This will probably be the only one from her POV so I decided to make it count.

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Yvette knew who he was the second he walked into the restaurant. Her parents and relatives were second-generation American and loved getting involved in politics, debating over the candidates.

As a teenager, all Yvette cared about was the blonde-haired boy who smiled and waved to the camera. The one who looked so polished in his suits. The boy who grinned at something his mother said and nodded at his father's words.

The same boy walked into the restaurant she worked at but he was not the same.

Mason Douglas still looked as handsome but he'd grown up. He wore a suit but he didn't seem as polished as the boy on the tv. He seemed more relaxed. He laughed at something his companion said. A man in his early twenties with dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes.

They took seats at the bar, forcing Yvette to tuck away her girlhood crush. When she served them, they barely glanced at her, completely wrapped up in their conversation. There was a camaraderie about them that seemed easier than friendship. They looked similar enough, possibly cousins. Yvette could relate to that, her cousins were her closest companions.

The pair stayed for three hours and never seemed to tire of talk. When they eventually left, Yvette thought that would be the last time she ever saw Mason Douglas.

But she was wrong.

The next time Yvette saw Mason, he came in alone. He took a seat at the bar and gazed around him. Yvette finished serving her current customer and strode over to Mason. She wore an easy smile.

"What can I get you?" she asked.

Mason locked eyes with her and she realized something that she'd never been able to see from the tv screen and didn't notice the last time: the hue of his eyes. They were blue but a blue with so much depth it felt like she was looking into the ocean on a clear day.

"A Pellegrino and a menu," Mason said.

Yvette set a menu before him and poured out a glass of Pellegrino. Mason flipped open the menu, half scanning at it. He looked to the empty seats beside him. Yvette moved further down the bar to give him space. Still, she heard him as he made a call.

"What are you doing right now?" he asked.

A beat. "I wanted to check in and see if you need an excuse to eat."

The comment struck Yvette as a little strange. Not flirty or inviting, but somehow still caring. Which she felt didn't make sense.

"Wait, your boy scout fiancé got home? When?"

If Mason's previous comment had been at all softer, Yvette would have thought something scandalous with the latest comment.

"No," Mason said, scornfully. "I'm not lonely. I just know how you get when your fiancé is gone and wanted to make sure you weren't somewhere being pathetic. But he's home so I don't have to worry about you. Have fun with Mr. Perfect."

Mason hung up and Yvette glanced over at him. He sat back in his chair, staring at his phone on the bar top. In that moment, she couldn't see the smiling First Son the whole world knew. She figured someone with his claim to notoriety would have a million people he could call to come join him.

But he sat completely alone.

She had to wonder how many times when the world saw him living a perfect life, he felt the opposite.

Yvette walked back to him, her smile softer than before.

"Did you decide on what you want to eat?" she asked.

He met her gaze and the loneness there cleared. If she hadn't noticed it a second ago, Yvette knew she'd never have seen it.

Mason ordered but kept to himself throughout the meal. When he left, Yvette watched him go.

The next time Mason came, he introduced himself. Not Mason Douglas, simply Mason. When Yvette shook his hand, she saw how he watched her, as if waiting for her to ask if his last name was Douglas. So she didn't, instead gave her name.

Mason returned periodically over the next month. Yvette treated him with the same courtesy she did every other customer.

It was Mason who initiated conversation. He'd wait until Yvette had served everyone and ask her something. At first, it was how long she'd worked there. She said about a year and she'd gotten the job because her uncle owned the restaurant. Slowly it moved on to more about her life. In college? Yes, Georgetown for civil engineering. Family? Only child though dozens of close cousins. Dreams? To live a worthwhile life.

Yvette asked Mason about his life but kept it focused on the present. From the way he avoided giving his last name, she wondered if his life as the First Son wasn't a topic he liked to discuss. That's how she learned he worked for the FBI as a tech analysis. Not something she would have guessed. He smiled easily but laughed rarely. He didn't bother her when a wave of customers arrived but quickly picked up a conversation if she was close by and not busy.

Yvette didn't know exactly what to make of him. She'd had enough men hit on her and ask for her number to know she was attractive.

But Mason didn't do either of those.

Instead, he made conversation. She'd seen how he looked that second night. Did he talk to her because he was lonely? He hadn't come in with anyone else, maybe he merely liked having someone to talk to.

The fifth time Mason sat at the bar, eating his hamburger, a group of young businessmen sat nearby at a table. Yvette had poured more drinks for them than she could count. She also alerted her uncle to this fact so he'd make sure none of them drove home.

Two hours into this group's visit, all of them had made a comment to Yvette at one point or other. Finally, one of the bolder members asked for Yvette's number.

When she declined, he leaned on the bar, grinning in what she figured was his charming manner. He badgered her for a full minute until Yvette took out a napkin and wrote out a number. He winked when she handed it to him. He swaggered back to his table where his companions cheered for him.

"Did you seriously give him your number?" Mason asked, disbelieving.

"No, I gave him a number, but not my number."

Mason smiled. "Whose number?"

"My cousin Julio," she said. "He knows how to scare someone so much he'll never bother me again."

"And does he get a lot of men to scare?"

Yvette merely smiled at him and walked away. Mason had been watching her enough to know that answer.

She thought his question might mean something, but the next time Mason arrived it was with a girl. A beautiful, slender girl with blue eyes and light brown skin tone. With such an interesting combination, Yvette thought the girl was possibly biracial.

Whatever her growing attraction to Mason might be, Yvette put it aside. They were customers and that's what mattered. That was her job.

"Mason, you're back again," she said. She glanced at the girl. "What can I get you tonight?"

Mason's date leaned back in her chair. "I'll have water and he'll have a date if you're free."

Mason whipped his head towards the girl as Yvette raised her eyebrows in surprise. So not with him with him then.

"Carter, what are you doing?" Mason practically growled.

Yvette watched Carter, puzzled. Mason sounded mad, so that meant he hadn't brought Carter here to be his wing woman. Did he not want the date then?

"This is Yvette, correct?" Carter asked.

Yvette laughed. No introduction but Carter knew who she was. Either Carter was psychic or Mason must have talked to Carter about Yvette. That thought warmed her.

"Yes, this is Yvette," Yvette said. "And why is it that Mason can't ask for himself?"

Mason waved a dismissive hand, returning to the calm, collected man she knew him as. "Ignore her. She suffers from delusions."

Yvette cocked her head. "So you didn't want that date?"

Carter crossed her arms.

"Of course," Mason said. "But I wouldn't have you thinking that I needed someone to ask for me."

She didn't know about that. He'd never made any indication that he wanted a date the last few times he came in.

Yvette leaned on the bar. "And that's why you haven't asked me on a date the last six nights you've come in?"

"I wasn't going to be one of those guys that ask you out merely for your looks. And I didn't want to get a yes because of who my father is."

Yvette nodded. She liked that. She had enough men ask her out for that reason that this was refreshing.

And at this point, Yvette would have not said yes because of who his father is but because of who she knew Mason to be.

"Good answer." She straightened. "Okay, I get off in half an hour, you can take me out then." She smiled. "Now I'll get you that water and," she glanced at Mason, "I'll get you your usual." 

A date with Mason Douglas. The idea filled Yvette's thoughts as she finished up the rest of her shift. Carter and Mason hadn't remained long, giving Yvette space to imagine what Mason might pick for a date.

For Mason Douglas, she imagined something romantic: picking her up dressed in one of his suits. Escorting her into a town car that took them to a candlelit dinner, possibly on the top of a building so they could see the stars.

Yvette knew it sounded over the top but she'd also seen the man who came to this expensive restaurant to eat a casual dinner.

When her shift ended, Yvette clocked out and slipped out the main doors. Waiting on the sidewalk was Mason.

But he wasn't how she'd imagined. He'd changed out of his work suit into dark jeans and a hoodie. In his hand, he held a plastic bag.

"Still want to go on this date?" he asked.

She understood what he was asking, this new version of Mason was who'd she be out with. He wanted to know if she wanted that or wanted the Mason Douglas she'd been expecting.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"I know you've been on your feet for a long time, are you up for a short walk?" Mason asked. "If not I can get us an Uber."

More than anything Mason had said or done, this struck Yvette as the kindest. He knew her work and cared enough to ask about what she needed.

"I can walk," she said.

Mason nodded and motioned towards the Mall. They walked side by side but Mason never tried to take her hand. A gesture Yvette appreciated. Too many of her previous dates had tried to get physical or possessive too quickly. As they walked, Mason asked about her day, about her classes, about her customers. When she talked, he merely listened.

By the time they made it to the Lincoln monument, it was to find it mostly empty due to the late hour. Mason took a spot on the steps and Yvette sat down beside him. He brought the bag forward and pulled out a wrapped sandwich.

"These are my favorite sandwiches in all of the US. And I've been enough places that I feel safe in saying they are the best."

Yvette accepted the sandwich and unwrapped it. Hungry from a long day of classes and work, she dug in.

"What do you think?" Mason asked.

Yvette nodded appreciatively as she chewed. Mason smiled and began to eat his sandwich.

"I like this place," Mason said. "Because this is one of the first places I remember coming to with my mom. I had the strongest urge to climb on the Lincoln statue. And I still do sometimes."

Yvette laughed. "I had the same thought too when my parents brought me here."

"Have you always lived in DC?"

From that question their conversation naturally flowed, covering home life and public life, general interests, and pet peeves. Sitting almost completely alone on the steps together, Yvette found Mason opening up in a way she'd never thought he would.

When they noticed how high the moon had gotten, Mason rose and offered Yvette a hand. She accepted and he helped her up.

"Thank you for this," Yvette said.

Mason studied her. "Was it what you imagined going out with Mason Douglas, First Son would be like?"

Yvette heard the hint of a sarcastic note in his voice and wondered how many girls went out with Mason expecting something completely different and had been disappointed.

From the look in Mason's eyes, it had been enough that it had left a wound.

"No," she said. "It wasn't." Mason nodded, hiding away his hurt. "But I didn't go out with Mason Douglas, First Son tonight."

Mason stared at her, uncertain but with a spark of hope.

"I went out with just Mason and it was the best date I've been on."

Mason smiled and held out his hand. Yvette laced her finger through his. As they started to walk, Yvette heard Mason whisper under his breath.

"Just Mason."

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Hey there my cuddly kitten!

Go ahead and mew about how adorably damaged Mason is! And what you thought of the chapter too! 💬💭🗯

Honestly, I knew I loved Yvette because she managed to win Mason's heart but seeing everything from her POV made me love her and him more!

I mean our boy can't even find someone to have dinner with him! Gosh he so desperately needed Yvette! Thank goodness she showed up!

What did you think of the date?

I thought it so interesting because it is so different than the polished Mason everyone sees it's like he does it to test girls, see if they like him for who he is or who is father is.

Boy is he damaged or what! But we love him all the same!

Vote, comment, follow!

This is Mason is he were an animal.

Adorable, crying out for help but would play it off as howling.