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“I’ve ordered a combination of traditional English food and a few familiar things,” Mason said, reaching out to take her hand. Ellie turned to him and smiled, shaking her head.
“This is amazing, Mason. Thank you.”
The grin that lit up his face enchanted her. She could tell he wasn’t just showing off. He genuinely wanted her to have a good time, not be impressed by his money.
Even though I have to admit, I do enjoy the spoiling.
Ellie helped herself to a little bread and butter while Mason ordered wine. She felt a faint shock when she saw the price of the bottle was over a thousand dollars.
I’ve never had a thousand dollars to spend on anything, ever!
When the first course finally came, Ellie was relieved to have something to focus on other than the grand room and other guests. She was pretty sure the other patrons were beginning to give her strange looks in return.
“Are you okay?” Mason said, carefully spearing some lettuce and tomato with his fork. “You like the food? I can order something else …”
“No, no, it’s fine,” Ellie assured him. The salad was incredibly fresh, the fries crispy, and the small meat pie curled with exquisite, toasty pastry.
“I just thought you looked a bit nervous,” Mason said. “Don’t hesitate to tell me if something isn’t right. I want you to have a great time.”
“Oh, I am,” Ellie said. “I just realized I was gawking around the room and decided I had better concentrate on my food before I embarrass myself.”
“I solemnly swear that if you embarrass yourself, I will embarrass myself twice as hard to take the heat off you.”
Ellie laughed, trying to imagine Mason anything less than dignified. She simply couldn’t picture it.
“So, what other places would you like to travel to?” Mason asked. “And what books inspired you? I’m guessing if you used books to escape, then you’d have a few favorite locations.”
“Yes,” Ellie said very seriously. “I’ve always wanted to see Middle Earth.”
Mason laughed. “Unfortunately, my private jet can’t get you there.”
The waiter was putting down plates of delicious, rich-smelling Beef Wellington, and she was too distracted to watch Mason’s expression when she next spoke.
“I do want to settle down, though,” Ellie said without thinking. “I want a home. Like, I’d only be happy to travel if I knew I had a place of comfort waiting for me. I couldn’t just travel the world untethered. I want a place of my own.”
Ellie tucked into the food, and when she lifted her head to take a sip of the incredibly expensive wine, she saw Mason giving her a curious look.
His eyes were wide, looking deep and dark, almost brooding. His face was tense, almost a scowl.
What did I say?
“I can’t agree,” he said, his tone sharp. It was almost like he was a different person, his sneering tone matching his business persona. “Putting down roots will only strangle your spirit in the end. I couldn’t stand to see the same view out my bedroom window every day. I need excitement and change. I never want to settle. I won’t stay still until I’m dead.”
Ellie was taken aback by his words, and she looked away to cover her shock. The words hurt her, even though she appreciated his honesty. Their extreme differences on the subject certainly put the brakes on the relationship before it even had a chance to take off.
She kept her eyes on her plate for a few minutes, wondering what to say. She didn’t really want to dive into the awkward subject of settling down, even though she would like to clarify things. It worried her deeply that Mason had no intentions of settling down … ever.
“More wine?” Mason asked.
Ellie nodded, looking up at him with a smile. “It really is excellent,” she said. “I usually don’t like red.”
“Oh, you should have mentioned it,” Mason said. “I was thinking of getting champagne.”
“That’s a drink I certainly haven’t had much of,” she laughed. “Even the cheaper bottles are so expensive.”
Mason filled their glasses and put the bottle down very carefully. “Are you telling me you’ve never had French champagne?”
“Not a single drop.”
