveen's thoughts except for Prince Naveen.' He mentally told himself. But for some odd reason he couldn't convince his own self to stop thinking about her. She wasn't rich because she was a waitress. In fact she was rude and a stickinthemud. A very attractive stickinthemud but that was beside the point.
"Focus, Naveen, focus." He said out loud.
"What was that, honeylamb?" Charlotte asked.
"Oh nothing." He nervously laughed. "Let's keep dancing."
She rested her hand on his chest as they continued.
He didn't know what's gotten over him tonight. He couldn't blame it on alcohol due to it being illegal in this country. Then what was it? 'Could she have put some sort of voodoo spell in the beignets?' He mentally chuckled at that ridiculous thought. Why was this one woman taking over his mind? What made him want more of her? The feeling she gave him was beyond lust, it actually made the left side of his chest tightened. 'Could it just be indigestion?' Nope. He barely even got it. Then what did this waitress do to him? A man who was always in control of his life. Who knew how to handle every situation he was in?
'What is it about this girl?' Naveen questioned mentally.
For the first time in his life he was lost.
()()()()