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My lips curl into a smile as her face reddens and her hands move animatedly. I take pity on her before she faints.
“I understand what you mean.”
Did cute Ms. Marlin look me up?
“And what about that phone number?”
* * *
“I heard you postponed the conference call this morning,” Oscar states as the waiter picks up our empty dishes.
“And?” I wave for the young man to bring another round of drinks.
“I heard you were with Rose.”
“Don’t tell me you have your little birds spying on me.”
Why the hell am I at dinner with this killjoy?
“No spying, boss.” He smirks for a moment before his lips flatten and his eyes fix on me. “There are things you don’t know about her.”
“And you’re going to share those things with me?” I cross my arms over my chest.
“Don’t you see what I’m trying to tell you?” He sits tall in the cushioned leather chair of the five-star restaurant.
“Not at all. I’ve no clue what you are trying to do.” I narrow my eyes on him in irritation.
“I’m trying to tell you to stay away from her. She’s not someone you play around with, Zander.” Oscar presses his lips together.
“And how many women have you seen me playing around with?”
The joke about me being gay didn’t start overnight. I’m no saint, but I’m also not a player. Relationships are something I never considered for myself. I have had some hookups here and there during college, and occasionally, someone would hit on me during a business meeting. But after a casual fuck, I would always go back to my room. I’ve never slept with a woman in the literal sense.
“That’s not what I mean. She isn’t your usual girl, Zander.” Oscar scrapes a hand through his hair as if nervous about something. “She has already seen too much pain for one life. You getting closer to her this week and then leaving to not return for another three years isn’t something she needs in her life right now.”
Our dear waiter chooses this moment to bring our drinks. When he retreats, Oscar sips his single malt Irish whiskey as if he didn’t just drop a bomb minutes ago.
“Are you really going to just sit there and not explain more?” I ask.
“It’s not my story to tell.”
“But you already started.” When he doesn’t budge, I lean back in my chair, trying to act nonchalant. “I’ve decided to prolong my stay in Cherrywood.”
That gets his attention. “What do you mean by prolong?”
“Exactly as it sounds. I want to put Marr’s plan of collaboration with the university into action.”
“Marr? Jesus. So now you’re her BFF?” His hands make the air quotes while saying that ridiculous word.
“That’s the hope.” I smirk, but he doesn’t take the bait. Instead, he sits there like a fucking stone. I sigh. “Look, Oscar, I like her. She’s cute. Weird but funny. She agreed to be my friend today.”
“Are you in high school?” His grip on the glass tightens, and I realize I can’t force the words out of him.
“Tell me about her,” I plead instead of bossing him.
After staring at me for a few seconds, he shakes his head and releases a heavy breath.
“I don’t know the whole story. Rose is very tight-lipped when it comes to her personal life.” He pauses, obviously uncomfortable with the discussion. “I’m fucking betraying her trust, but you seem to be hell-bent on this friendship thing.” He grabs his drink from the table and gulps back the remaining liquid. “I just want to give you an idea of her.”
