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“Well, let me ask you this another way,” I began. “Do you enjoy spending time with me?”
A hint of a smile came to Fiona’s mouth. I hadn’t expected it. She nodded and replied, “Yes, I do. Very much.”
“Okay, so if you were in my position, wouldn’t you naturally assume that there is some other problem?”
“Of course I have problems in my life, Gabe. I just don’t feel comfortable putting my personal issues out for the world to see, including you.”
I nodded as I looked at her in silence for a moment. “Do you think that’s fair to me?”
“I don’t know. No, I guess. But that’s just the way I am. I can’t help it. I’m sorry. I don’t expect you to understand.”
“I get it Fiona. I’m a private person myself, so I understand where you’re coming from. But here’s what I don’t do… I don’t take out my frustrations on other people. And that’s what I think you are doing here.”
Without hesitation, Fiona shook her head and looked at me. “Gabe… That’s not it. It’s just…”
I waved her off in the middle of her reply. “Fiona, I really don’t have a problem ending things between us. What I do have a problem with is you not being straight with me. As I’ve said before, you are under no obligation to sleep with me. I won’t hold it over your head, and I won’t allow it to affect anything relating to your work. Is that clear enough for you?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“All right then. Getting back to what happened at the resort… My intention was for you to enjoy yourself and get rid of the stress.”
Fiona tugged a strand of hair behind her ear as she looked at me. “The picnic was nice.”
I smiled and nodded. “Well, at least there was that, right?”
“Yes.”
“But I did make a promise to you and I intend to make it right.”
Fiona shook her head. “Gabe, please, it’s not necessary. Everything is okay, really.”
“Not to me it isn’t Fiona. Look, I’m not expecting you to do or say anything in this situation, but we’ve got to do something to make this better for both of us right now, for the sake of the company.”
“I promise, Gabe. You don’t have to worry about it.”
Ignoring her, I got down to the reason I’d asked her to my office in the first place. “Tell you what. Let’s have dinner.”
Fiona didn’t hesitate. Shaking her head, she replied, “No, Gabe. I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”
I waved her off as she protested.
“It’s strictly business, Fiona. You and I still have a lot of work to do. The presentation is coming up fast now. Since that’s the case, I’m going to have to insist.”
Defeated, Fiona dropped her head a bit.
“Okay,” she said with reluctance.
FIONA
I waited for Gabe outside the restaurant where I’d had my jealousy meltdown.
Between work and going home to take care of my grandmother, I had no time to shower and barely enough time to change. But so intense was my disdain for Mandy, the Uber Hostess, that I would rather sit on a bench across from the parking lot than deal with that slinky tower of sex.
Just then, Gabe’s limo pulled up, and I stood and smoothed my dress. Squinting into the setting sun, I reached up and shaded my eyes with my hand as Gabe emerged from the rear of the vehicle.
“Hey,” Gabe began, as he nodded in the direction of the entrance to the restaurant. “Why aren’t you in the restaurant? It’s hot as hell out here.”
“Oh, I just got here,” I lied.
Gabe stopped and leaned away from me. “But you’re sweating and…”
But before he continued his thought, thank God, Gabe waved his hand with a casual flick.
“You know what. It doesn’t matter. Let’s just go.”
Of course it would turn out she wasn’t even at the hostess station as we entered. In fact, we passed right by it and continued straight through the restaurant. Gabe strode through as if he owned the place and walked right to his reserved table. As was the case with the last time I ate here, I looked up to several dozen pairs of eyes locked on me, as I slid into the booth.
What? Am I not good enough for him?
I was really beginning to hate this place.
I’d almost forgotten how much, in fact, until a nearly six foot tall living statue composed of tits and legs walked in our direction. As she arrived at the table, her gaze never wavered from Gabe and within a second, she leaned in, kissing him on the cheek.
Again!
I did my best not to stare but I couldn’t help it.
I really, really, really was starting to hate this place.
She stood and looked at me, as if she hadn’t noticed I was there when she walked up.
Please.
“Oh, hello again,” she said.
I nodded in her direction, and as much as I wanted not to, I offered her a polite smile in return, but no words to accompany it. As luck would have it, it didn’t matter much anyway. Her shift was just getting underway, so I hoped it was the last time I’d have to see her again.
Gabe was either oblivious or didn’t care, because as I stared her down, he’d ordered a bottle of wine. Before long, the waiter returned and after uncorking it, he filled both of our glasses. Gabe reached down and slid the tips of his fingers around the stem. Nodding, he gestured for me to touch my glass to his.
As I did, he smiled.
“I’m glad you’re here tonight, Fiona.”
“Thank you.”
When I tilted the glass to my lips, the scent of fruity alcohol hit me. I took a large gulp, more than I normally did, which I followed with another right away. I set my glass down and glanced towards Gabe. He hadn’t noticed, as he’d been distracted searching for something in his suit coat pockets. As we locked eyes, he’d found what he was looking for, but he kept whatever it was concealed as he dropped it into his lap.
I ignored it for the moment as Gabe leaned back into the booth and in one smooth motion, flung his arm over the back of it. I offered him a polite smile, but not much more. I still wasn’t even sure why I’d agreed to come here. We could just as easily discuss the presentation in the office, if that’s why we were really even here. I had my suspicions.
Gabe didn’t say a word, but instead moved an arm towards his lap. A moment or so later, it reappeared, and in his hand, Gabe held a jewelry box, which he placed in the center of the table. He set it down, but as he released it, he kept a single finger pressed to the lid of the box and looked at me.
“What is that?” I said.
Gabe flicked at the top of the box, nudging it a half-inch closer to me from where he’d placed it moments earlier.
“Open it.”
I narrowed my gaze at him. Gabe smirked in return and nodded towards the small box.
“Hmm,” I muttered, as I reached towards it.
Wrapping my fingers around the box, I picked it up and turned it in my direction. I had to admit to a sudden case of butterflies. I’d never been given a present by a man before, and knowing Gabe, it could be anything. Just then, I cracked the lid open and they appeared before me. I raised my hand to my mouth, covering it as I stared down at them.
“Gabe…” I whispered. “They’re beautiful.”
“Try ‘em on.”
Transfixed by their brilliance, I only half-listened to him. “But I don’t understand… why?”
Gabe finished another sip of his wine. “Well, you know, for the way I behaved at the resort.”
I glanced down at the diamond and jade encrusted earrings. Surely, Gabe would have saved what looked like tens of thousands of dollars in jewelry by just telling me he was sorry. They were beautiful though, more spectacular than anything I’d ever seen except behind glass at the jewelry store.
Of course, there was no way in hell I could accept them. Fortunately, I wouldn’t have to turn him down based on his motives but my own small problem with ninety percent of all jewelry.
“They’re exquisite, Gabe…” I paused, looking at them for emphasis.
“I sense a ‘but’ coming, Fiona.”
“Well, it’s just… Are they platinum?”
Gabe frowned and leaned away with a look of frustration on his face.
“What?” he scoffed.
“No, oh no…” I said as I leaned towards him. Draping my hand across my chest, I continued, “It’s just that I’m allergic to everything but platinum. See?”
As I finished, I raised the arm where I wore my bracelet. Gabe’s look of frustration melted into pure disgust as he exhaled.
“What? Gabe, I can’t help it. It’s not my fault I’m allergic.”
He looked away from nodding and waving me off with a few casual flicks of his hand. “Yeah, yeah, okay, okay…”
Not even sure what I’d done wrong, I slumped into my chair a bit and turned my head away from Gabe and out into the restaurant, looking at nothing in particular.
Why hadn’t I put a stop to this yet? What the hell was I doing?
It’d been weeks since I’d promised my grandmother I would, and yet here I sat, still unable to do it. But, I had to do it now, before things either got worse between us, or I reached a point where I couldn’t turn back any longer.
