Eric took the coffee from his hand. “First things first, the owner would like to have a quote for the renovation.”
I watched Jiya closely from my corner table.
Her reaction mattered to me. Part of me expected her to hesitate, to stumble, or even to back away now that the conversation had become real. Instead, she straightened slightly in her chair. The determination in her expression returned. And despite myself, I found my curiosity growing stronger. Maybe Jack had been right about her enthusiasm after all. Still, I reminded myself not to trust appearances too easily.
So I remained where I was, quietly observing from my usual table, listening to every word they said without letting them know that the so-called harmless man sitting in the corner was the one who held the final decision in his hands.
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll try to get that by the end of the day tomorrow.”
Really? That soon?I raised my eyebrows slightly as I sat at my table watching her.
“Great! Second, he wants Jack to be his representative throughout the entire process. That’s why Jack is present here.”
She nodded.
Hmm… why is she not curious to know about me, the restaurant owner?Most people would have asked questions by now. Most people would have been suspicious or at least intrigued by the person who owned the place they were about to invest in. Yet, she did not ask anything about me. Instead, she simply listened. Either she trusted too easily, or she was too focused on survival to waste time on curiosity.
“Third, everything will be split fifty-fifty.” Eric took a sip from the steaming cup.
She nodded again.
I leaned back slightly in my chair and studied her carefully. A small wave of doubt rolled through me as I watched the conversation unfold.
Am I doing the right thing?Everything seemed to be moving in a direction I had not anticipated. The deal was unfoldingfaster than I had imagined, and I was not sure if I was ready for it. Doubts crept into my mind. My chest tightened, and my muscles tensed as if I were preparing for something I could not yet see.
Then the memory of the dream surfaced.
Eva.
I could still see her standing there in the restaurant in my dream, smiling at me the way she used to. Then Jack’s smiling face. The restaurant full of customers. The sound of laughter. The warmth of a place that once felt alive.
My chest slowly expanded as I inhaled deeply, and my breathing gradually evened out.
“Any questions at all?” Eric asked.
She shook her head.
“Jack has signed the contract along with the owner. There are four copies. Read and sign all of them. Hand it over to Jack when you’re done. You have forty-eight hours,” he said, handing her an envelope.
Eric took another sip of his coffee, shook Jiya’s hand, and left the restaurant.
Jack turned toward her. “So, Jiya, when do we start?”
Even from where I was sitting, I could hear the excitement in his voice. Hope had crept into his heart again. I could also hear the entire conversation clearly from my table. And I could sense his eagerness for this new venture to begin.
“I’ll call the designer and the restaurant expert today and keep you posted,” she said, beaming.
Jack nodded. “That’s great. I’ll see you then.”
She finished her green tea and stood up before leaving the restaurant.
Jack cleared the cups from the table and then walked over to me. “I think this is a good start,” he said.
I avoided looking directly at him. “I heard.” My brows wrinkled as I stared down at my beer.
“You have to learn to have some faith again, Cole,” Jack said gently. “She is a good person. You’ll see.”
His words hovered in the air between us.
